Morteza Mehrzad, the world’s second tallest man, found himself forced to sleep on the floor while competing in the Paralympics in Paris, according to The Telegraph.
The Paralympic Games, in which hundreds of athletes with special needs are participating, will continue until September 8, amid international interest.
The authorities supervising the 2021 Paralympic Games in Japan designed a special bed for the Iranian athlete, who is 8 feet tall (about 244 centimeters).
But his coach said Mehrzad, the tallest Paralympian in history, did not receive such special treatment at this year’s Paris Games, adding: “He doesn’t have a special bed, but he has the most important goal in his mind, and he has the mindset to become the champion.”
Mehrzad, 36, is a key member of Iran’s national sitting volleyball team, which is played with slight modifications to the rules of able-bodied volleyball.
Mehrzad was diagnosed at an early age with acromegaly, a condition that causes the body to produce excess growth hormone.
At 16, he was already more than 6 feet 2 inches tall. The previous year, when he was 15, a bike accident had fractured his pelvis, stopping his right leg from growing.
Today, his right leg is six inches shorter than his left, and Mehrzad uses crutches or a wheelchair to get around.
The Paris edition marks Mehrzad’s third appearance at the Paralympics. On the previous two occasions, he led the Iranian team (sitting) to gold.
