Cardboard beds and "Scrub Daddy" mattresses: Olympians review their 2024 rooms
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A cardboard bed inside an athletes' room at the Olympic Village in Paris, France. Photo: VCG/VCG via Getty Images
In Paris this summer, social media has given Olympics fans a glimpse beyond the field, pitch and pool — into small bedrooms with now-infamous cardboard beds.
Why it matters: Some athletes have reportedly opted to leave the Olympic Village and stay in hotels instead.
Driving the news: Coco Gauff, who joined LeBron James as a flag bearer for Team USA at the opening ceremony, commented under a video shared to TikTok that "all the tennis girls moved to a hotel" except her.
- The post, which read "10 girls, two bathrooms," showed a group of Olympians doing their hair and makeup in cramped quarters.
- Simone Biles, commenting under TikTok user Dana Joelle's post, wrote that the "bed sucks" but noted "we are getting mattress toppers."
- U.S. gymnast Frederick Richard shipped a mattress to the Games, telling NBC he's been sleeping "like a king."
Yes, but: While the beds might not be the most comfortable, it's become a trend among Olympians to show just how sturdy the cardboard frames can be.
- Ilona Maher, a member of the U.S. women's rugby team and a social media phenom, shared a video of her and her teammates "trying out" different activities on the beds, from mimicking childbirth to gymnastics routines to breakdancing.
- Vincent Leygonie, a South African cyclist, even tried a BMX trick on the bed (bike included).
Beyond the beds, some athletes have noted that the rooms' windows do not have curtains, giving a clear view inside the room.
- Chari Hawkins, a track athlete for the U.S., shared a video of herself fashioning a curtain from what appears to be a blanket, writing "how to change in my room."
What they're saying: A video shared on the Olympics' YouTube channel said the "sustainable beds are 100% made in France and will be fully recycled in France after the Games."
- The mattresses, CBS reported, are made from AirFiber by a company called Airweave and can be donated for reuse — which plays into the Paris 2024 goal to create the most sustainable Games yet.
- Each mattress has "three modules" that allow the person sleeping on it to choose their desired level of firmness.
- Matilda Kearns, a member of the Australian water polo team, described the beds as "rock solid," even when sleeping on the "softer" option. And Nathan Ephraums, an Australian field hockey player, compared the mattresses to a "Scrub Daddy," a type of sponge.
Zoom out: But social media has also captured stunning moments of international unity within the Village's sleeping quarters.
- In another video Kearns shared, members of Fiji's team can be heard singing while athletes from across the world listen from their balconies.
- "What the Olympics are all about," she wrote. "It's so special."
The bottom line: Some athletes, like Team USA men's volleyball libero Erik Shoji, described the rooms simply: "Not bad."
Go deeper: Paris Olympics opening ceremony watched by nearly 29M
