[Video] Cardboard Bed Labeled 'For Preventing Sexual Activity,' How Many People’s Weight Can It Support?

Israel Baseball Team Bed Durability Test 'Unique Experiment' Sparks Attention
Players Complain About Athlete Village Facilities Including Cardboard Beds

Israeli baseball team players participating in a durability test of cardboard beds / Photo by SNS capture

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Juhyung] An unusual experiment has drawn attention regarding the controversial 'cardboard beds' used by national athletes who participated in the Tokyo Olympics. The athletes themselves tested the durability of the cardboard beds. Ben Wagner, a player from the Israel baseball team, led this experiment.

According to the US daily 'USA Today' and others on the 28th (local time), Wagner and the Israel baseball team conducted a durability test on the cardboard beds. The experiment involved sturdy male athletes taking turns jumping simultaneously on the bed.

The results showed that the cardboard bed withstood the jumps of eight adults. However, when nine jumped at the same time, it completely collapsed. Regarding this, Wagner said, "I received many questions about the Olympic Village beds," adding, "So I wanted to see how many Israeli players it would take to break this cardboard bed."

The cardboard beds placed in the Olympic Village sparked controversy even before the opening of the Games. The beds measure 210 cm in length, 90 cm in width, and 40 cm in height, and are assembled using a frame made of cardboard.

The condition of the cardboard bed revealed by Jin Yunseong, a national weightlifting representative. / Photo by Instagram Capture

The organizing committee chose cardboard beds for the Olympic Village to promote an image of an 'eco-friendly Olympics.' They explained that the beds, made from recyclable cardboard, offer excellent sustainability. However, some athletes expressed dissatisfaction, saying the beds looked flimsy. Foreign media such as the US outlet 'New York Post' even mocked them as 'beds designed to prevent sexual activity.'

The Tokyo Olympic Organizing Committee stated that the beds could support about 200 kg of weight, but athletes' concerns persisted.

Earlier, New Zealand rower Sean Kirkham posted on his Instagram, "I'll show you the accommodation," and sat on the bed. The bed frame immediately buckled under his weight.

Korean weightlifting national team member Jin Yunseong also posted a photo of a tattered bed on Instagram on the 27th, writing, "Just hold on one more week... until the competition."

Meanwhile, this Olympic Village was built in Harumi, Tokyo. It consists of 21 buildings and 3,600 rooms, accommodating up to about 18,000 people during the event.

Athletes arriving at the Tokyo Olympic Village expressed dissatisfaction with the accommodations. The photo shows Artem Volvich of the Russian men's volleyball team / Photo by Instagram Capture

Previously, the organizing committee praised the Olympic Village as "the best Olympic accommodation ever," but complaints about the facilities, including the cardboard beds, have surfaced.

Earlier, Artem Volvich of the Russian men's volleyball team posted a photo on the 20th taken in front of the Olympic Village bathroom, slightly bending his neck. He indirectly criticized the low bathroom ceiling, saying he could not fully stretch his body. Volvich's height is 213 cm.

Additionally, various complaints emerged, such as a lack of refrigerators and TVs in rooms shared by 4 to 5 athletes, and air conditioner remote controls labeled only in Japanese, making it difficult for foreign athletes to operate them.