Pistorius appeal successful against IAAF ban
South African athlete Oscar Pistorius, a double-amputee, has successfully appealed against a ban imposed upon him by the International Association of Athletics Federations. The Court of Arbitration for Sport has ruled that there was insufficient scientific evidence available to ban Pistorius’s ‘Cheetah blades’ as technical aids, meaning he is eligible to compete against able-bodied athletes. However, his admission has stoked debate in paralympic sport over the appropriateness of Pistorius’s participation at the Olympics.
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| Oscar Pistorius. Photo (c) courtesy of www.ossur.com |
Earlier this year, the IAAF ruled that Pistorius was ineligible to participate with able-bodied athletes. At that time, Pistorius had already competed in two 400m races against able-bodied athletes, both in 2007. He had been invited by the IAAF to race IAAF grand Prix event in Helsinki in 2005, but was unable to do so due to school commitments.
The decision means that Pistorius will be eligible to compete to compete at the Beijing Olympics. Pistorius will need to achieve a time of under 45.55 seconds for the 400m sprint to qualify for the Games, or a time of 45.95 seconds if no other South African were post a higher time. Currently his personal best stands at 46.33 seconds. If the South African 4x400m relay team were to qualify for the Olympics, Pistorius could potentially be selected as an alternate even if he were not to reach the required time.
While it was the IAAF that initially banned Pistorius, they have accepted the decision, with president Lamine Diack expressing his admiration for Pistorius in a comment on the IAAF website: “The IAAF accepts the decision of CAS and Oscar will be welcomed wherever he competes this summer. He is an inspirational man and we look forward to admiring his achievements in the future.”
Paralypmics a b-final?
Some athletes are worried though that the decision has the potential to relegate the Paralympics to the status of a ‘b-final’ instead of a competition between people at the height of their sport.
British athlete Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson DBE, winner of 11 gold, four silver and one bronze Paralympic medals told London’s Mirror newspaper that she feels there could be a danger in admitting Pistorius.
“As an individual athlete it is an amazing achievement and I am pleased for him,” she told the paper. “But if he qualifies for the Olympics it opens up a much larger discussion about the future of the other athletes in his class. It worries me that the Paralympics may become a b-final. If no one else makes it through to the able-bodied event, then the Paralympics becomes something for those people who don't make it.
Key to the concerns of many athletes is not so much Pistorius’s participation at the Olympics, but whether he will continue to appear at the Paralympics.
In an interview with Italian Sport for All organisation Union Italiana Sport Per tutti earlier this year, swordsman Matteo Betti wished Pistorius luck and supported his decision to aim to compete at the Olympics if science proved his prosthetic limbs to be acceptable to the IAAF. However he also reiterated the importance of competing at the Paralympics:
“To support the disabled sport’s cause, it’s important that [Pistorius] guarantees his participation to the Paralympic Games too, respecting this important sports event and its participants, and recognizing the dignity and the value of sport for disabled people.”
“To renounce participating, means that this event is not considered in the right way, with its real value. The Olympic Games are not on an higher step. Although Pistorius doesn’t feel a disabled person – me too, I consider myself an athlete, not a disabled person – disability is his condition and it’s normal that he challenges other disabled athletes”.
Pistorius chasing his dream
Obviously elated at the decision, Pistorius will recommence his bid for Olympic qualification in July this year. He will also aim to compete at the Paralympics too, declaring “I have learned so much from them I will definitely be there whether or not I make the Olympics - they are so special," reports Press Association Sport.
But for now, Pistorius’s focus will be on the upcoming Beijing Games, with an eye on London 2012 too.
“It is such a significant day in the sport - I'm so happy with the outcome. the last few days have been very stressful. this is one of the best days of life,” he told the BBC.
The decision by CAS applies solely to Pistorius, and does not rule out the possibility of future technological advantages ruling Pistorius’s prosthetic limbs to constitute an advantage.
However, the decision was warmly welcomed by Ossur, manufacturers of Pistorius’s Cheetah Blades.
“I am delighted and proud on this historical day because now there is nothing to hold Oscar back. All the obstacles in his path have been swept away, and we will again have an opportunity to watch as this extraordinary young man changes how we perceive sport,” said Jon Sigurdsson, president and CEO of Ossur in a press statement.
Ossur argued that the IAAF testing method was flawed as it was based on the individual analysis of each prosthetic limb rather than as a integrated part of Pistorius’s body, leading to “incomplete and erroneous information”.
Related links
- Court of Arbitration for Sport, press release with judgement
- IAAF, "Pistorius is eligble for IAAF competition"
- Union Italiana Sport Per tutti
- The Mirror, “Cheetah legs Oscar bound for Olympics”
- Ossur
- Play the Game Magazine 2007 – page 42