Newtownards Olympian Rhys McClenaghan breaks down 'anti-sex beds' rule
Are the rumours true? 🤫
Last updated 19th Jul 2021
The Euros might be over, but we've still got two weeks of non-stop sporting action to look forward to this summer.
The build up and social media hype for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games has been unlike any other - with lockdowns, isolation and Covid-19 still on everyone's lips.
But as the fittest people in the world start to unpack their kits in the Olympic Village, news broke that the accommodation on offer was a little different this year.
Event organisers chose to build the athlete's beds out of recycled cardboard...perhaps not the most comfortable/sturdy material for rest. But could this be a ploy to discourage sex and encourage social distancing?
Local gymnast Rhys McClenaghan (competing in Ireland's gymnastics team) decided to debunk the myth and WOW, he has gone viral with over 14K likes in just a couple of hours. 🤣
"The beds are meant to be anti-sex. They're made out of cardboard, yes, but apparently they're meant to break with sudden movements. It's fake -- fake news!" said in the video posted on Twitter.
Even the International Olympic Committee (IOC) reacted to his video and assured that the beds are sturdy and sustainable. "Thanks for debunking the myth. 😂You heard it first from @TeamIreland gymnast @McClenaghanRhys - the sustainable cardboard beds are sturdy," IOC said in a tweet.
Thousands of athletes are expected to stay in the Olympic Village during the games, which begin this Friday. It's reported that organisers have 160,000 condoms on stand-by, just in case!
This might seem like a lot, but over 450,000 condoms were distributed during the Rio Games in 2016. The Tokyo organising committee released a statement saying: “Our intent and goal is not for athletes to use the condoms at the Olympic Village, but to help with awareness by taking them back to their own countries.”
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