Janice R. Andrews
As the Opening Ceremony of the Summer Olympics draws near in Paris, athletes are becoming acquainted with their lodging and offering their initial thoughts on the Olympic Village. The cardboard beds, which made their debut at the Tokyo Summer Olympics in 2021, are the talk of the town. Though some have called them “anti-sex beds,” their true function is to promote sustainability.
These mattresses were shown on the official Olympics YouTube channel, which also stressed that they will be “fully recycled” after the games. The beds are made out of a three-part flippable mattress with firmness adjustments and a multi-part cardboard foundation.
Reviews of the Cardboard Beds by Athletes
Athletes have shared their opinions about these unusual beds on social media. Irish gymnast Rhys McClenaghan dispelled the rumor that these beds were made to prevent athletes from having sex by posting a video showcasing their robustness. McClenaghan denounced the “anti-sex” myth in the video, jumping and flipping on the bed without breaking anything.
McClenaghan has experienced these beds before. He conducted a same test at the 2021 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, yielding robust findings. Even the Olympic organizers sarcastically thanked him for dispelling the misconception in a retweet of his 2021 video.
Intruding with his own bed test, British diver Tom Daley validated McClenaghan’s evaluation of their resilience. American gymnast Simone Biles, meanwhile, gave a peek at her dorm room but stayed silent about the bed.
Concerns and Amenities
Athletes may choose from a range of dining alternatives at the Olympic Village in Paris. Not everything is ideal, though; a few delegates have voiced their worries over the initial absence of air conditioning. According to Henry Bushnell of Yahoo Sports, a number of delegations are bringing in their own air conditioners to make sure their athletes are as comfortable and fit as possible during these crucial Games.
An Alternative Surfing Experience
Surfers competing in the Olympics have a distinct lodging experience because they are not lodging in France. Rather, they are fighting in the South Pacific, some 9,700 miles from Paris, near the coast of Tahiti in French Polynesia. These athletes are staying on a cruise ship that is docked only a short boat ride from the island, serving as a floating Olympic Village.
German surfer Camilla Kemp brought some regularity to the otherwise remarkable living arrangements of the floating hamlet by confirming that the mattresses are not constructed of cardboard.
Athletes are getting used to their lodgings as the Paris Summer Olympics approach, whether it be the eco-friendly cardboard mattresses in Paris or the opulent cruise ship in Tahiti. The athletes are finding their makeshift dwellings cozy and functional for their requirements, dispelling early worries and misconceptions and allowing them to concentrate on their performances in the next Games.
