Body ABCs San Diego Sports with uncle Orie

    In an odd story that came out this week Oscar Pistorius was deemed ineligible to run in the 400 meter dash at the 2008 olympic games.  Oscar is one of the highest ranked sprinters in the 400 event in South Africa, in fact he came in second in the National meet this year. So why can’t he participate?? Was it steroids? Was it HGH? Or maybe he was involved with an off the field incident that was against the law.  All of these answers are wrong.

Oscar was born without fibulas in both legs and when he was eleven he had both of his legs amputated.  Since then he has had prosthetic legs.  He started playing rugby in South Africa.  Four years ago he began running competitively to treat an injury he received while playing rugby.  Since then he hasn’t looked back.  He set world records at the paralympic games for the 100, 200, and 400 yards dashes.  In 2007 Oscar began running in able body races.  After finishing second in the South African national track meet in the 400 the Olympic games weren’t that far fetched, that is until the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) had their say.

The IAAF stated that Oscar’s “Cheetah” blades he runs on are an unfair advantage.  After rigorous testing they determined that his curved prosthetic metal legs were unfair.  They came to this conclusion based upon stamina.  With these cheetah legs Oscar is unable to become tired or fatigued in the regions that matter most in a 400 yard sprint, his legs.

I do understand this ruling but it does strike up a great conversation and controversy.  Be careful how far you go once you get past adversity, because once you’ve gone too far it’s unfair to the rest of us able body folks.  God speed Oscar.