A report in the New York Times had claimed that the beds were deliberately flimsy so as to discourage people getting intimate and ensure social distancing but Rhys McClenaghan debunked the claim in a Twitter video.
The cardboard beds that the organisers of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games have provided in the Games Village have divided sportspersons in Tokyo with one group terming them "anti-sex" while other approving them as sturdy and good for the environment as they are recyclable.
Irish gymnast Rhys McClenaghan filmed himself jumping repeatedly on the bed and tweeted the video claiming the reports questioning the sturdiness of the bed as "fake news".
A report in the New York Times had claimed that the beds were deliberately flimsy so as to discourage people getting intimate and ensure social distancing. The report was based on a tweet by US distance runner Paul Chelimo who said the cardboard beds were "aimed at avoiding intimacy among athletes".
But McClenaghan debunked the claim with his video.
"The beds are meant to be anti-sex. They're made out of cardboard, yes, but apparently they're meant to break with sudden movements. It's fake -- fake news!" McClenaghan said in the video posted on Twitter.
The official Olympics twitter handle was quick to respond and thanked McClenaghan for "debunking the myth".
"Thanks for debunking the myth. You heard it first from @TeamIreland gymnast @McClenaghanRhys - the sustainable cardboard beds are sturdy!," IOC tweeted.
While McClenaghan went about his antics, another group of sportspersons felt that the cardboard beds were a good idea considering the environment.
