Well this is unfortunate. I was hoping that maybe, just maybe, we might be able to see South African Oscar Pistorius race in the 2008 Olympics. Pistorius is the double-leg amputee who has clocked times in that 200m and 100m that could potentially allow him to race Olympic athletes.But today the International Association of Athletics Federation (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 used 25% less energy than able-bodied runners to run at the same speed.
Pistorius spent two days in Cologne last November undergoing tests alongside five able-bodied athletes of similar ability. The 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.
Despite the ruling, Pistorius is going to appeal.
This case is particularly troubling because it seems to create a clear divide between able-bodied athletes and para-athletes, even though some para-athletes - like Pistorius - are starting to compete at near Olympic levels.
That seems a bit unfair to me. First you can't compete because you're disabled, now you can't compete because advancements have made you too fast.
Of course, according to the study, Pistorius does have an advantage on some level.
But considering pretty much everyone in track and field is on performance-enhancing drugs anyway, I think they should give Pistorius a shot. And I'm not being sarcastic at all.
Also, here's a video of Pistorius competing against able-bodied athletes. He definitely smokes a lot of them at the end.
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