Allow amputees in Olympics?

[IllustriousPotentate]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/more/07 /15/bc.run.britishgrandprix.ap/index.html?cnn =yes

Oscar Pistorius is a double leg amputee. However, with the help of his carbon-fiber, high tech prosthetics, he's trying to convince officials to allow him to compete in the Olympics, rather than the Paralympics.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2969 502297326255252&q=Oscar+Pistorius&total=11&st art=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=2

Your thoughts? Should he be allowed to compete?

[Elamdri]

I dunno, he has no leg muscles to tire, so that might be an advantage.

[1Housefan]

Well I'm sort've torn between the two arguments. On the one hand I don't see why he shouldn't be allowed (However the argument that he could 'cheat' can come into play...) but I also think the paralympics(sp?) is a good thing too that he can be a part of =/

[cellardoor6]

I read that the springy blade things he has in place of his legs actually make him faster than he would be had he never had an amputation.

So if anything, he should be disqualified on grounds that he has an unfair advantage.

[jonthomson]

At 7/16/07 05:59 AM, 1Housefan wrote: I also think the paralympics(sp?) is a good thing too that he can be a part of =/

The point is that he's been pwning that massively and wants a new challenge

[Serphyas]

I dunno. It's complicated. On one hand we should be open-minded and accepting, but...I don't think the Olympics should be based on who has the most high-tech limbs.

'Cause the next thing you know, some paraplegic Kenyan will strap on a jetpack and be racing against the Cuban with STILTS FOR LEGS, AND THERE'S NOT A DAMN THING WE CAN DOOO

[1Housefan]

At 7/16/07 06:01 AM, jonthomson wrote:

At 7/16/07 05:59 AM, 1Housefan wrote: I also think the paralympics(sp?) is a good thing too that he can be a part of =/

The point is that he's been pwning that massively and wants a new challenge

Yeah but the point is that the paralympics is there for a reason. But I guess I don't know the full story about this guy... And did you just use 'pwning'?

[Kaputnik]

I saw that guy run the other day and I was fucking scared/impressed

[josh483]

The Year 2020 Cyborg olympics.

[IronKoala]

Let him have ago, I think its a good idea.

[HeartbreakHoldout]

Well, if he came 7th in his qualifying race, then let him into the olympics. It's not like he's going to do much, is it.

[Gagsy]

Yeah last year there was a story about how the springs in his 'legs' were done tighter so that he goes higher = faster.

No offense to the guy but it's unfair on the hardworking disabled athletes in the paralympics.

[Jewmanji]

At 7/16/07 05:59 AM, Elamdri wrote: I dunno, he has no leg muscles to tire, so that might be an advantage.

Of course he has. How else could he move his legs if he didn't have muscles there? He's still got his hams to worry about.

I'd be skeptical about letting him in compete in major sporting events such as the olympics to be honest. Although I think personally he should be allowed to compete, like that one official said, that would be grounds to allow people with other enhancements.

[metalstorm]

The paralympics exists for a reason and regardless of the fact that he may be a 'better' athlete than the other athletes he's competing against the fact remains that he is not an able bodied athlete and hence not eligible to compete in the olympics.

The video also clearly shows just how much of an unfair advantage he has over able bodied athletes. On the final straight you can clearly see him sprinting from 7th all the way up to 2nd in what seems to be the fastest 100 of his 400m. As a 400m runner myself I can tell you that this is almost an impossible feat for an able boddied athlete due to the immense amount of lactic acid buildup you experience. This feat is, however, possible for Pistorius for the simple reason that synthetic materials dont tire.

I have yet to hear of the IOC's official stance on the matter but I would be very surprised if they weren't strongly opposed to allowing Pistorius from competing in the Olympics.

[AIDSMcGuff]

Does it really matter if he was to compete? It would basically be the same if he didn't.

[TheCleverOne]

Is it me, or do anyone else what to try on a pair of those high-tech springs that the disabled man has to wear to get around. Because he can run really fast.

