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Getbig Misc Discussion Boards => Sports Discussion Boards => Topic started by: ~flower~ on January 15, 2008, 07:22:26 AM

Title: Should double amputee be allowed to compete in Olympics?
Post by: ~flower~ on January 15, 2008, 07:22:26 AM: I feel bad, but Pistorius shouldn't be an Olympian
By Michael Rosenberg

Updated: January 14, 2008, 7:40 PM EST

So this is what it's come to. I should not be surprised. Competitive sports and modern technology have been careening toward this moment for quite a while, past Ben Johnson and extra-large outfielder's mitts and Dennis Conner's catamaran and Casey Martin and BALCO and those silly one-piece men's swimsuits and human growth hormone ... to where I found myself Monday:

I read that an amputee has been banned from the Olympics, and I agreed with it.

Let's sum this up, OK? The Olympics are not just a sporting event; they are supposed to be a celebration of sports' ideals. The Olympics bring together countries that want nothing to do with each other the rest of the year. Athletes from third-world villages somehow find their way there, knowing they have no chance of winning a medal, just for the honor of competing.

And here I am, supporting the banning of an amputee.

Um ... just to clarify: a double-amputee.

The man's name is Oscar Pistorius. He was born without fibulas. He is a sprinter.

Me? I'm just your run-of-the-mill horrible person.

Hey, I tried to change my mind. I did my best. But I couldn't get past the idea that you run with your legs, and that the best runners in the world, by definition, need to run with their legs. Isn't that what we're measuring when there are six sprinters on the track together? Who can run the fastest?

I'm not totally opposed to an exception to the rule. But the International Association of Athletics Federations ruled that Pistorius' prostheses (called "Cheetahs") are built to resist less wind than legs, and therefore give Pistorius an unfair advantage. That makes sense to me. If you look at a photo of Pistorius you can see how thin the prostheses are.

I suspect that many readers agree with me. And I suspect that many think I'm a heartless twit.

But I hope we can all agree on this: with sports and technology, it's just a matter of where you draw the line.

Some people think steroids should be legal; I think there is enough evidence that they are a health risk, and people should not be forced to use them to compete, so they should be banned.

I support jet planes over train travel and LASIK surgery for those who want it and surgery where you get a graft from a cadaver. I'm OK with oversized outfielder's gloves and maple (instead of white ash) bats. I'm even fine with the radio receiver inside a quarterback's helmet. I have even come to accept that NASCAR is a sport.

I remember when I was a teenager and Reebok came out with its "Pump" basketball shoes, which allowed fierce competitors such as myself to pump a little more air into our sneakers, therefore increasing our vertical leap from 9.5 inches to 9.6 inches. I was fine with that little bit of technology.

And when Casey Martin wanted to use a cart around PGA Tour courses, because his circulatory disorder made his leg extremely weak, I supported him fully. Walking, I said, was not an essential part of golf, no matter what any golfer said. (I should know. I've played lousy golf with and without a cart.)

And when the occasional amputee competes in high school wrestling, in a weight class where he has an upper-body advantage (because he has no weight below the thighs) and some opposing coach complains ... well, I always stand by the wrestler. You wrestle with your body. It's not the kid's fault that his body is different from the other kids' bodies.

I felt good about where I stood on all this — until Monday, when I staked out my official position against an amputee.

It's a technology-crazed sports world; I just write in it.

Read this article at:
http://msn.foxsports.com/olympics/story/7675618

(http://msn.foxsports.com/id/7675606_36_2.jpg)
Oscar Pistorius was ruled ineligible to compete in the 2008 Olympics.
Title: Re: Should double amputee be allowed to compete in Olympics?
Post by: ~flower~ on January 16, 2008, 06:14:56 AM: *bump* >:(
Title: Re: Should double amputee be allowed to compete in Olympics?
Post by: benz on January 16, 2008, 06:40:00 AM: nice legs
Title: Re: Should double amputee be allowed to compete in Olympics?
Post by: pedro01 on January 16, 2008, 06:43:10 AM: I agree with what you say but for a laugh, I'd like to see them offer him a chance to compete in the hurdles.
Title: Re: Should double amputee be allowed to compete in Olympics?
Post by: ~flower~ on January 16, 2008, 07:02:28 AM: I didn't write the article, but there are points to be made for either side.

