Controversies erupt at Paralympic Games in Paris

PARIS — The 2024 Paralympic Games were overshadowed by several controversies Sunday after poor water quality in the River Seine delayed the men’s triathlon, and Australian swimmer Ahmed Kelly was mistakenly disqualified.

Meanwhile, it was revealed that Iranian volleyball gold medalist Morteza Mehrzad - the second tallest man in the world, at 2.46m (8ft 1in), was forced to sleep on the floor due to inadequate accommodations.

Triathlon Postponed Over Water Quality

Organizers announced Sunday that para triathlon events at the Paris Games, where the swimming leg is held in the River Seine, have been rescheduled for Monday. The decision was made after rains led to a decline in the river’s water quality.

The men’s triathlon at the Paris Olympics was postponed, and several training sessions were adjusted due to the spike in bacteria levels in the Seine.

Earlier Sunday, officials said events couldn’t proceed as planned because “the latest tests showed a decrease in water quality in the river following the rain episodes over the last two days,” making the water unsafe for competition.

A general view of the river Seine after the triathlon was postponed because of water quality REUTERS

Initially, 11 para triathlon medal events were scheduled to take place over two days, but they were condensed into a single day on Sunday due to weather concerns. Monday and Tuesday were reserved as contingency days.

Swimming Chaos

The swimming competition was embroiled in controversy Sunday night when Australia’s Ahmed Kelly, competing in the men’s 150m event, was wrongly disqualified. However, an appeal from Swimming Australia led to the decision being overturned, and Kelly secured a silver medal.

The disqualification occurred due to the type of stroke the 32-year-old used; he performed a butterfly stroke instead of a front crawl, which led to the initial ruling against him.

Kelly finished second behind Germany’s Josia Topf. Another Australian swimmer, Grant Patterson, earned bronze, bringing Australia’s medal count to 22. The country is currently in sixth place in the overall standings.

China leads the medal count with 71, including 33 golds, while Great Britain is in second place with 43 medals.

Giant Para Athlete Forced to Sleep on Floor

Iranian sitting volleyball gold medalist Morteza Mehrzad, who has faced numerous challenges due to his height, is enduring further hardships at the Paris Paralympics.

Mehrzad, diagnosed with acromegaly, a rare condition caused by excessive growth hormone, suffered a bicycle accident in his teens that injured his pelvis and stunted the growth of his right leg, which is now six inches shorter than his left.

While Mehrzad was provided with a custom-made bed during the Tokyo Paralympics in 2021, his coach, Hadi Rezaei, confirmed that he has not received the same accommodation in Paris.

The beds in the Paralympic Village are too small for Mehrzad, forcing him to sleep on the floor. Despite these challenges, Mehrzad remains focused on winning his third gold medal for Iran.

Joining Iran’s national sitting volleyball team helped Mehrzad through personal crises, including the death of his mother in 2019.

Iran has participated in the sitting volleyball Paralympic Games since 1988, winning the championship seven out of nine times.