The cardboard beds at Paris 2024 are so uncomfortable they may end up costing athletes their Olympic dream. On the eve of the opening ceremony, there is currently only one discussion taking place in the Olympic Village, with the 'anti-sex' bed the topic of conversation.
Paris has followed in the footsteps of Tokyo 2020 by implementing cardboard beds which have been dubbed as 'anti-sex' beds due to the risk of them falling apart under any sudden movement or extra weight.
Speculation surrounding the decision to make Olympians sleep on the makeshift beds at the previous Games was rumored to be regarding the 'intimacy ban' due to the threat of Covid-19. But organizers have denied this and insist the beds are sustainable and fully recyclable amid 300,000 condoms supplied to the Paris Village.
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Athletes are beginning to fear that their three-year preparation, usually four years but the Tokyo Games were delayed a year due to the Covid pandemic, is in danger of being ruined due to the beds.
Australian water polo player Tilly Kearns has described the beds as "rock hard," and she's among several other athletes who are already complaining of back pain as a result of an uncomfortable night's sleep on them.
"Sleep is critical to maintaining optimal health [and] plays a key role in recovery," says Professor Steve Milanese of the School of Health Sciences at the University of Tasmania, as per The Sunday Morning Herald. "And the mattress is a huge part of that ... but the idea you can find one mattress to suit everybody doesn't exist."
The effects of an uncomfortable mattress and a poor night's sleep can hinder athletes, especially those who participate in events requiring speed, tactical strategy or technical skill, due to sleep deprivation and achy or damaged muscles.
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Chronic sleep loss can also affect reaction times, perceived effort, speed, power, focus, and physiological wellbeing, all of which are at least one thing that every Olympian needs.
However, a solution to the problem appears to have been found after Kearns took to TikTok to update fans on the extra pillows and thick mattress topper that can be opted for.
"I am so grateful. I was waking up every second hour. I actually thought about going on the floor. You'll be expecting some gold medal performances from here on out from team Australia. Let's go," she said.
Many athletes staying in the Village have taken part in some myth-busting on the beds following the 'anti-sex' claims. British diving hero Tom Daley tested the durability of the beds on social media as he bounced up and down on them declaring: "As you can see, they are pretty sturdy."
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