'Great disappointment': Frenchman's 8-year long world record attempt rejected due to violation

A Frenchman accused Guinness World Records of rejecting his eight-year long attempt to build the tallest global structure made from matchsticks.

Richard Plaud created a 7.19 metre (23.6 feet) high replica of France's iconic Eiffel Tower, using more than 700,000 matchsticks, according to Le Parisien.

But, in a scathing social media post, Mr Plaud said Guinness World Records ruled his attempt as ineligible because he did not use "commercially available" matchsticks.

He described the decision as a "great disappointment" and "misunderstanding".

Guinness World Records has said it "might have been a little heavy handed" in its review of the attempt and will "make contact with the record holder again".

Had his attempt counted, Mr Plaud would have beaten the current record by 66 centimeters.

That record was set in 2019 by Lebanese model maker Toufic Daher, who used around six million matchsticks to also create a replica of the Eiffel Tower.

Mr Plaud said he finished making his replica on December 27, having devoted 4,200 hours of his life to its construction.

The date was symbolic as it marked 100 years since the death of Gustave Eiffel - the man whose company designed the Eiffel Tower and whom the tower is named after.

Guinness World Records rejected his attempt without even visiting it in person, Mr Plaud said,

He added his creation violated guidelines set out by the company, including making sure the matchsticks used were not "cut, disassembled or distorted beyond its recognition".

Writing on Facebook, he said: "Tell me that the 706,900 sticks glued together one by one are not matches!!?? And they are too cut to be unrecognizable!!??"

Mark McKinley, Director of Central Records Services at Guinness World Records, said: "It's the job of our records management team to be thorough and fastidious in reviewing evidence to make sure the playing field is level for everyone attempting a Guinness World Records title, however it does appear we might have been a little heavy handed with this application.

"We will make contact with the record holder again as well as review rules for similar records as a priority, to see what can be done."

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