Can o' Worms

[SiegeTank]

Man running on prosthetics wins Olympic heat

South Africa's Oscar Pistorius made history on Saturday when he became the first double amputee to compete in an athletics event at the Olympics.

The 25-year-old qualified for the semi-finals of the 400 metres by running a season's best of 45.44 seconds in finishing second.

Pistorius, who had both legs amputated below the knee before he was aged one, because of a congenital condition, runs on carbon fibre blades.

Surely the "carbon fiber blades" weigh less than two human legs attached to feet?

Pistorius said exhaustive tests had proved that running on blades gave him no advantage.

"If I had to listen to the five percent of negativity, I wouldn't be here," he said. "If I have such an advantage, why isn't everybody else running the same times?"

Huh? What does THIS mean? They're not "running the same times" because they don't have the same advantage. Duh!

We're living in an era of POLITICAL CORRECTNESS run amok. Next we'll see legless swimmers with giant flipper prostheses attached to their stumps. Seriously, where does it end?

I never have a problem with paraplegics competing in marathons with wheelchairs. But they compete against other paraplegics... their times, which are always much lower than runners' times, are not considered in overall scores. Now so everyone can "feel good" about inclusiveness, we have a contestant in the Olympics qualifying with the use of clearly artificial aids.

What happens when such a contestant wins a gold medal? Knowing how competitive athletes are, are we going to see athletes having their limbs removed so as to attach artificial enhancements in order to win? Don't laugh... I bet the Chinese Olympic officials are already considering it.

 

[Kkthnx]

Uhh, shouldnt he be in the paralympics??

 

[kirbanmanaburn]

Yeah, I don't think it's really the same event if one guy is running on legs and the other one on blades. To me, it's like letting a freestyle swimmer race a breast stroker (that looks too funny when written).

But I fail to see how this prompts a rant on political correctness. There's no indication political correctness got him into the Olympics. Since nobody even seems concerned, I'd wager on institutional laziness on the part of the IOC.

 

[Tewgn]

I just don't see how they could let him pass and compete. With everyone else that is a true runner with all limbs, its an equal playing field.

Also losing, id say about 20 or more pounds of his body, and replaced with carbon fiber blades, and then not to mention the fact of the blood that his heart doesn't have to pump to his feet either.

He shouldn't be able to compete. Period

That is because he is not a full complete runner......

 

[JimJohnson]

I just don't see how they could let him pass and compete. With everyone else that is a true runner with all limbs, its an equal playing field.

Also losing, id say about 20 or more pounds of his body, and replaced with carbon fiber blades, and then not to mention the fact of the blood that his heart doesn't have to pump to his feet either.

He shouldn't be able to compete. Period

That is because he is not a full complete runner......

being to where the political correctness comes in

 

[SiegeTank]

Of course this is yet another example of Political Correctness! From dictionary.com:

Showing an effort to make broad social and political changes to redress injustices caused by prejudice. It often involves changing or avoiding language that might offend anyone, especially with respect to gender, race, or ethnic background.

This is a progressive effort to redress (perceived) injustices against handicapped people. It started out reasonably with laws protecting handicapped people in employment and public accommodations. But like usual, the slippery slope leads to ridiculous "accommodations" like this.

 

[Sassycoco]

Poor little Tink Tink
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ZUVrD1kPLw"]Katt Williams - The Real Poor Little Tink Tink Story - YouTube[/ame]

 

[devestator]

Pistorius said exhaustive tests had proved that running on blades gave him no advantage.

"If I had to listen to the five percent of negativity, I wouldn't be here," he said. "If I have such an advantage, why isn't everybody else running the same times?"

Huh? What does THIS mean? They're not "running the same times" because they don't have the same advantage. Duh!

Pistorius covered the distance in 45.44 seconds – a time good enough to meet his Olympic goal of qualifying for Sunday's semifinal. Overall, his time was 16th best on the day.

If they are such a huge advantage, why is he way back in 16th place for the entire day of times?

Does he have less weight? Yes. Does he have fewer muscles to help him run fast? Yes.

Do you actively run? If you don't you will not realize how much your feet, calf, and ankle play a part in running. His carbon fiber blades simulate a rebound and absorbs shock, but they give him no benefits of a calf muscle pushing off the ground to increase speed. All of his speed has to come from his upper leg muscles.

I for one applaud him for being able to even get as far as he did. And for him that is the victory, the fact that he did qualify. The chances of him actually winning a gold event are slim to none. And I'd be willing to bet he doesn't expect to nor even hopes to either.

 

[kirbanmanaburn]

I still don't see the political correctness here. Show me an IOC meeting where somebody suggested the guy shouldn't compete and another person came back with a claim of discrimination and I'll buy it. Until then, I presume the guy came into whatever meetings he had to attend about this stuff well-prepared with the tests he mentioned, and they just rubber-stamped it, which says nothing about political correctness. It's nice (if you're a middle-class white male, and I stress the middle class part more than the white or male part) to be able to cry wolf about PC all the time, but that doesn't make it true.

 

[aspire2008]

I don't know where I stand on this yet. I see both sides of the argument, and one point that noone has brought up, that I saw on Pierce Morgan tonight - Marrion Jones pointed out : don't we as a 1st world country have an advantage over 3rd world countries with better lesser friction shoes, training equipment, lighter uniforms, better tracks/stadiums to train, etc..

A valid point, but its hard to pass judgement either way, undecided atm...

 

[JimJohnson]

Pistorius said exhaustive tests had proved that running on blades gave him no advantage.

"If I had to listen to the five percent of negativity, I wouldn't be here," he said. "If I have such an advantage, why isn't everybody else running the same times?"

