[tt] [silk] 'Blade Runner' handed Olympic ban

[Eugen Leitl]

----- Forwarded message from "B.L. Krieger" <blk20 at cam.ac.uk> -----

From: "B.L. Krieger" <blk20 at cam.ac.uk>
Date: Mon, 14 Jan 2008 16:23:45 +0000
To: silklist at lists.hserus.net
Subject: [silk] 'Blade Runner' handed Olympic ban
User-Agent: Thunderbird 2.0.0.6 (Windows/20070728)
Reply-To: silklist at lists.hserus.net

couldn't 'able-bodied' athlets not just use 'protheses' as well?

--bernhard

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/olympics/athletics/7141302.stm

Paralympic 400m star Oscar Pistorius has failed in his bid to compete at 
this year's Olympic Games in Beijing.

The IAAF, athletics' governing body, ruled his prosthetic limbs give him 
an advantage over able-bodied opponents and contravene rules on 
technical aids.

A scientific study revealed that Pistorius, nicknamed "Blade Runner", 
used 25% less energy than able-bodied runners to run at the same speed.

The 21-year-old South African said last week he would appeal against any 
ban.

"I feel that it is my responsibility, on behalf of other disabled 
athletes, to stand firm," he said. "I will appeal [against] this 
decision at the highest levels, while also continuing with my quest to 
race in the Paralympic Games and hopefully the Olympic Games."

His agent Peet van Zyl told BBC Sport that he and Pistorius would sit 
down with their legal team to decide how to take their case forward.

"We are obviously very disappointed," Van Zyl said. "We were really 
hoping that he would be allowed (to compete).

"The natural feeling from our side is to appeal the verdict. The onus is 
now on us to prove that he is not getting an advantage."

It is likely that Pistorius will lodge an appeal to the Court of 
Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

Pistorius, who holds the Paralympic world record of 46.34 seconds, spent 
two days in Cologne last November undergoing tests alongside five 
able-bodied athletes of similar ability.

Professor Peter Bruggemann's research concluded an athlete using the 
"Cheetah prosthetic" could run at the same speed as able-bodied athletes 
but use less energy.

The tests also revealed that running with prosthetic blades led to less 
vertical motion combined with 30% less mechanical work for lifting the body.

Based on this and other test results, it was decided the blades should 
be considered as technical aids in clear contravention of IAAF rules.

Last year, the IAAF banned the use of any device incorporating springs, 
wheels "or any other element that provides the user with an advantage 
over another athlete not using such a device".

The IAAF's decision means that Pistorius will not be allowed to run in 
any competitions involving able-bodied athletes.

Last summer he finished second in a 'B' race in 46.90 seconds at the 
Rome Golden League in July and, two days later, was disqualified for 
running out of his lane in Sheffield.

Pistorius was 11 months old when his legs were amputated below the knee 
but only began running competitively on the carbon fibre blades four 
years ago.

He had immediate success winning the 200m at the Athens Paralympic Games 
and bronze in the 100m.

The South African also holds Paralympic world records for the 200m 
(21.58secs) and 100m (10.91secs).

He has come close to times set by able-bodied athletes but has yet to 
attain the Olympic qualifying time over 400m.

Pistorius's Paralympic world record of 46.34 seconds is also some way 
off the best able-bodies athletes.

The fastest active athlete is American Jeremy Wariner, whose best time 
is 43.50secs, while fellow countryman Michael Johnson holds the world 
record at 43.18.

At last year's BBC Sports Personality of the Year awards, Pistorius won 
the Helen Rollason Award, given annually to an athlete showing courage 
in the face of adversity.

----- End forwarded message -----
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Eugen* Leitl <a href="http://leitl.org">leitl</a> http://leitl.org
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