２４６ｃｍパラバレー選手、ベッド探しに一苦労 一時は床で寝る覚悟も

【パリＡＦＰ＝時事】パリ・パラリンピックのシッティングバレーボール男子イラン代表で、２メートル４６センチの長身を誇るモルテザ・メヘルザドが、ベッド探しに苦戦した末、ようやく自身の体を収められるベッドを手に入れた。（写真はシッティングバレーボール男子イラン代表のモルテザ・メヘルザド〈中央上〉）
　メヘルザドは、存命中の人物では世界２位となる２メートル４６センチの身長を持つ。成長ホルモンが過剰に分泌される先端巨大症だが、１０代の頃に自転車事故で骨盤を損傷して右脚の成長が止まり、テレビ番組に出演していたところを監督に見いだされてシッティングバレーのイラン代表に加わった。これまでに２０１６年リオデジャネイロ大会と２０２０年東京大会で金メダルを獲得し、世界年間最優秀選手に３回輝いている。
　ベッドについては、監督が前週、「東京大会では特別なベッドを用意してもらったが、今回は残念ながら違う」と明かし、メヘルザドは床で眠る予定だと明かしていた。
　パリ五輪・パラリンピック選手村の寝室のベッドは、東京大会でも使用された環境に優しいモジュール構造の段ボールベッドで、イラン・パラリンピック委員会の要請で拡張パーツ二つが組織委員会から提供されたが、足りなかったようだ。しかしその後に三つ目のパーツが届き、現在「選手は快適な環境を得るのに必要な器具をすべて手にしている」という。
　段ボールベッドは東京大会とパリ大会の両方でたびたび話題になり、大人２人の体重を支えられる構造ではないとして「反セックス」目的だと批判する報道も出た。しかし、多くの選手がベッドの上で跳びはねて耐久性をアピールし、報道を否定している。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2024/09/04-18:35）

Iran's sitting volleyball star Morteza Mehrzad has finally found a bed big enough to accommodate his 2.46-metre (8 ft 0.85 in) frame at the Paris Paralympics.
His coach Hadi Rezaeigarkani told the Olympics.com website last Friday that the 36-year-old was planning to sleep on the floor of the Olympic Village because -- unlike during the last Games in Tokyo -- his bed wasn't big enough.
In Tokyo, they have made a special bed, but unfortunately not here, Rezaeigarkani said. He's going to lie on the floor.
Mehrzad, the second-tallest living man in the world, was diagnosed at a young age with acromegaly, a rare condition that leads to the production of excessive growth hormones.
All athletes in the village are sleeping on the same sort of eco-friendly and modulable beds used at the Tokyo Olympics, which have mattresses made from recycled plastic and bases manufactured from cardboard.
The Paris organising committee told AFP in a statement that they had initially provided two extensions for Mehrzad at the request of the Iranian Paralympic Committee.
A third was later requested by the Iranian Paralympic Committee which has also been supplied to them, the statement said. Paris 2024 is in contact with the Iranian Paralympic Committee and the athlete now has all necessary equipment for his comfort.
Mehrzad joined Iran's national sitting volleyball team after the coach spotted him on a reality TV show about people grappling with difficulties in their lives.
During his teenage years, he had a bicycle accident which injured his pelvis and stunted the growth of his right leg.
He won gold medals in the 2016 and 2020 Summer Paralympics and earned the Gold Ball for the world's best player in 2019, 2021 and 2022.
The beds at the Paris and Tokyo Olympics have frequently hit headlines, with reports claiming they were anti-sex because they had been designed to be too flimsy to support the weight of two adults.
Many athletes have since debunked the suggestion by posting videos of themselves jumping on the beds which are sturdy enough to support the weight of several people.