Harry Garside has officially confirmed the worst kept secret in world athletics: many Olympic athletes had sex on their single cardboard beds in Paris.
During the wide-ranging interview about his early exit in the first week of the Games, the Australian boxer said the infamously labelled “anti-sex” beds in the Olympic Village had not deterred any sexual activity.
“I’m telling you right now, the beds are fine!” she told Hit Network’s Carrie Bickmore and Tommy Little.
The Olympic Village’s cardboard beds made their debut at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics and were quickly dubbed the “anti-sex” beds.
There were rumours that cardboard had been used to discourage athletes from being intimate with each other to prevent the spread of Covid-19.
Carrie went on to ask Harry about his loss in the first round fight in the men’s 63.5kg boxing.
It took just nine minutes for the Tokyo bronze medallist to see his lifelong dream of taking home a gold medal evaporate.
Emotionally devastated, Garside walked away from the ring to a quiet corner and collapsed, sobbing deeply.
The boxer later apologized to Australia and said he “felt like a failure.”
Harry Garside (pictured) has officially confirmed the worst kept secret in world athletics: many Olympic athletes slept on their single cardboard beds in Paris.
During the wide-ranging interview about his early exit in the first week of the Games, the Australian boxer said the infamously labelled “anti-sex” beds in the Olympic Village had not deterred any sexual activity.
“Did you have a chance to celebrate at the Olympics?” he asked.
“Did I ever?” Garside laughed in response.
“I left quite early, so I was planning to be in competition all the time, boxing lasts two weeks. I left early, so I had to eat poorly for ten days.”
‘I gained about 10 kilos in about 7 days by eating bad food, red wine and drinking a lot of beer with my father,’ she continued.
Garside could not hide her pain when her 20-year dream was shattered in just nine minutes at the Olympic Games.
Garside, 27, fell to Hungary’s Richard Kovacs by unanimous decision in their last-16 clash, a surprise result given the Victorian won bronze in Tokyo and was targeting gold this time around.
The popular boxer had to cut short his media appearances after breaking down, having initially said he had let his country down.
“I feel like a failure,” Garside said.
“It’s a wild sport, after three years to end it just like that… I feel very numb, I didn’t imagine this would happen.
“I love Australia and I really envisioned winning that gold medal for Australia.”
“I’m telling you right now, the beds are fine!” she told Hit Network’s Carrie Bickmore and Tommy Little.
Harry Garside pictured during his first round bout at the Paris 2024 Olympics, which he lost to Hungary’s Richard Kovacs
Speaking previously to Nine, Garside, who has been open about his battles with mental health, made the worrying admission that he is worried about the coming months as he comes to terms with his defeat.
‘I feel pretty numb right now, but I feel like the next month or two are going to be pretty challenging, pretty difficult.
‘I fear for my mind, it controls me, I feel like I have disappointed some people, but what do I do?
‘Australia is a very sporting nation and I am very sorry about that.
‘I feel like a failure right now. I don’t even know what to say.
“I know that athletes should be saying the right thing at the moment and thank you very much, but deep down I’m afraid of what the next few months will bring,” said a visibly devastated Garside.
“I’m sure there will be dark moments, man. I have to be prepared for that now.”
Harry Garside shares his grief after seeing his Olympic dream shattered
