While the Olympic Village's Cardboard Beds Are 'Hard as Rock,' They Can Be Customized to Each Athlete's Needs (Exclusive)

"Each side has a different comfort level based on your preference of firmness," Olympic Village Director Daniel Smith tells PEOPLE exclusively of the mattresses

It's assumed athletes would need a good night sleep before competing in the Olympics, right?

Eyebrows have been raised by the public since cardboard beds — dubbed "anti-sex beds" by some athletes, including Irish gymnast Rhys McClenaghan — were first introduced to competitors in Tokyo during the 2020 Summer Games. And still, the sustainable furniture makes its return the Olympic Village in Paris this year.

"These beds are hard as rock," Team USA's Olympic Village Director Daniel Smith tells PEOPLE exclusively ahead of the 2024 Paris Games' start on July 26.

Smith didn't hold back on giving a straight-forward description of the beds, explaining that it's "literally cardboard that is pieced together" to form the furniture's structure. He said that "they also come apart in different sections," plus feature "bed extensions on them that are also cardboard."

Related: The Most Surprising Rules You Didn't Know Athletes Must Follow in the Olympic Village

However, despite the infamous frames, the athletes' well-being is still top of mind as they prepare to compete in what's considered for many the biggest competition of their lives. That's where the mattresses come into play.

While Smith admits they're "pretty stiff," athletes can customize their mattresses to fit their personal sleeping preferences. "There's a space here in the Paris 2024 Village where they give you education on the mattresses," he says.

Athletes have the option to tailor their mattress according to their "sleep type" and demonstrate "how to flip the mattress" to fit their requests. "Each side has a different comfort level based on your preference of firmness," Smith explains.

Related: Olympians Are Finding Condoms in Their Olympic Village Bedrooms: 'No Need to Be a Gold Medalist to Wear It'

"Based on all these different ways that you can maneuver the mattress, you can make it more firm or less firm!" he adds, while noting that one of Team USA's policies includes "covering the costs for any mattress toppers" for extra comfort.

There is "one exception" to the cardboard beds, however, and Smith says it's "for our Track and Field throwers." He explains, "USA Track and Field ships in larger beds specifically for them... the athletes, just their size, they're big individuals, so they ship in... just for comfort."

The purpose of having cardboard beds in the Paris Olympic Village as part of organizers' effort to host the “greenest-ever Games.” On July 8, a TikTok posted by the official Olympics account explained that the beds are “sustainable” and the materials are “100% made in France.”

In addition to the cardboard beds, the Olympic Village is also turning heads now that the "sex ban" has been lifted since the 2020 Tokyo Games (which were held in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic).

Related: The Viral Cardboard ‘Anti-Sex’ Beds Are Returning for the 2024 Paris Olympics

While the ban was in part in place due to the social distancing requirement among athlete and staff at the time, Daniel confirmed to PEOPLE that the restriction has been lifted for the Paris Summer Games.

In fact, Smith confirms that around 600,000 condoms have been distributed to this year's Olympic Village. "And the packaging is quite spectacular!" he says of the plastic that has the Paris Games’ mascot, the Olympic Phryge, on it.

In a TikTok video showing off the Olympics-branded condom packaging, sailor Sarah Douglas from Canada held up blue and pink condom holders emblazoned with messages such as “On the field of love, play fair [and] ask for consent” and ”No need to be a gold medalist to wear it.”

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