Jan
16
Runner Disqualified for Artificial Legs
Filed Under News, Sports, Technology
It is no secret the work I have done for people with disabilities. It is clear then, why this story from Sports Illustrated peaked my interest.
While the SI story meets journalistic standards, I think the details ought to be reordered in order to form a less biased opinion.
Oscar Pistorius, a South African sprinter, was born without fibulas, the thin outer bone joining the knee to the ankle. He was just 11 months old when both his legs were amputated blow the knee.
This week, the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) ruled that he is ineligible to compete in the Olympics this summer, in Beijing, or any other able-bodied (AB) competitions.
So, one might ask what would lead a governing body to disqualify a athlete with disability since birth from AB competitions; after all, he has a disability, right? He should have to work harder to do the same thing.
The IAAF delayed its decision some time while Pistorius’ “Cheetah” racing blades were studied. Pistorius spent two days testing the legs with German professor Gert-Peter Brueggeman. Brueggemann found that the blades allow Pistorius to run at the same speed at AB runner with 25% less energy and that the blades returned nearly three times as much energy as the human ankle.
That said, the IAAF’s decision was based on the conclusion that the “Cheetah” blades give an athlete an unfair advantage.