Sunday 18 May 2008

"No legs" man CAN run in Olympics

goes the headline in my newspaper (Sun UK).

A man with no legs has been given the chance to compete for a place as a runner in the next Olympics. Now, don't get me wrong. I'm one of the fairest men I know, but:

Oscar Pistorius, 21, of South Africa, won an appeal against able-bodied athletes to take part even though he is a double amputee. Oscar, nicknamed Bladerunner, says that he is ecstatic to have been given the chance to compete even though other athletes protested because he had an obvious advantage over them. But the Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled, on appeal, that the high tech carbon fibre blades DID NOT give him an advantage!!! Eh!?

How do they KNOW that he can't run any faster with blades than he could without them?

Pistorious, who holds the 400 metre Paralympic world record at 46.56 seconds said, "When I found out I cried. I think that this day will go down in history for the "equality?" of the disabled people."

And I say: NO IT DAMN WELL WON'T!!

Unless ALL the runners can have the option of running in blades or any other device that will help them run faster, or even run at all! It makes no sense to me that if he can reach the Olympic qualifying standard of 45.55 he could take his place at Beijing this summer.

IAAF president Lamine Diack said: "Oscar will be welcomed wherever he competes this summer. He is inspirational!"

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I am over 79. Up to a couple of years ago I'd have described myself as fit and decisive. Now I'm not so sure. I am into DIY. If my wife asks me to do something I say; "Do It Yourself".....Click on my Older Posts for more reading. Or try: http://www.chrisbeach.co.uk/viewQuotes.php