With the COVID-19 scare still lurking large, social distancing and hygiene have become the need of the hour. And, the organizers of the Tokyo Olympics 2020 have gone a step ahead to contain the spread of the virus and host the quadrennial event in the safest possible manner. As bizarre as it may sound but in order to prevent more infections inside the Games village - the authorities have created so-called 'Anti-Sex' beds - to promote the idea of social distancing.

This is an effort to keep athletes focused on their disciplines and socially distanced, in a brief - to stop the Olympians from having sex, and stop the risk of spreading the novel Coronavirus. The 'Anti-Sex' beds are reportedly made from cardboard and they are designed to only be able to withstand the weight of one person. This is once again host nation - Japan's bid to showcase their commitment towards clean energy and recycling of waste material.

As many as 18,000 beds and mattresses have been designed and manufactured by a company called Airweave for both the Olympics and the Paralympic Games. Once both the events are over, the beds will be recycled into paper products.


Rio Olympics silver medallist in the 5000 meters, Paul Chelimo joked about the bizarre sleeping setup aimed to avoid intimacy among athletes. He tweeted: "Beds to be installed in Tokyo Olympic Village will be made of cardboard, this is aimed at avoiding intimacy among athletes."

Beds to be installed in Tokyo Olympic Village will be made of cardboard, this is aimed at avoiding intimacy among athletes

Beds will be able to withstand the weight of a single person to avoid situations beyond sports.

I see no problem for distance runners,even 4 of us can do😂 pic.twitter.com/J45wlxgtSo

— Paul Chelimo🇺🇸🥈🥉 (@Paulchelimo) July 17, 2021

It appears as if Mr Chelimo's tweet, meant to be tongue-in-cheek, was taken at face value by media outlets reporting on it.

The cardboard beds at the Tokyo Olympic Village are "sturdy", organisers reassured this morning after Irish gymnast Rhys McClenaghan put them to test.

Mr McClenaghan filmed himself jumping up and down on a cardboard bed to test its strength.

"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!" he wrote on Twitter.

Thanks for debunking the myth.😂You heard it first from @TeamIreland gymnast @McClenaghanRhys - the sustainable cardboard beds are sturdy! #Tokyo2020 https://t.co/lsXbQokGVE

— Olympics (@Olympics) July 19, 2021

The official Twitter account of the Olympics then thanked him for "debunking the myth" and wrote: "The sustainable cardboard beds are sturdy!"

The Tokyo 2020 organizers had struck deals with four condom manufacturers to provide around 160,000 condoms for athletes at the village. But the athletes were also warned to not use the free condoms that would be given to them as per Olympic tradition.

Instead, they were told to bring them back home as souvenirs to raise awareness for HIV.

"The distribution of condoms is not for use at the athletes' village, but to have athletes take them back to their home countries to raise awareness (of HIV and AIDS)," organizers had said.

According to reports, athletes will also not be allowed to buy alcohol and bring it into the village with them, while family are also banned from the site.