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Pistorius gets IAAF green light

Oscar Pistorius
South African Pistorius, 20, wants to compete at the Olympics
Oscar Pistorius can compete against the world's best able-bodied athletes
while researchers decide if his prosthetic legs give him an unfair
advantage.

In March, athletics' governing body introduced a rule banning any runner
deemed to benefit from artificial help.

But it now appears it has changed its stance, to the benefit of Pistorius.

The 20-year-old South African runs using carbon fibre curved blades after
his legs were amputated from below the knee when he was just 11 months.

Interview: Oscar Pistorius

He was born without fibulae in both legs due to a congenital condition.

His major objective is to compete at an Olympics, but an International
Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) spokesman said such talk was
premature.

He has also yet to run times that would allow him to qualify for the Beijing
Games.

We have nothing against disabled athletes, on the contrary, but we need to
be fair

IAAF's Nick Davies

He has clocked 10.91secs in the 100m, 21.58secs in the 200 and 46.56secs in
the 400 - all world records for disabled athletes.

He also finished second in the 400m at the South African Championships - the
able-bodied meet - in March.

IAAF spokesman Nick Davies said the organisation was going to take it upon
itself to work with Pistorius to conduct scientific research and tests on
the
runner and his prosthetics.

Davies said one of the aims was developing criteria on prosthetics and other
aides.

"Perhaps certain prosthetics will be allowed and others won't," he said.

"We need to establish the facts and we want to do this together. We have
nothing against disabled athletes, on the contrary, but we need to be fair."

Pistorius has been dubbed 'Blade Runner' because of his prosthetics
Pistorius has been dubbed 'Blade Runner' because of his prosthetics

Davies said Pistorius's case was taking the federation into new and
unfamiliar territory.

"This issue is so new," said Davies.

"Oscar is an exceptional athlete, maybe unique. He is on the very edge of
disabled and able-bodied sports. No one else has ever done that, that is why
we
are in the dark."

Pistorius, dubbed 'Blade Runner' because of the slimline curved prosthetics,
is adamant his blades give him no advantage or extra energy and that his
stride
is no longer than anyone else's.

"They are passive devices," he said. "If anything I am at more of a
disadvantage. I have no ankles. There is less blood flowing through my body.
I have
no calf muscles so I have to use more muscles to do what they would.

"These exact feet have been used for 14 years and there has never been a
paralympic sprinter to run my times."
Source:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/ouch/news/

_________________
Warmly,

Amit Bhatt
New Delhi, India
Mob: +91-9013323229
"Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much"-Helen Keller.

Pistorius gets IAAF green light

Oscar Pistorius
South African Pistorius, 20, wants to compete at the Olympics
Oscar Pistorius can compete against the world's best able-bodied athletes
while researchers decide if his prosthetic legs give him an unfair
advantage.

In March, athletics' governing body introduced a rule banning any runner
deemed to benefit from artificial help.

But it now appears it has changed its stance, to the benefit of Pistorius.

The 20-year-old South African runs using carbon fibre curved blades after
his legs were amputated from below the knee when he was just 11 months.

Interview: Oscar Pistorius

He was born without fibulae in both legs due to a congenital condition.

His major objective is to compete at an Olympics, but an International
Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) spokesman said such talk was
premature.

He has also yet to run times that would allow him to qualify for the Beijing
Games.

We have nothing against disabled athletes, on the contrary, but we need to
be fair

IAAF's Nick Davies

He has clocked 10.91secs in the 100m, 21.58secs in the 200 and 46.56secs in
the 400 - all world records for disabled athletes.

He also finished second in the 400m at the South African Championships - the
able-bodied meet - in March.

IAAF spokesman Nick Davies said the organisation was going to take it upon
itself to work with Pistorius to conduct scientific research and tests on
the
runner and his prosthetics.

Davies said one of the aims was developing criteria on prosthetics and other
aides.

"Perhaps certain prosthetics will be allowed and others won't," he said.

"We need to establish the facts and we want to do this together. We have
nothing against disabled athletes, on the contrary, but we need to be fair."

Pistorius has been dubbed 'Blade Runner' because of his prosthetics
Pistorius has been dubbed 'Blade Runner' because of his prosthetics

Davies said Pistorius's case was taking the federation into new and
unfamiliar territory.

"This issue is so new," said Davies.

"Oscar is an exceptional athlete, maybe unique. He is on the very edge of
disabled and able-bodied sports. No one else has ever done that, that is why
we
are in the dark."

Pistorius, dubbed 'Blade Runner' because of the slimline curved prosthetics,
is adamant his blades give him no advantage or extra energy and that his
stride
is no longer than anyone else's.

"They are passive devices," he said. "If anything I am at more of a
disadvantage. I have no ankles. There is less blood flowing through my body.
I have
no calf muscles so I have to use more muscles to do what they would.

"These exact feet have been used for 14 years and there has never been a
paralympic sprinter to run my times."
Source:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/ouch/news/

_________________
Warmly,

Amit Bhatt
New Delhi, India
Mob: +91-9013323229
"Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much"-Helen Keller.

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