Oscar Pistorius aka "The Blade"
Discussion
Was wondering what the PH view is on Oscar qualifying for the able-bodied Olympics and now getting through to the semi-finals of the World Championships.
Should he be allowed to compete with able-bodied athletes when he is effectively running with an artificial limb which is verging on bionic?
BBC WC link
Pistorius prosthetic advantage
Should he be allowed to compete with able-bodied athletes when he is effectively running with an artificial limb which is verging on bionic?
BBC WC link
Pistorius prosthetic advantage
Edited by Pints on Sunday 28th August 09:51
I don't think he should be running with the able bodied athletes, purely because what he's doing is massively affected by technology. Sure he won't win gold this time round, but his times are tumbling and it will just be a matter of time until the limb technology improves to an extent that will make anyone not using them obsolete.
They banned the shiny suits in swimming because the authorities didn't want swimming to be a technology driven sport, I can see these legs being banned from able bodied sports once a couple more runners turn up and half the final are amputees.
If he's allowed to continue, I can envisage athletics in a few years time tying itself in knots trying to regulate springy high jump legs, sprinting legs that explode out the blocks, high efficiency legs for distance running, etc.
They banned the shiny suits in swimming because the authorities didn't want swimming to be a technology driven sport, I can see these legs being banned from able bodied sports once a couple more runners turn up and half the final are amputees.
If he's allowed to continue, I can envisage athletics in a few years time tying itself in knots trying to regulate springy high jump legs, sprinting legs that explode out the blocks, high efficiency legs for distance running, etc.
Michael Johnson had a good take on it - Pistorius can race in the able-bodied champs because the court of arbitration for sport said he could, however he doesn't have any of the lower leg/foot fatigue issues to worry about so MJ thinks he shouldn't be racing the able-bodied athletes. I can see a rule change coming along restricting the able-bodied championships to able-bodied athletes. Wheel-chair athletes are already far faster in the marathon (for example)...
Interesting article in the paper today.
He needs 17% less oxygen than able bodied sprinters
Each leg is 6.6lbs lighter than an able bodied sprinters
His legs spend 22% less time on the ground than those of able bodied sprinters
Over a 400m race the energy loss from his blades is 9.3% while the ankle joints of able bodied sprinters lose 41.4%.
If I was competing against him I think I might be mildly peed off
He needs 17% less oxygen than able bodied sprinters
Each leg is 6.6lbs lighter than an able bodied sprinters
His legs spend 22% less time on the ground than those of able bodied sprinters
Over a 400m race the energy loss from his blades is 9.3% while the ankle joints of able bodied sprinters lose 41.4%.
If I was competing against him I think I might be mildly peed off
Edited by E31Shrew on Sunday 28th August 21:56
He does still seem to be a one off. I don't follow atheletics at all really but is not the case that he is the only amputee getting close to the able bodied times?
Oscar and the blade technology seem to have been around for a long time yet noebody else seems to have emerged, so for now maybe there is more to his talent than just technology. Otherwise there'd be more of these guys following in his wake making the same noises about wanting to compete.
Not saying that segregation based on disability should not or will not continue, but the twist might be in some disiplines that the disabled competitors are faster/stronger/better.
Oscar and the blade technology seem to have been around for a long time yet noebody else seems to have emerged, so for now maybe there is more to his talent than just technology. Otherwise there'd be more of these guys following in his wake making the same noises about wanting to compete.
Not saying that segregation based on disability should not or will not continue, but the twist might be in some disiplines that the disabled competitors are faster/stronger/better.
Are his times fast enough for it even to matter? No, not at the moment at least.
The problem lies in that this will set a precedent for the future and even though he isn't quick enough (although that may change) I am dead against it. Technology has a huge part in sport - advances in training and testing, not to mention more measurable things like aero wheels on a bike - which as both an engineer and someone who does a lot of sport is massively appealing, yet I never want to see it take over.
It is all about creating a level playing field - kids wearing the (super pricey and not long lasting) LZR suits were crushing those who didn't have them in the pool, hence the blanket ban. Obviously not everyone can have a pair of blade legs, so a ban makes sense.
The problem lies in that this will set a precedent for the future and even though he isn't quick enough (although that may change) I am dead against it. Technology has a huge part in sport - advances in training and testing, not to mention more measurable things like aero wheels on a bike - which as both an engineer and someone who does a lot of sport is massively appealing, yet I never want to see it take over.
It is all about creating a level playing field - kids wearing the (super pricey and not long lasting) LZR suits were crushing those who didn't have them in the pool, hence the blanket ban. Obviously not everyone can have a pair of blade legs, so a ban makes sense.
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