I lean towards the saying "no" side.

Some of the comments posted to the article are funny!
Title: Re: Should double amputee be allowed to compete in Olympics?
Post by: BayGBM on January 16, 2008, 07:24:15 AM: No.
Title: Re: Should double amputee be allowed to compete in Olympics?
Post by: milfer on January 16, 2008, 09:48:54 AM: I say no not because of the aerodynamics, but when i run my calf's get tired and i lose speed and strength especially running the 400meter at full speed.
Title: Re: Should double amputee be allowed to compete in Olympics?
Post by: mass 04 on January 16, 2008, 01:00:46 PM: No.
Title: Re: Should double amputee be allowed to compete in Olympics?
Post by: Gym dude on January 16, 2008, 01:03:44 PM: I say why not a double amputee should be allowed to compet in the Olympics. They would find most events a challenge but good on them for giving it a go.
Title: Re: Should double amputee be allowed to compete in Olympics?
Post by: Andy Griffin on January 16, 2008, 05:09:48 PM: I heard he was going to sue for the right to compete, but the court dismissed the case, saying he didn't have a leg to stand on.
Title: Re: Should double amputee be allowed to compete in Olympics?
Post by: Tre on January 17, 2008, 07:29:35 PM: Quote from: pedro01 on January 16, 2008, 06:43:10 AM
I agree with what you say but for a laugh, I'd like to see them offer him a chance to compete in the hurdles.

Although I don't know his name, we do have a hurdler in the U.S. who has at least one prosthetic leg.
Title: Re: Should double amputee be allowed to compete in Olympics?
Post by: Tre on January 17, 2008, 07:30:32 PM: That's what the Paralympics are for.
Title: Re: Should double amputee be allowed to compete in Olympics?
Post by: Faust on January 18, 2008, 06:32:02 AM: Quote from: Tre on January 17, 2008, 07:30:32 PM
That's what the Paralympics are for.
Exactly. Next time we could have a guy in a wheelchair with nitrogen-boosters on it.
Title: Re: Should double amputee be allowed to compete in Olympics?
Post by: Andy Griffin on January 19, 2008, 07:38:35 AM: Quote from: Faust on January 18, 2008, 06:32:02 AM
Exactly. Next time we could have a guy in a wheelchair with nitrogen-boosters on it.

Or a woman can enter a Lexington Steele lookalike contest wearing a strap-on.
Title: Re: Should double amputee be allowed to compete in Olympics?
Post by: Beefjake on January 19, 2008, 10:24:05 AM: All the bla bla blaas like A for effort and all...

It's not so much the aerodynamics. Its like he's running with springs for lower legs. Those things give him lot more momentum than any natural ankle ever could.
Plus, I bet that those aren't his everyday prosthetics. Just like you/we don't run with working shoes.

So yes, disqualified. Sorry, thats one more thing when you a born/lose without/your legs - You can't run in the Olympics.

Again, A for effort.
Title: Re: Should double amputee be allowed to compete in Olympics?
Post by: TrapsMcLats on January 20, 2008, 08:44:33 PM: No fucking way should he be allowed to compete. He's a sideshow freak with prosthetics that give him a competitive advantage. the olympics are about what the human body can do (and i include steroids in that arguement). Those prosthetics aren't part of the human body.
Title: Re: Should double amputee be allowed to compete in Olympics?
Post by: Parker on January 21, 2008, 04:58:13 PM: Quote from: TrapsMcLats on January 20, 2008, 08:44:33 PM
No fucking way should he be allowed to compete. He's a sideshow freak with prosthetics that give him a competitive advantage. the olympics are about what the human body can do (and i include steroids in that arguement). Those prosthetics aren't part of the human body.

