World’s Second-Tallest Man Was Forced To Sleep On Floor At Paralympics

Morteza Mehrzadselakjani of Team Iran had a rough start at the 2024 Paris Paralympics — and it wasn’t due to his athletic performance.

The sitting volleyball player — better known by his nickname “Mehrzad” — is 8′1”, which makes him the second-tallest man in the world and the tallest man in Paralympic history.

To put it into perspective, basketball star Shaquille O’Neal is 7′1″, and professional wrestler and actor André the Giant of “The Princess Bride” fame was 7′4”.

Mehrzad’s stature made him too big for his bed in Paris’ Olympic Village, and had to spend his first few nights snoozing on the floor — at least, according to his coach, Hadi Rezaeigarkani.

Rezaeigarkani told Olympics.com that his star player didn’t get a custom bed this year like he did at the Tokyo Games, but was sure it won’t hinder Mehrzad’s performance on the court.

“He doesn’t have a special bed, but he has got the most important aim in his mind,” Rezaeigarkani said. “It doesn’t matter for him whether he will lay on the floor or he’s not going to have enough to eat. In any way, he has the mind to become a champion.”

It seems Mehrzad’s sad plight was only temporary, however, and the situation seems to have gotten a bit more comfy for the athlete.

A spokesperson from the International Paralympic Committee explained to CNN Sports that before the Games they received a request from the Iranian paralympic team that Mehrzad would need “two extensions” added to a standard bed in the Olympic Village in order for him to fit. IPC added that they were unaware that this was “not sufficient” for him to sleep comfortably.

“No further request was made to Paris 2024 by the Iranian NPC, but the two extensions were not sufficient. Additional extensions have now been made available.”

HuffPost has contacted the Iranian paralympic team for comment but did not receive an immediate response.

Mehrzad has a hormonal condition called acromegaly, which causes his pituitary gland to produce excess growth hormone. He also fractured his pelvis during a bicycle accident when he was young, which stunted his right leg from growing, making it significantly shorter than his left.

Due to his noticeable height and disability, Mehrzad refused to leave his home in the Iranian city of Chalus for roughly a decade, the Independent reports.

“I was too ashamed, I thought I was freak,” Mehrzad told the outlet.

His coach, Rezaeigarkani, told Olympics.com that he discovered Mehrzad in 2011 when he made an appearance on a reality TV show talking about the challenges of being so tall. Rezaeigarkani said after seeing Mehrzad’s appearance, he reached out to the network to get his contact information.

The move made sense, being that Iran has dominated in sitting volleyball since the 1988 Seoul Paralympic Games — and has taken home seven golds since.

Mehrzad joined Team Iran in 2015 and, just six months later, went to his first Paralympic Games at Rio 2016.

Ever since Mehrzad’s debut at the Paralympic Games, the gentle giant — who has earned the nickname “Fatal Weapon” for his powerful strikes — has been a standout player.

While seated on the volleyball court, Mehrzad can easily intimidate his opponents with his stature — and measures over 6 feet tall when his arms are raised.

And although he’s now a celebrated athlete in Iran, he’s hesitant to call himself his team’s star player.

“I appreciate being called the best, but I’m not,” Mehrzad told the Independent. “Each of us makes the best team in the world.”

The Independent also reports that despite being picked on as a kid for his height, Mehrzad is now considered a sports star in Iran. His matches reportedly garner the same kind of excitement as more traditional sports and are aired during prime time. It’s a stark contrast from what his life was like just a decade ago.

“I believe that Morteza has spent 11 years in his room, in his house, without going out,” his coach Rezaeigarkani told Olympics.com. “Because he is the tallest man, when he wanted to leave the home and come outside, unfortunately, he was not satisfied because so many people [stared at] him. But nowadays all people are going to look at him as a champion.”