Picture this: Simone Biles and Co. are raring to redeem the gold spot in Paris after they missed that mark in 2021. But they are deprived of a good night’s sleep on the infamous anti-s*x beds. While sustainable and recyclable, these beds have come under scrutiny for not being comfortable and it would be a gymnast’s worst nightmare to not be well relaxed before a big event. But Team USA will sleep easier, having found a solution to their bed problems.

As fate would have it, the ‘cardboard comfort’  beds from Tokyo are back in the Paris Olympics village. Athletes have shared varying reviews of the cardboard beds in Paris and after Biles’ complaint, the US team has come up with an ad-hoc solution.

The women’s gymnastics team arrived at the Olympic Village on 22 July. However, immediately they noticed an issue with the cardboard beds. In the comment section of a TikTok Simone Biles confirmed the bed “sucks.”

However, Cecile Landi had sprung into action already. “I sat on it and I was like, ‘Oh my God.’ I was like, ‘Mary Help!'” Mary McDaniels runs the team’s logistics and help was on its way. The team is set to get mattress toppers, improving the situation. Talking to Sports Illustrated, just two days before the Games Landi revealed, “We’re getting mattress tops today, Hallelujah, now we’ll sleep a little better.”  

The team had announced a partnership with BedJet, which makes a cooling system that attaches to the bed and also offers mattress toppers and sheets that wick away sweat. This solves the problem of the sturdy cardboard beds and also addresses the issue of the heat of the Parisian summer.

Apart from the gymnastics team, the U.S. women’s water polo team also received mattress toppers. Earlier, members of Team USA and athletes from other countries brought portable air conditioning units with them to Paris, after the authorities announced that they would try to keep the Olympic Village as eco-friendly as possible eschewing air conditioning.

Paris features a sequel of the ‘anti-sex beds’ that first surfaced in Tokyo, produced by the Japanese company Airweave. The beds went viral in 2021 when American track and field runner Paul Chelimo posted about them on X, writing that the beds were “aimed at avoiding intimacy among athletes.” 

These beds were perceived to be chosen to discourage sexual activity due to their design to sustain lesser weight. However, Takashi Kitajima, the Athletes’ Village general manager in Tokyo, assured that they could withstand up to 441 pounds. Now, as these Airweave products make a comeback in Paris, they remain the buzz of the town.

They are smaller, with sturdy cardboard frames and polyethylene mattresses, which might not offer the same luxury as usual beds. However, they have a definite upside: they are 100 percent recyclable, making them a sustainable and environmentally friendly alternative.

Still, unfavorable conditions for recovery and sleep could impact an athlete’s performance. Dr. Carlos M. Nunez, a sleep expert, and chief medical officer at medical device company ResMed also addressed this issue as well.

Speaking to CBS News on Thursday, he said, “You can imagine not just the average person, but an elite athlete, an Olympic-level athlete, those three pillars of health( sleep, diet and exercise), it’s sort of what they live by… the way they work out and the way they recover, including sleep, it’s critical for them.”

He added, “Anytime you change firmness, up, down or whatever, there can be an adjustment period that could lead to things like little backaches and aches and pains and disruption in your sleep.” The USA women’s gymnastics team is focused on overcoming the disappointment of Tokyo and as such leaving no stone unturned, whether it is perfecting their routines or ensuring proper rest and sleep.

Meanwhile, interestingly, many athletes have voiced opinions about these ‘boxed beds.’ Let’s see what the others had to say.

Olympic athletes deliver mixed anti-s*x bed verdict

The opinions coming out of Paris are quite varied. Irish gymnast Rhys McClenaghan took a pro stand in the anti-s*x bed debate and affirmed that the beds were impressive. In an Instagram post captioned, “Paris Olympics ‘Anti-s*x beds’ debunked,” the 25-year-old was seen demonstrating their durability by bouncing, jumping, and somersaulting on the bed. He dismissed the criticisms as ‘Fake News,’ clearly convinced of the beds’ quality and sturdy build.

However, some Australian athletes were less impressed. Water polo player Matilda Kearns in a TikTok video said, “It’s actually rock solid. You can flip them over apparently, there’s a softer side, but — that was the soft side.” The video shows how the cardboard slab is topped with thin foam, leading to discomfort. It also featured her roommate complaining, “My back is about to fall off.” This led to the Australian team ordering their own mattress toppers.

On the other hand, Filipino gymnast Aleah Finnegan gave the beds a green light, saying they are ‘not super bad.’ Meanwhile, Rugby star Elizabeth Van Rensburg also supported the beds, giving them a ‘thumbs up’ for being environmentally friendly.

Amidst all this, Simone Biles and others now get top-up mattresses, which makes things look better for them. Do you think this upgrade would change how they perform on the mat? Share your thoughts in the comments.