Double (Leg) Amputee Barred from Olympics

[Big Don]

Double (Leg) Amputee Barred from Olympics
He ought to consider this a victory, in a way. They are barring him, because he is too fast...

 

[Doc_Jude]

His speed is due to bionics. If he were win anything, he'd have to split it with some biomed engineer, just to be fair.

 

[terryl965]

We all have to play by rules, that would include hin as well

 

[kaizasosei]

Pistorius finished second in the 400 meters at the South African national championships last year against able-bodied runners.

that's amazing. i think it's a shame considering those blades have practically become his body. they may not be rockets, but i can see how one could run well with them.
he'd definately would be able to outrun most all people with normal legs.


j

 

[Andrew Green]

In this case I would have to agree. His disability gives him a unfair advantage in that sport, his legs are custom designed for sprinting.

I'd also expect the same amputee to be banned from competing in a swimming event with legs that looked like flippers, or TKD with aluminum bats.

 

[punisher73]

I remember reading another story on this, and if I remember right he is still under the time needed to compete.

He is not breaking any world records against able bodied athletes, and he is not the fastest person out there because of them either. They talk about requiring less energy to maintain speed, but he competes as a sprinter. You aren't "maintaining" speed like a distance runner would where that would be a clear advantage.

I think that more tests would be necessary to conclude that the prosthetics themselves give him a clear advantage over other runners and that the prosthetics alone were the cause for his winnning/times.

If further testing is done and that is the case then I would support prohibiting him from competing in certain events.

 

[halfnote19]

Who would have thought that a double leg amputee would have an advantage against able bodied runners.

 

[Nomad]

Who would have thought that a double leg amputee would have an advantage against able bodied runners.

Exactly my thought on reading this. No legs. What a great advantage in running!

Huge kudos to the engineers that designed those surrogates for him.