If they let him compete, that would let the floodgates open for others in the future....Think about it, some amputee who lost one or both of his arms has cybernetic arms in 2025, or another similar scenario.
Title: Re: Should double amputee be allowed to compete in Olympics?
Post by: Geo on January 21, 2008, 09:49:47 PM: (http://msn.foxsports.com/id/7675606_36_2.jpg)

boing........boing.........boing............boing.........boing.........boing
Title: Re: Should double amputee be allowed to compete in Olympics?
Post by: Hedgehog on January 25, 2008, 02:27:22 AM: Quote from: ~flower~ on January 16, 2008, 07:02:28 AM
I didn't write the article, but there are points to be made for either side.

I lean towards the saying "no" side.

Some of the comments posted to the article are funny!

He gets an advantage when sprinting, less lactic acid build up in the legs, et al.

And despite what he claims about the prosthetics not giving him more bounce than a normal leg, I've seen him run, and it sure looks different.

So no, he should not be allowed.
Title: Re: Should double amputee be allowed to compete in Olympics?
Post by: Faust on January 25, 2008, 06:07:25 AM: How much do the calf muscles help when running? I can imagine it's quite a bit.

I can't believe he thinks that his prostethic legs are not helping him.
Title: Re: Should double amputee be allowed to compete in Olympics?
Post by: milfer on May 16, 2008, 10:47:35 AM: looks like they are gonna let him compete
Title: Re: Should double amputee be allowed to compete in Olympics?
Post by: cannon_fodder on May 18, 2008, 07:18:50 PM: He has yet to run an Olympic qualifying time, in fact his best ever time (paralympic world record) is a full second off the qualifying time

That said South Africa has crappy track and field athletes in the shorter distances, so he finished 2nd last year I think.

Should he be allowed? No. But he will probably go as an alternate on the 400m relay squad thanks to all the possible PR he and SA Athletics will get out of it. Is it fair that he gets to take the spot of an able bodied athlete? No

Can I go run in the paralympics and say my two legs offer me no advantage?
Title: Re: Should double amputee be allowed to compete in Olympics?
Post by: CQ on May 21, 2008, 02:43:41 PM: The Olympic org just changed to let sex change people in.

Men as we know have superior genetic strength, power, muscle size etc which gives them a clear advantage in sports.

And we all know some athletes are nuts. There have been cases of men disguised and competing as women before anyway in the Olympics - an American runner in the 1920's, German high jumper in the 40's, Russian shotputter in the 50's etc. There is already talk that certain nations/nutcase athletes will use this law and switch genders just to compete in an easier field in future :-\

So - they will let men get their 'weiners' chopped off and compete againest women having a massive advantage, but won't let a man born disabled who has done it againest all odds. I disagree.
Title: Re: Should double amputee be allowed to compete in Olympics?
Post by: Quickerblade on May 21, 2008, 05:22:18 PM: Quote from: CQ on May 21, 2008, 02:43:41 PM
The Olympic org just changed to let sex change people in.

Men as we know have superior genetic strength, power, muscle size etc which gives them a clear advantage in sports.

And we all know some athletes are nuts. There have been cases of men disguised and competing as women before anyway in the Olympics - an American runner in the 1920's, German high jumper in the 40's, Russian shotputter in the 50's etc. There is already talk that certain nations/nutcase athletes will use this law and switch genders just to compete in an easier field in future :-\

So - they will let men get their 'weiners' chopped off and compete againest women having a massive advantage, but won't let a man born disabled who has done it againest all odds. I disagree.
so having a sex change is ok, but a athlete taking steroids = congressional hearing..thats great
Title: Re: Should double amputee be allowed to compete in Olympics?
Post by: tonymctones on May 21, 2008, 07:32:24 PM: Quote from: Andy Griffin on January 16, 2008, 05:09:48 PM
I heard he was going to sue for the right to compete, but the court dismissed the case, saying he didn't have a leg to stand on.
wow im sorry but hahahahehahehah thats funny shit, and No he shouldnt be allowed its a crappy situation but no.
Title: Re: Should double amputee be allowed to compete in Olympics?
Post by: Agnostic007 on July 18, 2012, 09:04:04 AM: I don't think it should be allowed