ozleicester Posted 23 July 2011 Posted 23 July 2011 I like to think im a fair and just person who treats everyone equally, however THIS doesnt seem right to me. In my opinion, this man should not be in the olympics. Im sure im being unfair, but i simply cannot argue this as being a just decision... help me please. Blade runner makes history by becoming first ‘disabled’ athlete to qualify for able-bodied Olympics 400m Double amputee smashed his personal best to qualify for London 2011 Oscar Pistorius had his legs amputated when he was 11 months old Now runs on carbon-fibre prosthetic running blades By Daily Mail Reporter Last updated at 11:31 AM on 21st July 2011 After a long battle to compete with able-bodied athletes, South African double amputee Oscar Pistorius has qualified for the 2012 London Olympics and next month's world championships by smashing his 400m personal best. Pistorious, known as 'Blade Runner' because he runs on carbon fibre prosthetic running blades, recorded a new personal best of 45.07 seconds for the 400m race in Lignano, Italy yesterday. Pistorius, 24, who had both legs amputated when he was just 11-months-old because of a congenital disorder, said: 'It was like a dream race. Chasing his dream: Oscar Pistorius races to his personal best of 45.07 seconds in Lignano, Italy Going to Olympics: The South African, seen after his wining race, has now qualified to compete with able-bodied athletes 'I just have not been able to sleep. I must have 300 messages congratulating me. 'I am sure tomorrow when I wake up it (the accomplishment) is going to hit me. It is really humbling to know I have gotten so much support from everyone The winning performance means Pistorius has made history to become the first amputee sprinter to qualify for the world championships, which begin on August 27 in Daegu, South Korea. A multiple Paralympic gold medalist, the South African had sought for years to compete in the world championships and Olympics. Speeding ahead: After a long battle, Oscar Pistorius has been allowed to compete with able-bodied athletes and has now qualified for next month's world championships Speeding ahead: After a long battle, Oscar Pistorius has been allowed to compete with able-bodied athletes and has now qualified for next month's world championships THE MEDICAL HISTORY BEHIND THE BLADE RUNNER Oscar Pistorius was born with congenital absence of the fibula in both legs. When he was 11 months old, his legs were amputated halfway between his knees and ankles. Congenital absence of the fibula is a congenital disorder where in one or both legs there is a fibrous band instead of the fibula. The result tends to be a short deformed leg, an absence of part of the ankle joint, and what is left is unstable and the foot has a deformity, or an absence of part of the foot. Sometimes the foot can be brought into normal function; sometimes it must be amputated. Pistorius's new time would have earned him fifth place in the men's 400m final in the 2008 Olympics and the runner was overwhelmed at his achievement. 'With 180 metres out, I just decided to set out for the end, and I really ran a very comfortable last 100 metres,' he said. 'It is kind of strange because I broke my personal best by half a second, which is ridiculous.' Pistorius was born with a congenital absence of the fibula - the calf bone. The Court of Arbitration for Sport gave him a chance to compete with able-bodied athletes in May 2008, when it ruled in his favour after a long legal battle with the International Association of Athletics Federations over the use of his running blades, which the IAAF said gave him an unfair advantage. In January 2008 the IAAF claimed that Pistorious's blades required him to use 25 per cent less energy than his rivals to run at the same speed. But the determined athlete argued that he was running at a disadvantage, with less blood in his body and no calf muscles, and Cas ruled he could compete with his blades. But after the CAS decision, he failed to record a time inside the Olympic qualifying mark and missed the Beijing Games, although he won the 100m, 200m and 400m at the Beijing Paralympics. The CAS stressed that any advancements in the prosthetic-limb technology used by Pistorius could be contested by the IAAF again. 6
Zingari Posted 23 July 2011 Posted 23 July 2011 i agree with you oz ,it gives him a mechanical advantage surely if its ok for him to wear them it's ok for the rest of the competitors they may as well say it's ok for a disabled runner to enter the marathon riding an adapted bicycle.
Trav Le Bleu Posted 23 July 2011 Posted 23 July 2011 I guess the only way we can know for sure how much advantage it gives him is to hack Usain Bolt's legs off, fit Oscar Pistorius's artificial limbs and see what difference it makes.
Zingari Posted 23 July 2011 Posted 23 July 2011 I guess the only way we can know for sure how much advantage it gives him is to hack Usain Bolt's legs off, fit Oscar Pistorius's artificial limbs and see what difference it makes. i'm sure he'd agree to that
Trav Le Bleu Posted 23 July 2011 Posted 23 July 2011 i'm sure he'd agree to that I'm penning a letter to the Jamaican Artificial Feet Federation for Atheletes (JAFFA) as we speaking.
Haydos Posted 23 July 2011 Posted 23 July 2011 He's an inspiration, I think he should be allowed to compete. On a more valid note, I think there's been some hard research done into if it gives him an advantage (energy expulsion/strength/power/speed) and they found that it didn't. (I think). I know it kind of isn't the point but he still won't be competitive. I've changed my mind to 'have no idea what I think'. Decided it's impossible to know. Would he have been this good if he had his own legs? He might not have even been close but you think he would as he's shown how good he is compared to other top disabled athletes. In conclusion, no idea
FuriousFox46 Posted 23 July 2011 Posted 23 July 2011 I'm penning a letter to the Jamaican Artificial Feet Federation for Atheletes (JAFFA) as we speaking. Might as well ask for one of their cake's too
Bryn Posted 23 July 2011 Posted 23 July 2011 If the board have deemed him to be at no advantage that's good enough for me.
