Olympians Tom Daley and Rhys McClenaghan Debunk ‘Anti-Sex’ Bed Rumor Ahead of Paris Games

Olympians Tom Daley and Rhys McClenaghan are putting ~to rest~ the rumors about their “anti-sex” beds at the 2024 Paris Olympics .

Rhys, 25, was the first to share a video about the sleeping situation at the Summer Games on July 20. The Irish gymnast took to Instagram with a video of himself in his room at the Olympic Village , wearing only a pair of navy shorts and white socks as he jumped around on his bed to prove that it was sturdy despite being made of cardboard.

“I’m at the Paris Olympic Games, and once again, we have these cardboard ‘anti-sex’ beds. When I tested them last time, they withstood my testing. Maybe I wasn’t vigorous enough,” he said before conducting his latest “test” of the bed. “Nope. They pass the test. It’s fake. Fake news!”

In the caption, Rhys wrote, “Paris Olympics ‘Anti-sex beds’ debunked (again).”

If Rhys’ video wasn’t enough to convince fans, Tom, 30, made his own video to prove the sturdiness of the beds on Sunday, July 21. The British springboard diver shared a close-up video of the furniture, knocking on the structure and lifting the mattress to show that it was, in fact, made of cardboard.

However, Tom also jumped on the bed, which was made up with a blue and pink Paris 2024 comforter, to show that it could withstand bouncing or extra weight.

“OLYMPIC VILLAGE CARDBOARD BEDS!” the TV personality wrote in the caption. “There is always a lot of talk about the beds in the Olympic Village, so here is what they look like!”

The cardboard beds were first introduced at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, which took place in July and August 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We are promoting the use of recycled materials for procured items and construction materials at the Tokyo 2020 Games,” the Games’ official “Sustainability Pre-Games Report” said at the time. The beds were designed to be “turned into recycled paper after the Games.”

U.S. runner Paul Chelimo seemingly started the rumor that the beds were made to discourage sex between Olympic athletes.

“Beds to be installed in Tokyo Olympic Village will be made of cardboard, this is aimed at avoiding intimacy among athletes,” he wrote on Twitter in July 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.”

Thankfully, Rhys was there to provide answers for fans with his very first test of the beds.

“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’re meant to break at any sudden movements,” he said before jumping up and down on the bed. “It’s fake, fake news!”

Historically, the Olympics have encouraged safe sex between athletes, handing out thousands of free condoms since 1988. Organizers in charge of first aid at the Paris Games announced in March that 200,000 male condoms, 20,000 female condoms and 10,000 oral dams would be available in the Olympic Village, CNN reported.

“There is a desire to be very inclusive, we have awareness messages which revolve around the issue of consent and pleasure versus performance,” First Aid Coordinator Laurent Dalard said in a press conference.