Hight-tech 'Blade runner' disqualified. What do you think?

EveryoneCollects · 01-15-2008, 04:24 AM

This is about the double-amputee sprinter from South Africa who's been ruled ineligible in this year's olympics.
The guy is a legend, and runs as fast as anyone in his field, but those High-Tech Carbon Fibre blades that replace his lower legs, were deemed adventagous over the limbs of his able bodied competitors, thus making him run faster.

On the one hand... isn't this what the Paralympics is for - the'yre Athletes at the top of their game, competing one on one against the other on a world stage?

Or, should should this guy be in the able bodied Olympics, where potentially, he could break world records and take gold?

Here's the news item link http://www.yahoo.com/s/783316

jdspc · 01-15-2008, 04:42 AM

A playing field is only as level as it's creator deems it...

StrongInTheArm · 01-15-2008, 11:00 AM

Its sad for him personally, but he's running three seconds slower than the top athletes so in terms of the competitions it will not affect the results in any way.

I believe the authorities did some tests that showed he was expending twenty percent less energy to achieve his results. In effect he had an unfair advantage. I'm sure even he would call foul if some guy on a scooter turned up and wanted to race.

I believe he intends to appeal.

Maybe everybody should be forced to race in shoes like his. Who cares anyway. The Olympic ideal is gone forever. It is now virtually impossible to tell who does and who does not take performance enhancing drugs, so what is the point? Its no longer about the athletics, its about the sneakiest, less detectable drug use.