US gymnast Frederick Richard brings mattress to Paris Olympics in wake of controversial cardboard beds

PARIS, FRANCE: US gymnast Frederick Richard went to great lengths to ensure his comfort for the 2024 Paris Olympics, even shipping his own mattress to the Olympic Village, as reported by USA Today.

"Everyone's complaining about beds and stuff. I ordered my bed already, shipped it here. I had a comfy bed from the start," Richard remarked. The cardboard beds provided in the Olympic Village have sparked a lot of conversation.

Athletes take to social media to complain about cardboard beds

Athletes have taken to social media to display the cardboard frames, debunk myths about them being "anti-sex," and voice their complaints about the mattress comfort.

"Already had a massage to undo the damage," Australian water polo player Matilda Kearns shared in a social media post.

While some athletes have had no issues with the beds, others, like Kearns, have found them too firm. Despite adjustable firmness levels, Kearns initially found the beds "rock hard" even on the softest setting.

After 48 hours, Australian officials had purchased mattress toppers and extra pillows for their athletes. "I'm so grateful because I was waking up every second hour. I actually thought about going on the floor," Kearns said in a follow-up video.

Frederick Richard arranges for his mattress to be delivered to Olympic Village

Frederick Richard, the US Olympic trials champion and reigning world all-around bronze medalist, took a proactive approach.

He arranged for his own mattress to be delivered to the village before he arrived. Richard didn’t elaborate on how his mattress differed from the village's beds, but he noted it was a bit of a challenge to locate it upon arrival. Nevertheless, he has been sleeping comfortably while other athletes voiced their discomfort.

"I want to sleep in the room like it's my own room, be comfortable. 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," Richard said.

A spokesperson for USA Gymnastics confirmed that Richard was the only team member to bring his own mattress. However, the national governing body announced last week that all members of the US Olympic gymnastics teams would have access to mattress toppers and bed cooling systems through a partnership with BedJet.

The Olympic Village's nighttime temperatures have also been a concern. Paris 2024 organizers announced that traditional air conditioning would not be available in the rooms, aiming for more sustainable Games.

In response, some national Olympic committees, including the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee, paid to bring in their own AC units. "Thank God they brought the ACs. The still air is so hot. There's no air circulation in there," said Asher Hong, another US gymnast.

Coach Jess Graba puts importance on cushioning of provided cardboard beds

For athletes on the brink of competing in one of the most significant international competitions of their lives, quality sleep can make a crucial difference.

"I'm a coach, so for me it's fine if I get up a couple times in the night," said Jess Graba, coach of US gymnast Suni Lee and among the team personnel staying in the Olympic Village.

Graba described the beds as not uncomfortable but wished they had more cushioning.

"(Richard) ordered a mattress and had it delivered to the village. And now we're all re-evaluating our decision-making on that. We probably should've done like Fred," Graba admitted.