Conspiracy theories are absolutely everywhere nowadays.
So it was probably only a matter of time before fake news started coming out of the Tokyo Olympics, too, right?
Hence the rumor the athletes' eco-friendly beds in the Olympic Village are made of cardboard not for sustainability purposes but rather to make sure they'll collapse if the competitors try to have sex in them while in Tokyo.
Sound ridiculous?
That's because it is—so much so that Irish gymnast Rhys McClenaghan posted a video, seen below, that proves once and for all that the beds are plenty sturdy for, um, whatever the athletes sleeping in them may get up to.
\u201cAnti-sex\u201d beds at the Olympicspic.twitter.com/2jnFm6mKcB— Rhys Mcclenaghan (@Rhys Mcclenaghan) 1626571049
In his video—which McClenaghan cheekily called "today's episode of 'fake news' at the Olympic games"—he showed off a bit of his gymnastics skills by vigorously jumping up and down on the bed to prove the beds are not "anti-sex" before delivering a verdict on the matter.
"Apparently they're meant to break at any sudden movements? Fake news!"
The rumor took root when runner Paul Chelimo tweeted about the cardboard beds last week, claiming they can only support the weight of one person in order to discourage athletes from hooking up.
But McClenaghan proved the beds can really take a pounding.
The beds are constructed of cardboard simply for the good of the environment. The type of cardboard construction used is actually stronger than wood according to an Olympic official.
After McClenaghan debunked the rumor, even the Olympic Committee thanked him for his service.
Thanks for debunking the myth.You heard it first from @TeamIreland gymnast @McClenaghanRhys - the sustainable cardboard beds are sturdy! #Tokyo2020https://twitter.com/McClenaghanRhys/status/1416567768938291203\u00a0\u2026— Olympics (@Olympics) 1626659433
The Athletes Village at nearly all Olympic Games have historically had a reputation for being hotbeds—pun intended—of sexual activity among the athletes.
So much so that providing athletes with a steady supply of condoms has been common practice for several Olympiads.
But with the pandemic still looming, and a spate of positive virus cases and exposures among the athletes, they are being warned to avoid even casual contact, let alone sexytimes.
Still, at least now the athletes know the beds can handle it if push comes to thrust—er, shove, rather.
On Twitter, people loved McClenaghan's cheeky myth-busting.
Sounds like you\u2019re pretty excited about some Olympic action outside of the gymnasium \n\nGood luck in competition. Don\u2019t let all this cardboard bed shag challenge lark distract you too much!— Gerard (@Gerard) 1626572434
But you know that's not how you do the sex, right?— Tu Erfbeeass (@Tu Erfbeeass) 1626683397
It was extremely obvious that it was fake news (but some people believe everything they see on the internet).\n\nI mean, really - even IF the bed frames broke that easily, it is extremely easy to put the mattress on the floor (or even have sex elsewhere and in other positions).— TheDolphin_#resist\ud83d\udc2c\u270c\ud83d\udc95\u24cb\ud83c\udf31$IndigoDolphin (@TheDolphin_#resist\ud83d\udc2c\u270c\ud83d\udc95\u24cb\ud83c\udf31$IndigoDolphin) 1626715640
They don\u2019t need the bed, the bathtub is perfectpic.twitter.com/r3f24nKWdR— esachavalasoyyo (@esachavalasoyyo) 1626584234
Funniest #fakenews I\u2019ve ever heard of I\u2019m glad your video proof was you using it as a trampoline be careful though, you can\u2019t put your back out before competition starts! Good luck— \ud83d\udd3aKaz G\ud83d\udd3a (@\ud83d\udd3aKaz G\ud83d\udd3a) 1626586978
pic.twitter.com/ZltidYqilL— crescent1233 (@crescent1233) 1626628040
Even if they were designed for that reason, this isn\u2019t The Sims. The bed isn\u2019t the only place you can WooHoo.— Kerry (@Kerry) 1626722488
Phew what a relief, you folks can have the full olympic experience— Jon Faulkner LWF Physio (@Jon Faulkner LWF Physio) 1626594306
This is the Olympics content I didn't know I neededhttps://twitter.com/McClenaghanRhys/status/1416567768938291203\u00a0\u2026— bJ\u00fcstin (@bJ\u00fcstin) 1626732801
The news that matters https://twitter.com/McClenaghanRhys/status/1416567768938291203\u00a0\u2026— Lavanya L Narayanan (@Lavanya L Narayanan) 1626689721
The Tokyo Olympics begin this Friday and will run until August 8.
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The Washington Post