Double Amputee Wins Right to Compete in Olympics

By Anastacia Mott Austin

He’s known as "The Blade Runner" in his native South Africa.

Runner Oscar Pistorius, 21, won his appeal against the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) this week, and the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) declared that he could legally compete at the Beijing summer Olympics if he can meet the qualifying time.

An earlier ruling by the IAAF declared that the curved, blade-like "Cheetah Flex Foot" prosthetics Pistorius uses to run gave him an advantage not available to other athletes.

"He has considerable advantages over athletes without prosthetic limbs," said Gert-Peter Brueggemann, an expert from the German Sports University in Cologne, to reporters. Brueggemann said that the "Cheetah" limbs were far more efficient than the regular feet other athletes are forced to use. Brueggeman stated that the prosthetics had a 90 percent efficiency rating, as opposed to 60 percent for plain ol’ human feet.

"The fact that he still runs the same times as the other runners is due to his prosthetics," said Brueggemann.

The IAAF initially agreed, with some officials pointing out that artificial limbs fit into the same category as steroids or other performance-enhancing products.

But Pistorius countered that the limbs are what bring him to the same level as other able-bodied athletes, not above. His claim is that his prosthetics are his legs, and they only allow him to step up to the starting gate alongside other athletes, and to deny him the opportunity to compete is discriminatory.

The CAS agreed, and has ruled that Pistorius may compete with non-disabled runners at the qualifying rounds for the summer Olympics.

Pistorius has yet to post a running time that qualifies him for entrance into the Olympics. He needs a time of 45.95 for the 400-meter run, and his personal best thus far has been 46.46.

He is doubtful that he’ll be able to pull it off, as much of his time recently has been spent fighting his case instead of training. "I've missed the whole South African season. The time period is very short. It's going to be very difficult for me to qualify," said Pistorius to reporters.

The victory for Pistorius comes on the heels of another South African amputee and athlete qualifying to compete in the summer games. Swimmer Natalie Du Toit, who lost part of her left leg in a 2001 accident, qualified for the 10km open water race, which is making its debut at the Beijing Games. Du Toit wears no prosthetics and therefore did not have to prove her case to anyone except the clock during the qualifying race.

Though he knows he may not be fast enough to run this summer in Beijing, Pistorius remains elated at the decision, saying it is long overdue, and that if he can’t qualify for this year’s Olympics he will be back in 2012.

"I don't think 'really happy' describes it. I'm ecstatic," said Pistorius to reporters. "The battle has been going on for far too long. It is a victory for sports in general. I think this day will go down in history."

"Now I can definitely say the truth has come out. I have the opportunity once again to chase my dream of the Olympics, if not 2008, in 2012."