© 2024 Connecticut Public

FCC Public Inspection Files:
WEDH · WEDN · WEDW · WEDY
WECS · WEDW-FM · WNPR · WPKT · WRLI-FM · WVOF
Public Files Contact · ATSC 3.0 FAQ
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Cardboard beds have returned to the Olympics. What do they do?

Cardboard beds at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games have made headlines.
/
Getty Images
Cardboard beds at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games have made headlines.

NPR is in Paris for the 2024 Summer Olympics. For more of our coverage from the Games, head to our latest updates.


Cardboard beds are making a comeback at the 2024 Paris Olympics, in an effort to help make the Games more environmentally friendly — and according to some skeptical athletes, make sure the only sweat Olympians break is on the field.

The now-infamous 100% cardboard bed frames made their Olympic debut at the Tokyo Summer Games in 2021 and athletes again found the recyclable beds in their rooms when they arrived this week at the Olympic Village in Paris.

Athletes in 2021 dubbed the beds "anti-sex," playing on a long-standing rumor that the Olympic Village is a hotbed for hookups among competitors. But Olympic organizers say that the beds' true focus is sustainability at the notoriously environmentally harsh event.

"These sustainable beds are 100% made in France and will be fully recycled in France after the Games," according to a video posted to the Olympics' official YouTube channel.

The cardboard base's length can be adjusted to account for each athlete's height, and the "mattress" consists of three modules that can be flipped to change firmness according to each person's preference.

On social media, Olympians arriving in Paris tested out the beds and left various reviews about their quality.

Australian water poloist Matilda Kearns wrote on TikTok that she "already had a massage to undo the damage" of the bed, which she said was "rock solid" even on the softest setting.

Kearns said her manager rushed to get the team mattress toppers to improve team members' sleep.

British diver Tom Daley recorded himself jumping up and down on the bed, confirming the sturdiness of the structure.

The beds are just one part of the Games' efforts to reduce the mega-event's carbon footprint, in what organizers have called the "greenest-ever Games."

The athletes village is also air conditioner-free, instead being cooled by a system of water pipes beneath the floorboards.

Team USA and others balked at the concept, opting to send their competitors portable units for their rooms.


Copyright 2024 NPR

Loading...

Alana Wise
Alana Wise is a politics reporter on the Washington desk at NPR.

Stand up for civility

This news story is funded in large part by Connecticut Public’s Members — listeners, viewers, and readers like you who value fact-based journalism and trustworthy information.

We hope their support inspires you to donate so that we can continue telling stories that inform, educate, and inspire you and your neighbors. As a community-supported public media service, Connecticut Public has relied on donor support for more than 50 years.

Your donation today will allow us to continue this work on your behalf. Give today at any amount and join the 50,000 members who are building a better—and more civil—Connecticut to live, work, and play.

Related Content