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Canadians cheer decision to give double-amputee Olympic shot

ALLAN MAKI

From Saturday's Globe and Mail

Latest comment posted at 6:47 PM EDT 19/05/08

South African sprinter Oscar Pistorius allowed to compete for a spot in Beijing ...Read the full article

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  1. B I from Canada writes: “If there was something that showed he was at an advantage and capable of running [a world record] 41 seconds, then maybe we might have a problem. But if there's not a clear advantage to him, let's run, let's race.”

    So when one day technology allows someone with artificial legs to break the world record, that will be automatically nullified? I don't think so. A man who doesn't have leg muscles that tire and tear in the same fashion as his opponents should not be able to run against those who do. This Canadian is certainly not cheering and shame on those who have brought this ridiculous circus to athletics.
  2. R Miller from Halifax, Canada writes: For me, the Olympics should be about the struggle of the human spirit in overcoming obstacles...

    I know that there will a lot of nay sayers, but I am cheering for Pistorius to make the qualifying time for the Beijing Olympics...

    I understand that he's currently 1.5 seconds off of the qualifying time so this might turn into a non-issue...

    Nevertheless, good luck to Oscar Pistorius... Hope that the G&M keeps us up to date on his progress.

    Cheers.
  3. bob gervitz from United States writes: The headline should read "Canadian (not plural) cheers...", for I believe there are many Canadians that are troubled by this development, as I am. I have absolutely no ill-will towards this athlete (and he definitely is one), but my view of the Olympics is that all participants should be competing with what NATURAL attributes they have, NOT what ARTIFICIAL assists they can develop.

    It is for this principle alone that drugs are aggressively banned, isn't it?

    Now this single wrong-headed ruling has thrown the entire concept of the Olympics out the window.

    Thanks to this ruling a different criteria is now in place...to give everyone an equal chance, to level the playing field, to empower the naturally disadvantaged to compete against the naturally advantaged. In society this may be a very worthwhile goal; in the Olympics it's not.
  4. R Miller from Halifax, Canada writes: bob gervitz from United States:

    Puuuhhh-llllleeeezzzzeeee!!!

    "Canadian (not plural) cheers "--

    Yes, Bob --

    Yes, you figured out one of our top Canadian secrets that it's actually me up here in the Great White North deciding everything... pulling the strings of the MSM and all of the political parties.

    I am assuming that the Court of Arbitration for Sport weighed all the evidence in Pistorius' case before rendering their decision so I am not sure why people are trying to cut Pistorius' non-existent legs out from under him.

    Go Pistorius!

    Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to give Harper a call and tell him to stop giving Alberta's oil away to you guys...

    Cheers.
  5. g h from Canada writes: His mistake was in telling people he is disabled and then asking permission. He should have just put some shoes and socks over the, uh, apparatus and then run his races. Maybe it's not too late.
  6. C C from Canada writes: Umm, Natalie du Toit already made history by being the first amputee to qualify for the Olympics. At the open water swimming trial in Spain, she placed 4th, just 5 seconds behind the winner on the 10 KM course. So she's a definite medal favorite heading to Beijing. All without the use of prosthetics.
  7. andrei de souza from Toronto, Canada writes: This should always be about fairness. If an inequity exists, someone will be disadvantaged. Who has the advantage here? The man with regular limbs or the man with the high tech appendage?

    We separate men and women in sport for this very reason. Women are at a natural disadvantage to men in almost all sports. In these instances, they should be allowed to compete against men. Likewise, someone with a disability should be allowed to compete against able bodied athletes if they are disadvantaged physically.

    In this case, not only is that not clear, but the individual is using a machine not available to everyone else. In 100 years from now, are we going to see someone cut their legs off because you just can't win the 100 metre final with natural limbs.

    This needs to be kept separate.
  8. Ricky for a Centrist Canada from Canada writes:
    How about a compromise.

    He gets to run - but his opponents get to train using anabolic steroids.

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