On Friday 23 July, the 2020 Tokyo Olympics will start after being delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Athletes from around the world have begun moving into accommodation at the Olympic Village in preparation for the competition.
Due to coronavirus restrictions, everyone involved in the Olympic games is being discouraged from mixing with one another in the Olympic Village, unlike at previous games.
Organisers of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics have provided the athletes with cardboard beds, which some claimed were an attempt to stop competitors having sex.
It came after US runner Paul Chelimo tweeted:
Beds to be installed in Tokyo Olympic Village will be made of cardboard, this is aimed at avoiding intimacy among athletes
— Paul Chelimo🇺🇸🥈🥉 (@Paulchelimo) July 17, 2021
Beds will be able to withstand the weight of a single person to avoid situations beyond sports.
I see no problem for distance runners,even 4 of us can do😂 pic.twitter.com/J45wlxgtSo
It was unclear whether Chelimo was joking, but his tweet prompted coverage of the issue.
But, according to officials, the recycled cardboard beds have been made this way to be more environmentally friendly. It’s all part of the games’ carbon neutrality commitment.
Now, to prove that the beds are actually robust and aren’t designed to stop the athletes from having sex, Irish gymnast Rhys McClenaghan has filmed himself doing a test jump on the bed – that unsurprisingly went viral.
In a video posted on Twitter, McClenaghan, 21, can be seen jumping on one of the beds to test its strength, proving it won’t break under “use”.
“Anti-sex” beds at the Olympics pic.twitter.com/2jnFm6mKcB
— Rhys Mcclenaghan (@McClenaghanRhys) July 18, 2021
He said: “In today’s episode of fake news at the Olympic Games, the beds are meant to be anti sex.
“They’re made out of cardboard, yes. But, apparently they are meant to break under any sudden movements.
“It’s fake news.”
The clip, captioned “‘Anti-sex’ beds at the Olympics” has been viewed 1.2 million times.
Responding to the video, the Olympics official account praised the sportsman for debunking the myth:
Thanks for debunking the myth.😂You heard it first from @TeamIreland gymnast @McClenaghanRhys - the sustainable cardboard beds are sturdy! #Tokyo2020 https://t.co/lsXbQokGVE
— Olympics (@Olympics) July 19, 2021
Some people, however, still seemed concerned that the beds won’t be comfortable for the athletes.
One person wrote: “Are they comfortable at least? Got pretty worry they won’t be the best thing for athletes recovery.”
Are they comfortable at least? Got pretty worry they won't be the best thing for athletes recovery.
— marion (@marion_s22) July 18, 2021
Meanwhile, another Twitter user joked: “They don’t need the bed, the bathtub is perfect.”
They don’t need the bed, the bathtub is perfect pic.twitter.com/r3f24nKWdR
— esachavalasoyyo (@El48654156) July 18, 2021
At every games since the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, Korea, Olympians have been given condoms to raise awareness of sexually transmitted diseases and to encourage safe sex.
This year, the tradition has ended as organisers have decided against it due to the Covid-19 rules.