Zingari Posted 23 July 2011 Posted 23 July 2011 If the board have deemed him to be at no advantage that's good enough for me. ok , let them put those spring heeled jacks on other athletes and see if there's no advantage
Guest MattP Posted 23 July 2011 Posted 23 July 2011 He is an absolute insipration to be honest, incredible story. I wouldnt even care if he did gain a slight advantage from it, I think he had all the disadvantage he deserves actually losing his legs. He must be happy and proud to get himself out of the patronising event that is the paralympics.
ozleicester Posted 23 July 2011 Author Posted 23 July 2011 I dont dispute that he is an inspiration or that he has incredible skill, ability or determination. I just see this as an advantage. In regard the the "patronising Paralympics", i actually now prefer the Para's to the original olympics, ever since the olympics went professional they lost their lustre for me, I honestly couldnt give a crap about the olympics outside of the 100 and 200 metres. The Para seems a little more how the olympics were meant to be, people striving to achieve for the sake of achievement, not for the money, fame and bullsh*t.
Haydos Posted 23 July 2011 Posted 23 July 2011 He is an absolute insipration to be honest, incredible story. I wouldnt even care if he did gain a slight advantage from it, I think he had all the disadvantage he deserves actually losing his legs. He must be happy and proud to get himself out of the patronising event that is the paralympics. This pretty much sums up what I was trying to say. Don't agree with the last line about the paralympics though. Why is it patronising? Sounds like you#re saying because they're not anywhere near able-bodied standards that it's not really worth doing and it's humouring them....
jonno24 Posted 23 July 2011 Posted 23 July 2011 Im sorry but is 2 pieces of Carbon Fibre mechanical ? If anything he has to make the extra effort to qualify to be in the able bodied olympics. My own opinion tho so dont rip my balls off for saying it
Itsthejoeker Posted 23 July 2011 Posted 23 July 2011 The carbon fibre strips won't give him any more spring than the "able-bodied" athletes. They will give him the same amount of spring as a knee and ankle joint.
ozleicester Posted 23 July 2011 Author Posted 23 July 2011 The carbon fibre strips won't give him any more spring than the "able-bodied" athletes. They will give him the same amount of spring as a knee and ankle joint. this is where it get interesting for me... does it give him the same amount of knee and ankle spring as... me... or as Tyson Gay? ( i hope for his sake its not me... my knees creak enough WITH cartlidge.)
Guest MattP Posted 23 July 2011 Posted 23 July 2011 This pretty much sums up what I was trying to say. Don't agree with the last line about the paralympics though. Why is it patronising? Sounds like you#re saying because they're not anywhere near able-bodied standards that it's not really worth doing and it's humouring them.... You know what I actually dont know, it's just a feeling when I watch it that I feel they are being slightly patronised too, I am probably totally wrong. I dont really watch them if I'm honest, it might sound harsh but I want to watch the best in the world, I dont watch to watch the best in the world in a certain capacity of disibility. Sounds awful that doesnt it?
Itsthejoeker Posted 23 July 2011 Posted 23 July 2011 this is where it get interesting for me... does it give him the same amount of knee and ankle spring as... me... or as Tyson Gay? ( i hope for his sake its not me... my knees creak enough WITH cartlidge.) Maybe a bit more spring, but the man has no calf muscle... If he was running "able-bodied" world records I could understand some of the suspicion, but all he wants to do is race amongst the best.
ozleicester Posted 24 July 2011 Author Posted 24 July 2011 Maybe a bit more spring, but the man has no calf muscle... If he was running "able-bodied" world records I could understand some of the suspicion, but all he wants to do is race amongst the best. Understand that, but, to be fair, id love to race against the worlds best to, but my physical limitations prevent me from doing so. What happens if he comes out at the olympics and wins it in world record time... will it be accepted as the REAL world record?
Itsthejoeker Posted 24 July 2011 Posted 24 July 2011 Understand that, but, to be fair, id love to race against the worlds best to, but my physical limitations prevent me from doing so. What happens if he comes out at the olympics and wins it in world record time... will it be accepted as the REAL world record? Exactly! I doubt the world record would stand. It would stand as his disability category record, but not an "able-bodied" one. He'll still have the pleasure of knowing he's the fastest man alive though.
ajthefox Posted 24 July 2011 Posted 24 July 2011 Definitely with you on this. Why have the paralympics if your just going to make exceptions?
Haydos Posted 24 July 2011 Posted 24 July 2011 Definitely with you on this. Why have the paralympics if your just going to make exceptions? In simplistic terms the paralympics are there to enable disabled athletes to compete as generally they would not be able to challenge able-bodied athletes competitively. If a disabled athlete performs to such a high standard that he's able to compete with able-bodied athletes (a fantastic achievement in itself) then it doesn't seem to make sense to hold him back.
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