
Does Oscar Pistorius have an unfair advantage because he runs on specially designed prosthetic legs? We won't need to worry about that question until Pistorius can compete for a spot in the Olympic Games, and Pistorius showed today that he can't do that.
Pistorius ran the 400 meters in 47.65 seconds, well behind Angelo Taylor's winning time of 45.25 at the British Grand Prix meet. His time actually doesn't go into the record books, though, because judges ruled he ran out of his lane. Pistorius finished ahead of only one runner, American Jeremy Wariner, who stumbled out of the blocks and quit the race after taking just a few steps.
After the race Pistorius complained that track and field officials have made derogatory comments about him and other Paralympians, including one who said allowing Pistorius to race could pave the way for athletes to compete wearing jet-packs on their backs.


Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
7-15-2007 @ 8:10PM
Dale Shaw said...
Doesn't Mr. Pistorious have a friend who could advise him to stop trying to exploiting his disability. I presume the attention that he has sought will be largely negative. Does that benefit him or any who cope with handicaps? If he competed with other disabled people... in a "contest" where the participants get accolades for their performances despite their limitations...what an inspiration to others. In that setting those arranging the event do not need to worry about the eligiblity of the armless man whose prosthesis tosses the shot put while he sends a satisfied smile to the young man from the Special Olympics who is proud of his toss regardless of which tossed farther.
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7-16-2007 @ 6:55AM
rd said...
Just the mere fact that this guy has the fortitude to race in his situation makes him a winner already. Go get 'um...
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7-16-2007 @ 9:30AM
Patrick said...
I applaud Pistorius' athletic perseverance and accomplishments but I don't think sympathy for his personal plight should sway the inherent unfairness of allowing him to compete against "able-bodied" athletes. While the media has overblown the "jet pack" comment from one official, I believe the underlying issue is an appropriate one, that being the easily foreseeable advancement of technology to develop similar prosthetic devices that would overcome the limitations of the human body. To compare his prosthetic legs to advances in shoe design is simply absurd. Allowing Pistorius to compete in the Olympics, or any "non-disabled" event, surely puts us well down the slippery slope.
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7-16-2007 @ 9:49AM
Joe Kash said...
Considering what this guy has over come just to be able to compete with 100% able bodied atheletes speaks volumes for this man's character .
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7-16-2007 @ 10:01AM
Luis Adrian said...
Bo Jackson a former in Major League Baseball player used a device to play a professional sport. In this case it was an internal hip prosthesis and he compete until he could in the Major League Baseball. But, we can mention cases of amateur and professional athletes with internal injuries and surgeries with internal implants, bolts, nuts, screws, metals plates, defibrillators or transplants and others, and there are not a problem. Why? Because are not visible to the common eye?
During the past people with disabilities have been competing versus "normal people", giving the advantage to the "normal people" and every body said "if that boy or girl can be normal he or she can be a phenomenon".
What is it the real problem to accept Mr. Pictorious by the IAAF? That now they can see the prosthesis, that made Mr. Pistorious looks different than the other competitors or that he is a real challenger and he can win this race an be a "strange winner" or both?
We must be proud of Mr. Pistorious and the science after him. Mr. Pistorious is a symbol to excel, endurance and persistence for all the people around the World. Mr. Pistorious is telling to the World,
"All Your Dreams Can Be True, If You Really Want Those, Never Stop Go For Them".
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7-16-2007 @ 10:11AM
Amputee14 said...
As an amputee and former track athlete I am torn. I do not think that the current prosthetic legs are equal to human legs. And I think they give an advantage in some ways. Less weight, less muscle energy burned. No leg cramps etc... I think he should stay with the paralympics and stop this fight. It will never be equal either way.
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7-16-2007 @ 10:46AM
Joe said...
While I applaud Mr. Pistorius for his mettle I must say that, if he chooses to compete with "able bodied" athletes he must accept the concequences without complaining.
47 seconds is outstanding time for the 400! Two seconds back from the winner, but still outstanding. Im most college meets Mr. Pistorius would be at the top of the field with such a performance. So, no shame coming in last among the best in the sport. However, if Mr. Pistorius wants to represent disabled athletes around the globe he should do so with utmost integrity and without playing the handicapped card when it is convienent.
He should compete, do his best, take what the day gives him and go back to his training with renewed vigor.
His comments and accusations will only serve to give Track and Field officials second thoughts for the next athlete in similar circumstances.
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7-16-2007 @ 10:48AM
Fred Martin said...
All you cruddy fools that would deny Mr Pistorious the opportunity to compete because he is different are biased bigoted jealous pigs you should have a big green B tatooed on your forehead so the whole world knows what you are. You give humanity a bad name and you disgust me
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7-16-2007 @ 11:24AM
jon parks said...
He dosnt build up as much lactic acid as people with two full legs. he dosnt have to supply oxygen to his lower legs. So an educated person can easally see that he has an advantage.
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7-16-2007 @ 11:29AM
Jonathan said...
He doesnt build up as much lactic acid as people with two full legs. He dosnt have to supply his lower legs with oxygen. So an educated person can easally see the he has an advantage.
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7-16-2007 @ 12:08PM
subzero said...
If he had the advantage why did he lose??
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7-16-2007 @ 12:14PM
ricky said...
shame for the able bodied world, this guy is missing both legs and he still wants an opportunity to race against the the rest of the world, and all you can say is that he has an advantage, when you have a sore foot, you can bareley walk, this guy is missing both, WHAT AN ADVANTAGE!!!!!!!!!.
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7-16-2007 @ 1:51PM
Chris said...
Being a former national class sprinter,I know how important ankle strength is when it comes to the explosiveness required in being a sprinter. From what I've read, these blades are a passive device and don't repel back the force that is applied on the track. I think what you are seeing is an individual who lost his legs at an extremely young age, acclimated to the lack of having lower limbs and in turn is able to use his blades much more efficiently then other men using the same device. I don't see any harm in his running with able bodied men, if the IAAF needs to put an astrix by his offical result, what's the harm? I am assuming he's not taking illegal drugs, he's a man and there's no gender issue. The IAAF, should work with him, set standards for blades and deal with it!
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7-16-2007 @ 1:54PM
PE GUY said...
In response the the educated person who is absolutely sure that Mr. Pistorius has a distinct advantage due to his minimal lactic acid bulid up because he is missing his Gastroctnemius and Soleus muscles, muscles responsible for explosivity in sprinting events, and oh yeah and his Tibialis muscle and feet responsible for balance and direction (if he had feet maybe he wouldn't have wandered off his lane), he is obviously not as educated as he ass-umes himself to be...and "easally" according to you sir is spelled "easily", thank you and keep learning...Go Mr. Pistorius! You are an inspiration to everyone with or without the lactic acid build-up advantage!
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7-25-2007 @ 5:33AM
j said...
This is true talent. As a dedicated 400 meter sprinter for 12 years, I acknowledge that this is pure athletic ability achievable by a tiny percentage of the human race, and attainable through hard work and skill alone. No commonplace citizen can replicate this nor judge otherwise. 47 seconds is a realistic yet blistering speed at any means (stfu haters).
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