ESPN reports:
The IAAF ruled Monday that
double-amputee sprinter Oscar Pistorius is ineligible to compete in
the Beijing Olympics because his prosthetic racing blades give him
a clear competitive advantage.The International Association of Athletics Federations had twice
postponed the ruling, but the executive council said the South
African runner’s curved, prosthetic "Cheetah" blades were
considered a technical aid in violation of the rules."As a result, Oscar Pistorius is ineligible to compete in
competitions organized under IAAF Rules," the IAAF said in a
statement.Pistorius, known as the "blade runner," announced last week
that he would appeal any adverse decision, including taking the
case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne,
Switzerland."The natural feeling from our side would be to appeal the
verdict and see what avenues we can take forward," Pistorius’
agent, Peet van Zyl, told the BBC after Monday’s verdict. "Oscar
wants to prove that he isn’t getting an advantage."
In case it isn’t clear, this guy doesn’t have feet, or at least the kind most of us are born with. He runs on artificial feet. See the picture here.
Can this distinction between "fair" and "unfair," "natural" and "unnatural" persist? I doubt it.
