In an unorthodox attempt to keep athletes socially distanced, the ‘anti sex beds’ will collapse under the weight of more than one person

You read that correctly: athletes at the Tokyo Olympics will basically be sleeping on a cardboard box to prevent any sexual activity. The ‘anti sex beds’ will collapse under more than 200kg.

With this in mind, the Olympic Games committee has also advised athletes to not use the customary Olympic Games condoms. Rather, they’ve told athletes that they can keep them as a memento. If you’re wondering why they’re giving them out at all if they can’t be used, you’re not the only one. Any athlete that breaks these rules could face disqualification.

In response to concerns over the beds, the manufacturer said that athletes should have no issue so long as they stick to one person per bed.

A sustainable and fully recyclable alternative to regular beds

Allegedly, sleeping on cardboard is not only good at preventing sex, but also is environmentally-friendly. The cardboard beds will be recycled after use. Some Twitter users are pointing out that the beds were designed before Covid-19, so weren’t really created to prevent sex. that’s just a handy side-feature.

Takashi Kitajima, the general manager of the Athletes Village, told The Associated Press through an interpreter that the beds are stronger than wood.

In actual fact, the beds have some pretty high-tech features. Japanese company Airweave designed the beds. While the bed frame itself is made from cardboard, the modular mattresses are made from recyclable polyethylene fibres.

“The concept was to make a lightweight, easy-to-assemble mattress and meet the Games’ Sustainability Plan,” Airweave told Dezeen.

The mattress is completely customisable, made from three seperate blocks zipped together. One to support the head and shoulders, one to support the waist and one to support the legs. Athletes can order the blocks in four different levels of firmness.

“Our signature modular mattress design allows for firmness customizations at the shoulder, waist and legs to achieve proper spine alignment and sleep posture, allowing for the highest level of personalization for each athlete’s unique body type,” Airweave said.

Covid-19 hits Tokyo athlete’s village

This comes after a person staying in the athlete’s village tested positive for Covid-19. The person, a non-athlete in their 60s, had only mild symptoms but was hospitalised because of their age and pre-existing conditions.

Organisers promise that the Games will be “safe and secure”.