Huh? What does THIS mean? They're not "running the same times" because they don't have the same advantage. Duh!

Pistorius covered the distance in 45.44 seconds – a time good enough to meet his Olympic goal of qualifying for Sunday's semifinal. Overall, his time was 16th best on the day.

If they are such a huge advantage, why is he way back in 16th place for the entire day of times?

Does he have less weight? Yes. Does he have fewer muscles to help him run fast? Yes.

Do you actively run? If you don't you will not realize how much your feet, calf, and ankle play a part in running. His carbon fiber blades simulate a rebound and absorbs shock, but they give him no benefits of a calf muscle pushing off the ground to increase speed. All of his speed has to come from his upper leg muscles.

I for one applaud him for being able to even get as far as he did. And for him that is the victory, the fact that he did qualify. The chances of him actually winning a gold event are slim to none. And I'd be willing to bet he doesn't expect to nor even hopes to either.

Its an attachment, should not matter what he places. It separates him from the rest of the people who are competing. while it is good he did it, it should not be in the Olympics.

I am not allowed to join in wheel chair sports and the likes because I do not meet the medical qualifications. Why should this guy be able to go the other way?

 

[kirbanmanaburn]

I am not allowed to join in wheel chair sports and the likes because I do not meet the medical qualifications. Why should this guy be able to go the other way?

I think this should be your next mission: get admitted to a wheelchair sports league.

 

[JimJohnson]

I am not allowed to join in wheel chair sports and the likes because I do not meet the medical qualifications. Why should this guy be able to go the other way?

I think this should be your next mission: get admitted to a wheelchair sports league.

Id feel bad getting my ass kicked by a bunch of cripples.

 

[SiegeTank]

Unless we're going back to the Ancient Greek "ideal" of competing in the nude, there's always going to be issues with different athletes having different equipment. They also train differently, have different regimens for nutrition, etc. I'm sure athletes from advanced countries have better access to equipment, trainers and nutritional info than athletes from Third World nations. Didn't the US just defeat Nigeria in basketball by same insane margin? NBA stars have infinitely better access to "elite" resources than athletes from a Third World African nation.

But all that differentiation is codified as acceptable in the rules. If one basketball player had implanted extensions that would allow him to block shots better, or special lifts that gave him a foot more height, I think we'd all agree those enhancements violate the rules.

I still contend this is "PC run amok" altho ultimately "what's in a name". My main point is this is the impact of inclusiveness elevated to the degree where everybody is considered to be entitled to enjoy the same rewards and benefits regardless of effort or ability. Progressives want to stop keeping score in kids' soccer games because it hurts the losing side to lose. LOSING SHOULD HURT CUZ LOSING SUCKS!

It doesn't matter if this guy finished 2nd or if he finishes 16th. He shouldn't be competing AT ALL if his "equipment", whether implanted or not, doesn't meet the rules of "fair play". Otherwise, seriously, where do you draw the line?

I've always admired people who rise above their handicaps without receiving "favored" status. Like that baseball pitcher who played in the Majors with only one hand. And he's not the only physically challenged person to excel in a sport without receiving special accommodations. Wouldn't we all be more impressed if this guy qualified running on his stumps... or maybe upside down on his hands?? I know I would...

 

[SiegeTank]

BTW, I'd love to see what constitutes the "proof" that these carbon blades don't give him any advantage. I wanna see how they test that. People SAY shit like that but we're all supposed to take their word for it?

 

[kirbanmanaburn]

In the socialist utopia I envision, we can keep score in kids' soccer games because the outcome doesn't mirror the inherent inequality and misery of a capitalist system in an advanced state of decay.

Also in my socialist utopia: every Nigerian basketball player gets Air Jordans. The new ones.

 

[StaticX27]

I don't know where I stand on this yet. I see both sides of the argument, and one point that noone has brought up, that I saw on Pierce Morgan tonight - Marrion Jones pointed out : don't we as a 1st world country have an advantage over 3rd world countries with better lesser friction shoes, training equipment, lighter uniforms, better tracks/stadiums to train, etc..

A valid point, but its hard to pass judgement either way, undecided atm...

True, but in first world countries we don't have run away from Sudanese warlords, lions in our back yards, etc. I'd say it balances out a little bit.

 

[SiegeTank]

Two guys are in the jungle when they see a lion running towards them. Frantically, one of the men starts putting on his running shoes.

Surprised, the other man says " What are you thinking, you can't outrun a lion!!!"

" I don't have to outrun the lion," said the man, " I just have to outrun you."

 

[twizzops]

I watched the guy run in his first heat and then in the Semi finals. I will say this. I am impressed that this guy can do what he can with what he was given. He was very impressive to myself and family that watched.

With that said, it sure didn't seem like those carbon fiber feet of his gave him much advantage if any. He placed second in his first qualifying heat, where he raced against 5 no name racers and 2 "did no show" spots. In the semi finals he came in 8th out of 8 and he wasn't even close finishing in a qualifying spot.

I am not sure what sort of proof athletes and scientists need, but there was a good amount of it on display. He was a good medalist in a para-Olympics where he is racing against others with prosthetic legs. When he's racing against other Olympic athletes with feet, he was impressive, but only because he had no feet.

 

[twizzops]

Also you have to wonder how many athletes have had laser corrective surgery. You could say that those that have had it now see better than those with "normal" or "unenhanced" vision.

Michael Phelps has some sort of secret training equipment in house. It's likely a hyperbaric chamber.

The point is athletes will always take any advantage they can have and I don't see any runners chopping feet off so they can "weigh less" and "have an unfair advantage".