Double amputee sprinter Oscar Pistorius, whose prosthetic legs have been decried by some as an unfair advantage, won an appeal today and will be permitted to run at the 2008 Summer Olympics.That doesn't necessarily mean he will run, however. He would still need to run a qualifying time in his best event, the 400 meters, or be chosen by South Africa for a relay team.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled today that Pistorius is eligible to race against able-bodied athletes, overturning a ban by the IAAF, track and field's governing body, which said carbon fiber prosthetic blades are more efficient than human legs and therefore give him an unfair mechanical advantage. In a classy move, IAAF President Lamine Diack did not criticize the arbitration board's ruling and instead released a statement praising Pistorius today:
The arbitration board's ruling, which was unanimous, is effective immediately."The IAAF accepts the decision of CAS and Oscar will be welcomed wherever he competes this summer. He is an inspirational man and we look forward to admiring his achievements in the future."
UPDATE: Wheelchair Athlete Thinks Oscar Pistorius Should Stick With Paralympics
Previously on FanHouse:
Oscar Pistorius Takes Second in 400 Meters, Runs Behind World-Class Sprinters
'Would I Want My Legs Back? I'd Have to Sit Down and Think About It'
400 Meters: Oscar Pistorius Can't Keep Up, Jeremy Wariner Stumbles and Stops
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Reader Comments ( Page 1 of 1)
1. That's garbage. The dude's legs are like springs. I feel bad that he lost his real legs but there's already an Olympics for people in his situation. That's where he should be competing.
Posted at 4:46PM on May 16th 2008 by Dr Huxtable
2. Despite the fact that he is a double amputee, Pistorius has proven that he can compete with able bodied athletes. I hope he has enough to time to train and qualify for the Beijing Olympics.
Posted at 6:50AM on May 17th 2008 by lgemini529
3. I totally disagree and am ashamed at the previous comments made about this article. Oscar had a dream prior to becoming a quadriplegic and that was to compete in the Summer Olympic games and be considered an equal, as ALL the other paraolympians do. As he proved in the British Grand Prix, he came second. If his prosthetics gave him an unfair advantage, it wasn't proven there, he would have simply won the race. People need to stop being scared of change and run with it. The poor guy is trying to live a dream instead of being tied and resigned into a category. We should all strive to achieve a goal, and he's doing it. Try to put yourself in his place for a second, and see how you would like it if you lost both legs and people telling you, no you can't, You should always be in the Paralympics because you don't "belong" in the Summer Olympics? It's like saying "Sorry, you shouldn't be sitting in the front of the bus, your place is in the back." That's total discrimination!
Posted at 7:02AM on May 17th 2008 by Steeles8574
4. There is a special place for Oscar Pistorius, and it is and it is not in the 2008 Summer Olympics, I do beleive that his mechanical advantage diminishes the efforts of the other participants. Here we go beating the emotional well being out of our athletes. Please do not misunderstand Oscar is an athlete and there is a special place for him.
Posted at 7:03AM on May 17th 2008 by Cindy
5. I am an amputee, and let me tell you that it is NOT easy to run with prosthetic legs. Yes, you could say that the "springs" in his legs are an advantage, but he doesn't have knees. He doesn't have ankles. It's extremely difficult to run that way. I don't think he has an advantage at all. There's also the circumstance that his legs could break during a run. Human legs can't break like that, so I'd say that evens him out with the other competitors. It's a lot more complicated than many of you believe it is.
Posted at 7:37AM on May 17th 2008 by Dewy
6. WHAT HAPPENS IF HE HITS AN OIL SLICK...??
Posted at 8:37AM on May 17th 2008 by Dennis
7. I can not believe what I am reading from some of you guys. You think he has an advantage by having artificial legs?? Give me a break! Shame on you.
Posted at 8:38AM on May 17th 2008 by Rucy
8. Steeles8574...he is NOT a quadriplegic. He is an amputee...boy do I wish some of you people would learn the meanings of words before you post.
Posted at 9:31AM on May 17th 2008 by Amy
9. FIRST!!
Posted at 9:38AM on May 17th 2008 by kevinsito33
10. Oscar Pistorius won his appeal and overturned his ban from the Olympics because a study at MIT concluded his prosthetics gave him no advantage.
