Amid troubles with the transportation system and dining halls in the Paris Olympic Village, athletes are also raising concerns about the cardboard beds they were given to sleep on.
According to social media, multiple athletes from various different countries have raised concerns regarding the firmness of the mattresses on the beds. The beds are the same beds that were utilized in the Olympic Village during the 2021 Olympic Games in Tokyo, made from recycled cardboard. Although the same frames are currently being used in Paris, it appears as though the mattresses are different from those that were used in Tokyo, with athletes having both a “soft” and “firm” side of the mattress to choose from. Despite this, athletes are complaining that both sides of the mattress are too hard to sleep on.
In a video posted on TikTok, Australian water polo player Tilly Kearns recapped the team’s first night sleeping on the bed, with one of her teammates saying “my back is about to fall off”.
@tillykearns Already had a massage to undo the damage
Kearns later posted a follow-up video confirming that the team ordered mattress toppers for the beds that were delivered that same day.
Some athletes have also taken to buying their own mattresses, forgoing the supplied mattresses all-together. In an interview, US gymnast Frederick Richard told reporters that he brought his own mattress to the village. “Everyone’s complaining about beds and stuff,” Richard told reporters. “I ordered my bed already, shipped it here. I had a comfy bed from the start.”
Though he is the only member of the US gymnastics team that brought his own mattress, USA Gymnastics confirmed that all of its athletes have been given the option of getting a mattress topper.
Richard reaffirmed his decision, “You know, we’re at the Olympics. We’re at the biggest event. I want to live like a king over here. That’s basically my mindset, so I got the nice, comfy bed.”
Swimming superstar Sarah Sjostrom also brought her own mattress to the Village. In an interview with a Swedish newspaper, Sjostrom made it clear that she was not taking chances with the beds. “I have received help to buy a mattress, so I am grateful for that,” Sjostrom said.
In addition to mattresses, some countries have reportedly brought their own AC units to the Olympic Village. However, those will be reserved for emergency use only due to European environmental practices.
French are known to be cheap b*st*rds.
But I didn’t realize they were this cheap.
They did everything to prevent the athletes to perform at their best.
I was hoping for 4 WRs on the first day of swimming.
And we got NOTHING!
I mean this is ridiculous. The organization of these games has been a joke and France should be ashamed.
The Aussie swimmers (not sure about other sports) were provided with mattress toppers by SwimAus.
My hot take is that they should abandon the Olympic village concept and have athletes stay at nice hotels near where they’ll be competing.
But I assume that’s already been considered but between fans, officials, and media in attendance there aren’t enough hotel rooms to allocate to the athletes.
Maybe make the officials and dignitaries stay in the Olympic village and give the hotel rooms to the athletes? I bet the Olympic village would get a lot nicer if they did that.
Security is one issue to keep in mind.
Can’t say for sure, but I am worried that our amazing athletes are loosing the ever so valuable ability to adapt to the less than ideal conditions amateur athletes historically encounter. We’re becoming professional athletes.
You are free to provide your athletes with cardboard beds with 3-inch plastic mattresses.
They are adapting.
The mattresses are giant Scrub Daddys.
Walk the walk.
Make your swimmers sleep on cardboards in a room without AC.
Can’t do it, can you?
Power outage now in Paris.
Total darkness.
What a mess
I have not been able to verify this, one of the websites that talks about the power-outage sites Reuters, but Reuters has nothing on the power outage on their website.
The Swedish Handball team and some other athletes went to IKEA to buy stuff (mattress/mattress topper) so that they can sleep well while a few Track and Field athletes had beds/mattresses with them/delivered when they arrived as they feel the beds are often too hard at the big meets (World Champs / Olympics).
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A step before using AC units is to use fans, the Norweigan NOC spent close to $45,000 (500,000 NKR) on fans and similar things for their athletes.
I understand the desire to be eco friendly but come on
Totally ridiculous
Mostly plant-based meals for athletes is just ridiculous.
This is Olympics.
If you want to set example, do it at government officials summits or whatever.