A gymnast from Ireland wants Olympics fans to know: the beds in the Olympic Village can withstand some intense movement.
Rhys McClenaghan posted a video on Twitter over the weekend debunking the “anti-sex” rumour that the cardboard beds constructed for athletes during their time in Tokyo were meant to discourage activities other than sleeping.
In the video, McClenaghan aggressively jumps up and down on the bed to prove that it’s “fake news” the beds will break “at any sudden movements.”
The official Olympics Twitter account even responded to McClenaghan and thanked him for the debunking. They also added that the “sustainable cardboard beds are sturdy.”
Last week, runner Paul Chelimo shared a now-viral tweet about the status of the beds in the Village and said they were “aimed at avoiding intimacy among athletes.”
He also added that they could only hold the weight of one person, prompting many on social media to call the beds out for being “anti-sex.”
Last year, organizers revealed that the bed frames in the Athletes Village would be made of cardboard because the material is “stronger than wood” and can hold up to 440 pounds, Takashi Kitajima, the general manager of the Athletes Village told Business Insider.
The Olympic Villages have long been known for breeding a culture of sex, but the added threat of Covid-19 this year has compelled Olympic officials to warn participants to steer clear of one another.
“Avoid unnecessary forms of physical contact such as hugs, high-fives and handshakes,” the Olympics handbook for athletes implores.
Despite this advice, the IOC is supplying 150,000 condoms to the Olympic village and asking athletes to not use them until they get home.
“The distribution of condoms is not for use at the athlete’s village, but to have athletes take them back to their home countries to raise awareness” of HIV and AIDS issues, organizers said to Reuters.