Posted at 9:49AM on May 17th 2008 by Ross
11. I don't understand why people can't look beyond the legs, this man is making a statement that alot of others need to see and hear, Those of us who are blessed to have all of our limbs maynot understand it. This man had set out to do this before he lost his limbs, and he is proving that there should never be any obstacle in life that can keep you from reaching your goals. His mind and soul are not affected, and his body is strong enough to do this, let him do it, you have no idea how many lives this man will touch. And American's should be supporting him. There are some out there who just don't have the ability to reach the goals he is reaching and that is why they have developed the Special Olympics for those who have the same dreams, but not the same strength in their bodies to do this, but they can see that nothing is impossible if you beleive and try hard enough. We should all be supporting and encouraging Athletes who are trying to overcome life's blows, not trying to hold them back.
Posted at 10:02AM on May 17th 2008 by Josie Little
12. I am humbled.
Bravo!
Posted at 10:21AM on May 17th 2008 by Coco
13. I admire the guy but I would admire him more if he stuck to the para olympics. I think it is grossly unfair that he be allowed to compete with "man made" legs that scientists have analyzed and found to be "superior" for sprinting than their natural counterparts. I hope the other sprinters and their team leaders launch a huge protest!!!!!!!It is not god enough if he just fails to Qualify anyway and makes the whole thing moot. This sort of thing needs to be nipped in the bud.
Posted at 11:05AM on May 17th 2008 by mcolfinn
14. THEY ARE NOT MACHINES! They are prosthetic limbs! He still has to power them through his own muscle energy! SHAME on all of you who feel he is advantaged.
Posted at 11:12AM on May 17th 2008 by Al
15. i think he should be allowed to run...whats the big deal? who cares if he lost his legs and theyre robotic now??? hes still human!!!
Posted at 11:13AM on May 17th 2008 by kevinsito33
16. BALONEY ! No way....he has devices...and no devices are allowed. Sorry he is an amputee, but thats what the Special Olympics are for !
I do not agree and this smells of a pay-off
Posted at 11:46AM on May 17th 2008 by mike
17. If these particular prosthetics made anyone run faster then you'd have every amputee with them trying out for the Olympics. Anyone who thinks prosthetic legs are an asset to getting around is a complete f'ing moron. I lost my legs 4 years ago when I was 21 and I can guarantee you my prosthetics do not "preform" better than my legs did.
Posted at 7:42PM on May 17th 2008 by Jesse
18. Shame on all of those who think that he should not be allowed to run! He is a person that has the strength and the courage to face life and live it to its fullest and nothing stops him. I admire him and wish him the best and I really pray and hope that he will be allowed to run. Now if he wins or loses, that does not matter at all. For me he already is a winner and you all need to learn and think what life is all about. It is not about who can or who can't because of dissabilities, but it is because of desire to try the impossible and reach for the unknowns just because as long as he is allowed to breathe the same air that you all are breathing and be under the same sun that you all are getting the light from, then he definetly has the same rights as you all do. I am a lother of two handicapped kids who for years now have been told that their days are numbered, but with so much desire to learn and the Love for life they are doing just fine and they are going to regular schools and read and learn just like alll other kids do. God always gives us what we can handdle and sometimes there are obsticales in front of us while we travel our journey of life, but they are invisible for those that are determined to do their best of this life. I hope you all can learn from this guy. Good Luck to Oscar Pistorius and God Bless him.
Posted at 7:04AM on May 18th 2008 by Mirela
19. I admire Oscar's achievements and believe him to be a great athlete. That being said, I do think he is exploiting an unfair advantage in his sport. Obviously machines can perform better than flesh and bone on many different levels. If Oscar is allowed to compete with this obvious advanatage, where do we draw the line? Do we allow a quadrapedic to drive a ferrari to a 400m victory?
Posted at 1:59PM on May 18th 2008 by Drew
20. I am shocked and appalled at the complete lack of consideration of Oscar Pistorius as an ATHLETE by some of the readers here. Disabled people have been oppressed and forced into the background throughout most of history because of attitudes like those I am seeing here. Wake up, people. Disabled people are guaranteed equal rights in the USA because they are PEOPLE and not DISABILITIES; why should this NOT apply throughout the world and in other arenas than education, employment, and housing? It is high time the world stops viewing disabled people in terms of their disabilities and gets over its fear and ignorance of people who are different. These legs have given him NO advantage; in fact, quite the opposite is true. Anyone who actually knows anything about prosthetic legs can tell you that it is almost impossible for someone who is a DOUBLE amputee to learn to walk again, let alone run, because they have to relearn the entire processes of gait, balance, and muscle control. Prosthetic limbs do NOT move in the same way as human limbs, despite the best efforts of the prosthetics industry to mimic human movement. The fact that he has overcome this severe disability should be lauded. I am embarassed to be considered a member of the same society as many of you who have posted on here, and I am thankful I do not share your ignorance.
Posted at 11:28AM on Jun 30th 2008 by umlaut