'Three bed extensions': How 2.46m Morteza Mehrzad finally found a bed that fit him in the Paralympic Village

Le géant iranien a trouvé une solution. – MAXPPP

Le volleyeur-assis iranien Morteza Mehrzad, 2,46m, a finalement obtenu un lit à sa taille après avoir envisagé de dormir au sol, faute d'équipement adapté au Village paralympique.

Last Friday, Hadi Rezaeigarkani, the coach of Iran's sitting volleyball team, told Olympics.com that his 36-year-old player planned to sleep on the floor, as he did not have a bed big enough. “In Tokyo (at the 2021 Games), we had a special bed, but unfortunately not here”, Rezaeigarkani said, specifying that his player would “lie on the floor”.

Read also: He is forced to sleep on the floor: Morteza Mehrzad, 2.46 meters tall, does not have a bed adapted to his height at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games

At 2.46 metres (8 feet 6 inches), Mehrzad is estimated to be the second-tallest living man in the world and the tallest athlete to ever compete at the Paralympic Games, according to the IPC. He was diagnosed at a young age with acromegaly, a disease caused by excess growth hormone.

In the Paralympic Village, all the athletes sleep in an eco-friendly bed, with mattresses made from recycled plastic and box springs made from cardboard, which are modular, like in Tokyo.

“The athlete now has the equipment necessary for his comfort”

The Paris-2024 organizing committee stated that two bed extensions had initially been provided to Morteza Mehrzad before the Games, at the request of the Iranian committee. “A third extension was requested by the Iranian Paralympic Committee, which was also provided to them”, the COJOP further specifies.

“Paris 2024 is in contact with the Iranian Paralympic Committee and the athlete now has the equipment necessary for his comfort”, he concludes. Morteza Mehrzad won the last two Paralympic gold medals with Iran and received the Golden Ball as the best player in the world in 2019, 2021 and 2022. For the moment, Iran is enjoying a flawless run, with three wins in three games, before facing Egypt in the semi-finals