Together Summer Olympics With just days to go until the opening ceremony in Paris on Friday, athletes were settling into their accommodations and sharing their first impressions of the Olympic Village.
Athletes travelling to Paris have been mainly focused on the cardboard beds that will be used again after making their debut at the Tokyo Summer Olympics in 2021. They’ve been dubbed “anti-sex beds” by some, but their true purpose is sustainability.
The official Olympic YouTube channel shared a preview of the bed, promising that it will be “fully recyclable” at the end of the Olympics. The bed features a multi-piece cardboard base and a three-piece, reversible mattress with firmness options.
So what do athletes think about them?
Irish gymnast Rhys McClenaghan put its durability to the test amid rumours it was installed to stop gymnasts from having sex with each other, jumping and flipping on it with his own body without any noticeable reaction, and calling the idea it was “anti-sex” “fake news”.
In fact, there is no indication that Olympic organizers are interested in whether athletes are having sex with each other. Bed testing in Tokyo in 2021There, he also discovered that the cardboard accommodation was extremely sturdy.
Olympic organizers retweeted the 2021 video with a message of gratitude.
Others have joined McClenaghan in Paris in posting test results for the beds, including British diver Tom Daley, who agreed with McClenaghan’s assessment of their durability.
Opinions are mixed regarding the comfort of the beds.
US gymnast Simone Biles didn’t comment on the bed, but she did give us a glimpse inside and out of her dorm room.
On the other hand, the village seems to have plenty of food options.
As for the air conditioning, not everyone is happy, as the original plan did not include it. Henry Bushnell tells the whole story Some delegations are opposed Organizing Committee’s Climate-Friendly Pledge And to ensure the athletes’ utmost comfort and health during this important tournament, air conditioning has been installed.
Surfers compete in a location about 10,000 miles away from Paris
Meanwhile, the Olympic surfers won’t be staying on mainland France, or even on land: They’ll be competing on the other side of the world, in the South Pacific, off the coast of Tahiti in French Polynesia, about 9,700 miles by plane from Paris.
Instead of staying on an island, Olympic surfers will be staying in the first-ever floating Olympic village on a cruise ship, which is docked about a five-minute ferry ride from the island.
In case you were wondering, the beds at the floating Tahiti Village aren’t made from cardboard — at least, German surfer Camilla Kemp’s bed isn’t.
What about the overall accommodation and views?
Don’t dress too dirty.
