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Man With No Legs to Run in Olympics??? - Click HERE to go to the original thread with graphics
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| Man With No Legs to Run in Olympics??? - Click HERE to go to the original thread with graphics |
| MikeyJJ |
I just find this whole story interesting and personally think that as unfortunate as his situation is, he still holds a bit of an advantage against other runners. Not to mention that this is gonna open the door to a lot of other athletes with prosthetics trying to participate in the Games...
http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/track...tory?id=3398915
CAS says Pistorius can race against able-bodied athletes
Associated Press
LAUSANNE, Switzerland -- Double-amputee sprinter Oscar Pistorius won his appeal Friday and can compete for a place in the Beijing Olympics.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled that the 21-year-old South African is eligible to race against able-bodied athletes, overturning a ban imposed by the International Association of Athletics Federations.
CAS said the unanimous ruling goes into effect immediately.
Pistorius still must reach a qualifying time to run in the individual 400 meters at the Aug. 8-24 Beijing Games. However, he can be picked for the South African relay squad without qualifying.
Pistorius appealed to CAS, world sport's highest tribunal, to overturn a Jan. 14 ruling by the IAAF that banned him from competing. The IAAF said his carbon fiber blades give him a mechanical advantage.
A two-day hearing was held before a panel of three arbitrators at CAS headquarters last month.
Pistorius holds the 400-meter Paralympic world record of 46.56 seconds, but that time is outside the Olympic qualifying standard of 45.55. Pistorius has said his training has been disrupted by the appeal process.
Even if Pistorius fails to get the qualifying time, South African selectors could add the University of Pretoria student to the Olympic 1,600-meter relay squad.
Pistorius would not require a qualifying time and could be taken to Beijing as an alternate. Six runners can be picked for the relay squad. Pistorius also expects to compete in Beijing at the Sept. 6-17 Paralympic Games.
The verdict also clears Pistorius to dedicate himself to qualifying for the 2012 London Olympics.
The IAAF based its January decision on studies by German professor Gert-Peter Brueggemann, who said the J-shaped "Cheetah" blades were energy-efficient.
Pistorius' lawyers countered with independent tests conducted by a team led by MIT professor Hugh M. Herr that claimed to show he doesn't gain any advantage over able-bodied runners.
CAS said the IAAF failed to prove that Pistorius' running blades give him an advantage.
"The panel was not persuaded that there was sufficient evidence of any metabolic advantage in favor of a double-amputee using the Cheetah Flex-Foot," CAS said. "Furthermore, the CAS panel has considered that the IAAF did not prove that the biomechanical effects of using this particular prosthetic device gives Oscar Pistorius an advantage over other athletes not using the device."
Pistorius was born without fibulas -- the long, thin outer bone between the knee and ankle -- and was 11 months old when his legs were amputated below the knee.
Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press |
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| dave24s |
| I hope he wins. Then those assholes will be having elective amputation to run faster. |
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| sppinach |
| Ghost in the Shell ..... the prosthetic age is upon us! |
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| Sluggy |
| They should have there own Olympics.... |
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| RLM6370 |
Quote: Originally posted by Sluggy
They should have there own Olympics.... |
Ummm, they do |
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| woogayo |
| its an amazing story |
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| Sluggy |
Quote: Originally posted by RLM6370
Ummm, they do |
Well why dont he go there then? |
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| RLM6370 |
Quote: Originally posted by Sluggy
Well why dont he go there then? |
He has and he dominates there. |
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| Elslavo |
Next Olymics will have actual Robots!
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| Cane Nation |
| You want to impress me Oscar? Try the 50 meter hurdles. |
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