Oscar Pistorius

[broden 57,115]

been waiting for this. the double amputee runner. he advanced handily.

 

i hope he does well

 

i don't care if he has an advantage or not in some people's mind he'll always have that hanging over his head

 

but he's a can do guy and that i like

 

 

this is the only video i could find of the race

 

 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=kL-n5SI-qaw

[Skywalker 19,177]

I admire his spirit also, but I disagree that he should be competing with able bodied athletes. After all, this is why we have the para-Olympics immediately afterwards.

 

There is a lot of speculation about whether the prosthetics give him an advantage, and unless it is proved otherwise, then the danger is that a precedence has been set that will be difficult to 'unset' if you see what I mean.

 

Can you imagine the protests *if* he won the gold?

 

Wheelchair users regularly set faster marathon times than regular runners, but we don't see them in the Olympics, and why not? The principle is the same no?

Edited August 4, 2012 by Skywalker

[broden 57,115]

I admire his spirit also, but I disagree that he should be competing with able bodied athletes. After all, this is why we have the para-Olympics immediately afterwards.

 

There is a lot of speculation about whether the prosthetics give him an advantage, and unless it is proved otherwise, then the danger is that a precedence has been set that will be difficult to 'unset' if you see what I mean.

 

Can you imagine the protests *if* he won the gold?

 

Wheelchair users regularly set faster marathon times than regular runners, but we don't see them in the Olympics, and why not? The principle is the same no?

 

i guess someone is going to have to decide case by case what gives someone an advantage or disadvantage .. and work with those who create prosthetics to get them closer and closer to human norm

 

 

if this guy get some people to think they can do things with their life that might otherwise just toss it in.. i'm all for it. sports, the Olympics in particular, to me, are about showing people what they can do.the triumph of the human spirit and will over difficulty and diversity

 

 

i can tell you this much as an athlete (retired).. you do all the work practice blood and sweat for what generally amounts to a sliver of a moment in time , and it's totally worth it.. i wish everyone could experience that and anything that drives more people to try to is ok with me

 

i have no problem with the para-Olympics but i'd rather see them incorperated in to the Olympics. so people would actually watch them

[Skywalker 19,177]

Well I worry that it's a slippery slope. You'll have women competing soon, and then they will want the VOTE - where does it all end?

[Kim_ 957]

I have mixed feeling about this. While I like and admire the guy being able to compete at this level, I can't stop wondering if those blades are giving him some advantage....?

Remember that not long ago Golf clubs (drivers) were disallowed to be used in competitions as their "trampoline effect" was to high..... Can't but think of the trampoline effect in those blades... When others have to give blood samples for doping verification... he gives those blades for check?

[broden 57,115]

Well I worry that it's a slippery slope. You'll have women competing soon, and then they will want the VOTE - where does it all end?

 

same place it always ends

 

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