Looks fun.

[uoip]

I really would like it for him to be able to compete but the problem is that he has an unfair advantage in that there is no lactic acid build up in the lower legs.
Too bad.

[metalstorm]

At 7/16/07 08:35 AM, salted-tator-tot wrote: Does it really matter if he was to compete? It would basically be the same if he didn't.

No it wouldn't, because as soon as they allow him to compete they've set a precedent for all other 'elite' paralympians who wish to compete at the olympics.

With something like you need to concider the long term ramifications as well, and I strongly believe that allowing him to compete would be detrimental to the the future of the olympics.

[BoogieWookie]

I think that he should not be allowed to compete in the Olympics due to the fact that the Olympic Games were created to test the bounds of flesh and sinew. It still is an arena where the hardest working, most skilled and natural athletes come to compete. It is man versus man in a pure enviroment. A runner like him would take the spirit out of the game.

I think that he is amazing for becoming an athlete over his disability. He can overcome obstacles, even to inspire to do more, but he isn't a natural athlete. Sorry if life wasn't fair to him. I think there should be no cripples in the Olympics due to the fact its going to make the sport watered down. Only the upper echelons get to compete.

However, I can see for this guy that it is a brilliant PR move. With this he is getting attention and bringing light to the Paraolympicv cause. I bet also that some sponsors might take notice of him and give him some money that he deserves.

[ZeroAsALimit]

They rebuilt him, made him faster, better, stronger than ever. I think he should be allowed to compete, tho he competes as a symbol of human endevour rather than a man.

[Xragon]

Don't we already have an Olympics for people like this? I mean the special olympics isn't just for the retarted.

[DingoTheDog]

At 7/16/07 09:18 AM, ZeroAsALimit wrote: They rebuilt him, made him faster, better, stronger than ever. I think he should be allowed to compete, tho he competes as a symbol of human endevour rather than a man.

I think we should chastise these cyborgs before they do the same thing they do everynight. Try to take over the world!

[BoogieWookie]

If they let him compete they are going to have to allow any other reject into Olympics to be fair. Life is not fair, sorry.

I wouldn't say that human endeavor is carbon fiber legs. Human endeavor is Michael Jordan levitatating from half court to dunk. Human endeavor is Lance Armstrong coming back from fucking dying to win the Tour De France, not once but consecutively for 7 years. Human endeavor is Bruce Lee perfecting and constantly training till his death.

Human endeavor is not running on stilts.

[DingoTheDog]

At 7/16/07 09:26 AM, BoogieWookie wrote:

Human endeavor is not running on stilts.

But it might be surviving the loss of ones limbs yet instead of getting depressed about it, continue to train and still aim to compete at the highest possible level.

[JohnnyWang]

With prostethics, he doesn't have to worry about leg muscle cramps or strains, so wouldn't that be a bit like cheating? You can't really compare them.

[BoogieWookie]

People do that all the time. My Grandfather Ralph, lost his left ankle and 3 fingers in WWI and fought in WWII after. He was a scount and demolitons man responsible for sneaking into Normandy before the invasion, clearing the land and making sure troops had the cleanest route in. When he had his 3 fingers hacked off by a German man's shovel as he stormed up the hill he killed 2 men and made sure his squad did not get surrounded. He lived till 92 and still could whip peoples asses.

I just do not think that this is anything that has a place in the Olympics.

[DingoTheDog]

At 7/16/07 09:33 AM, JohnnyWang wrote: With prostethics, he doesn't have to worry about leg muscle cramps or strains, so wouldn't that be a bit like cheating? You can't really compare them.

The blood also has a shorter distance to travel which will make his circulation better.

If they were fully functional robot legs like in Robocop or Terminator I doubt he would be nearly as fast!

[somestupidloser]

It would give him the advantage, depending on what his event was

[cast]

No, just no.

[Shaun]

he should only be allowed to enter the Olympics if he does it without any prosthetics.
i want to see him flailing like a magikarp on the start line.
its only fair.