Blade Runner wins appeal

Stinger · 05-17-2008, 09:39 AM

Guess I'll put this in this section

South African Paralympic champion Oscar Pistorius won an appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) Friday that could pave the way for an historic participation in the Beijing Olympics. The disabled 21-year-old sprinter runs on specially adapted carbon fibre blades after having his legs amputated below the knee when he was 11 months old because he was born without fibula bones in his legs.

The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) had banned the 400m runner from all competitions involving able-bodied athletes because of claims that the artificial legs he uses give him an unfair advantage.
However, CAS ruled Friday against the IAAF decision, adding: "... it is revoked with immediate effect and the athlete is eligible to compete in IAAF events while wearing the Ossur Cheetah Flex Foot Prosthetics, as used in the scientific tests requested by the IAAF and presented as an exhibit at the CAS hearing."..................

However, a scientific investigation into his springy prosthetics carried out by the Institute of Biomechanics at Cologne University last November found that they gave him a clear competitive edge over such athletes.
Pistorius lodged an appeal with CAS in February.

'Bladerunner' Pistorius wins appeal against Olympic ban

I mean I have empathy for the guy but is this fair to the other runners? How far do you go with allowing runners to use mechanical means? If guy says he was born with lesser muscle mass than others so he needs steroids? I'm more a racing fan and I know the sanctioning bodies go to GREAT extremes to not allow ANY unfair advantage. This guy will be carrying less weight and using the kinetic energy stored in his mechanical legs (any engineers out there correct me on the proper term I believe that stored energy would be kinetic energy just like a spring has).

Ausinus · 05-17-2008, 01:35 PM

A team of professors from MIT have examined this and state there is no unfair advantage. I'd take their word over yours any day.

Vitiate · 05-17-2008, 04:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stinger

Guess I'll put this in this section

South African Paralympic champion Oscar Pistorius won an appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) Friday that could pave the way for an historic participation in the Beijing Olympics. The disabled 21-year-old sprinter runs on specially adapted carbon fibre blades after having his legs amputated below the knee when he was 11 months old because he was born without fibula bones in his legs.

The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) had banned the 400m runner from all competitions involving able-bodied athletes because of claims that the artificial legs he uses give him an unfair advantage.
However, CAS ruled Friday against the IAAF decision, adding: "... it is revoked with immediate effect and the athlete is eligible to compete in IAAF events while wearing the Ossur Cheetah Flex Foot Prosthetics, as used in the scientific tests requested by the IAAF and presented as an exhibit at the CAS hearing."..................

However, a scientific investigation into his springy prosthetics carried out by the Institute of Biomechanics at Cologne University last November found that they gave him a clear competitive edge over such athletes.
Pistorius lodged an appeal with CAS in February.

'Bladerunner' Pistorius wins appeal against Olympic ban

I mean I have empathy for the guy but is this fair to the other runners? How far do you go with allowing runners to use mechanical means? If guy says he was born with lesser muscle mass than others so he needs steroids? I'm more a racing fan and I know the sanctioning bodies go to GREAT extremes to not allow ANY unfair advantage. This guy will be carrying less weight and using the kinetic energy stored in his mechanical legs (any engineers out there correct me on the proper term I believe that stored energy would be kinetic energy just like a spring has).

Stored is potential. Kinetic is energy in motion.

I don't agree with him being allowed in the olympics. The olympics is based off of natural ability, not bionic ability.

Latherty · 05-17-2008, 04:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vitiate

Stored is potential. Kinetic is energy in motion.

I don't agree with him being allowed in the olympics. The olympics is based off of natural ability, not bionic ability.

I'd agree with that... they have a para-olympics for these guys...

caffeine · 05-20-2008, 09:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ausinus

A team of professors from MIT have examined this and state there is no unfair advantage. I'd take their word over yours any day.

It's not the word of a team of professors versus the word of Stinger. It's the word of a team of professors versus that of another team of professors. TO repeat:

"However, a scientific investigation into his springy prosthetics carried out by the Institute of Biomechanics at Cologne University last November found that they gave him a clear competitive edge over such athletes."

Blueneck · 05-20-2008, 09:31 AM

I think we should have a whole Olympics with everyone wearing those those springy things. They're neat.

Stinger · 05-20-2008, 09:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ausinus

A team of professors from MIT have examined this and state there is no unfair advantage. I'd take their word over yours any day.

Just wait until the pole vaulters or high jumpers start using springs.

In fact that opens up a question, why can't any of the participants then use mechanical apparatus attached to their legs or arms?

The_Bear · 05-20-2008, 11:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ausinus

A team of professors from MIT have examined this and state there is no unfair advantage. I'd take their word over yours any day.

um, no, because the team of scientists that looked over this said that there was generally a 22% better energy use than the human ankle. It was the court that said it has failed to be definitivly proven

Stinger · 05-20-2008, 11:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ausinus

A team of professors from MIT have examined this and state there is no unfair advantage. I'd take their word over yours any day.

Do the springs require and deplete available oxygen from the athetes system? No. Does that make more oxygen available for the other muscle groups? Yes. Is that an advantage to the runner? Yes.

Freedom for All · 05-21-2008, 04:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stinger

Guess I'll put this in this section

South African Paralympic champion Oscar Pistorius won an appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) Friday that could pave the way for an historic participation in the Beijing Olympics. The disabled 21-year-old sprinter runs on specially adapted carbon fibre blades after having his legs amputated below the knee when he was 11 months old because he was born without fibula bones in his legs.

The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) had banned the 400m runner from all competitions involving able-bodied athletes because of claims that the artificial legs he uses give him an unfair advantage.
However, CAS ruled Friday against the IAAF decision, adding: "... it is revoked with immediate effect and the athlete is eligible to compete in IAAF events while wearing the Ossur Cheetah Flex Foot Prosthetics, as used in the scientific tests requested by the IAAF and presented as an exhibit at the CAS hearing."..................

However, a scientific investigation into his springy prosthetics carried out by the Institute of Biomechanics at Cologne University last November found that they gave him a clear competitive edge over such athletes.
Pistorius lodged an appeal with CAS in February.

'Bladerunner' Pistorius wins appeal against Olympic ban

I mean I have empathy for the guy but is this fair to the other runners? How far do you go with allowing runners to use mechanical means? If guy says he was born with lesser muscle mass than others so he needs steroids? I'm more a racing fan and I know the sanctioning bodies go to GREAT extremes to not allow ANY unfair advantage. This guy will be carrying less weight and using the kinetic energy stored in his mechanical legs (any engineers out there correct me on the proper term I believe that stored energy would be kinetic energy just like a spring has).

"Spring" energy would be stored as strain energy, ie, the work required to either strecth or compress the spring from it's zero load condition.

Kinetic energy is energy of motion.

What business do the courts have interfering with competition rules, anyway? What's next, Robocop wins the boxing medals?