Olympic diver Tom Daley and more show off cardboard ‘anti-sex’ beds as athletes arrive in Paris
British diver Tom Daley showed off the “anti-sex” cardboard bed in his room as he arrived in France ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The Olympic gold medalist took to TikTok Monday to give fans a closer look at the infamous beds, which were rumored to not be strong enough to withstand sexual activity.
“This is cardboard,” he said while filming the headboard and bedpost. “As you can see, it’s like a box.”
Daley then showed a thin mattress and mattress topper on a cardboard base.
“Then, we get our own Paris ’24 [comforter],” he added.
Daley, 30, then demonstrated the bed’s stability by jumping up and down, saying, “As you can see, they’re pretty sturdy.”
Irish gymnast Rhys McClenaghan also put the “anti-sex” theory to the test as he recorded himself bouncing, flipping, stomping and slamming his body on the bed.
“Nope, they pass the test,” he said at the end of the video. “It’s fake! Fake news!”
In addition to Daley and McClenaghan, Australian tennis players Daria Saville and Ellen Perez also tested the bed’s limits with resistance band high knees, squat jumps, step-ups and even the worm.
This year’s Olympians have obviously been eager to try out the so-called “anti-sex” beds after they made their debut at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics to poor reviews from some athletes.
At the time, Team USA runner Paul Chelimo claimed that the choice of cardboard beds was “aimed at avoiding intimacy among athletes.”
He continued on X, “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😂.”
However, the cardboard beds are evidently not that much of a deterrent for sexual activity as this year’s event organizers are providing 300,000 condoms for athletes staying in the Olympic Village during the summer games.
Olympic-themed condoms were even included in the welcome kits, according a video posted by Canadian sailor Sarah Douglas.
While the rumors about the cardboard beds have gone viral, Paris officials told Reuters in May that the material choice is to “ensure minimal environmental impact and a second life for all equipment used during the short period of the Games.”
The statement added, “It goes without saying that the quality of the furniture has been rigorously tested to ensure it is robust, comfortable and appropriate for all the athletes who will use it, and who span a very broad range of body types.”
