Olympians put 'anti-sex' cardboard beds to the test in Paris Athletes Village

Members of the Canadian women's rugby 7s team decided to test the strength of the cardboard beds in the Olympic Village by performing a series of jumps and WWE moves.

Star player Shalaya Valenzuela uploaded a video to her TikTok of the Canada roster putting a bed to the test and even labeling the types of jumps they were performing. Body Slam, Flying Elbow, Cannon Ball, and Randy Orton's infamous RKO were some of the moves, although the bed survived.

The cardboard beds have become a major talking point at the Olympics, ever since they were introduced ahead of the delayed Tokyo Olympic Games which took place in 2021. Due to stories being shared about the amount of sex that takes place inside the Olympic Village, there were theories suggesting that cardboard beds had been introduced to limit intercourse.

The theory suggested that the cardboard beds would be too fragile, and would therefore limit the spread of Covid-19 at the time. Olympic organizers have repeatedly stated that the beds were only introduced to boost sustainability and reduce the carbon footprint of the Games.

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Bed testing is the viral trend of the Olympics, with several athletes posting videos on social media and receiving hundreds and thousands of views. Team GB diving star Tom Daley filmed himself jumping on his bed, confirming that they were extremely firm.

"As you can see, they are pretty sturdy," he said. Australian water polo athlete Matilda Kearns claimed that she needed a massage to "undo the damage" of the bed, which she described as "rock solid" and not how she expected. The Australian team then bought mattress toppers following complaints.

One of the most comedic reactions came from Irish gymnast Rhys McClenaghan, who was also at the Tokyo Games. He posted a viral video back then "debunking" the anti-sex bed theory, and uploaded a new video in Paris vowing to test his bed again.

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"I’m at the Paris Olympic Games and they once again have these cardboard ‘anti-sex beds’," he said in an Instagram video. "When I tested them the last time, they withstood my testing. Maybe I wasn’t rigorous enough, though."

McClenaghan then jumped around on his bed before claiming: "No, they pass the test. It’s fake, it’s fake news!" There are 10,000 athletes rumored to be staying in the Olympic Village, although some teams have opted to organize alternative accommodation.

Team USA stars such as sprinter Noah Lyles and tennis player Coco Gauff were staying in the village, but there has been a mass exodus with athletes leaving the accommodation for private hotels. Gauff uploaded a video saying that she was sharing two bathrooms with 10 girls, although five of her roommates have now left.