Gymnastics star Rhys McClenaghan has sought to debunk reports of ‘anti-sex’ beds at the Olympic village.
The Newtownards athlete, who made history as the first Irish gymnast to win a World Championship medal in 2019 and reach an Olympic final in 2021, will be aiming to secure a medal at the Paris Games, which open on Friday.
In a humorous video, the 25-year-old conducted his own research into the Olympic Village beds, dismissing claims that they are ‘anti-sex’ as “fake news”.
Posting the clip to his social media account from his room in Paris, McClenaghan said: “I’m at the Paris Olympic games and they once again have these cardboard anti-sex beds. When I tested them the last time, they withstood my testing. Maybe I wasn’t rigorous enough, though.“
McClenaghan tries out his gymnast moves, performing handstands and jumping on the furniture to demonstrate their strong structure.
He concluded the video by stating that the beds “passed the test”.
The beds in each athlete’s room are made from recyclable mattresses and cardboard frames, and were also used at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, where the initial ‘anti-sex’ claims originated.
The unfounded claims suggested that the beds were designed to collapse under even moderate pressure, allegedly supporting only one person.
It was speculated that this design was a strategic measure to curb the spread of Covid-19 the time.
A spokesperson for the Paris Games told the AFP news agency that the rumours about the beds were untrue and reiterated their use was based on environmental considerations.
“We know the media has had a lot of fun with this story since Tokyo 2020, but for Paris 2024 the choice of these beds for the Olympic and Paralympic Village is primarily linked to a wider ambition to ensure minimal environmental impact and a second life for all equipment,” they said.