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This is special. There was a dicumentary on Oscar some time ago, about how he has lived with the loss of his legs in childhood, and come to dominate 'disabled' running. There was also a long, long argument combined with a lot of research into whether his new legs gave him a competitive advantage over intact athletes.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/olympics/19126033
That argument has been resolved, and he is running in the main Olympics rather than in the Paralympics. In other words, acceptance as just another human being, if a bit quicker than most, rather than as some extension of his other difference.
Comments
and
another dead link for those outside the uk.
It worked just fine for me, here in N.Y. State.
Maybe your browser just didn't like it or something. I'm using a MacBook, and it clicked right over to the link, no problems.
Hugs and love,
Catherine Linda MIchel
As a T-woman, I do have a Y chromosome... it's just in cursive, pink script.
Hmm, The link worked for me.
Hmm, The link worked for me. Although the video wouldn't play.
For all those that say it gives him an advantage and should be banned, should eyeglasses and contacts be banned? Allergy and asthma medicines? Goggles for the swimmers? Reconstructive surgeries for athletes that have had injuries? Perhaps Usain Bolt should have to carry a 10 lb weight in each hand while he runs? To be honest look at the bows used in the Archery competitions or the rifles in the shooting competitions, they are providing more of an advantage than anything Oscar Pistorius has strapped to his legs.
I do believe that he is running in the Paralypics also. There is also a one armed table tennis player that is competing in both. http://www.businessinsider.com/natalia-partyka-one-hand-pola...
link
there is no problem here in the great white north.
Link works in Aus too.
No problem at all. But if you do have trouble with an overseas link, just us Tor and it will tunnel you to someplace near the source.
Not sure about Oscar
I'm in two minds about issues regarding Oscar competing.
I'm no expert in sports medicine but not having calves he has no issues with lactic acid buildup in them, maybe he has greater buildup in his thighs as a result - I don't know, maybe he has other muscular issues - I don't know.
They say the blades give him a disadvantage at the start of the race but an advantage at the end, if someone comes up with a new design of blade that evens things up or gives an advantage at the start? Do they have to look at his eligibility all over again?
There's a line where technology goes beyond merely assisting human endeavour and at the moment Oscar is on the correct side of that line but at some point someone will push that line.
As for things giving sportsmen an unfair advantage, the swimmers bodysuits that were used for about a season to break a whole host of world records were banned and GB cycling stopped using a certain kind of skinsuit around the same time because it worked in a similar way.
Hugs
-
You can't choose your relatives but you can choose your family.
My not-so-subtle point
:-) Was that like a transperson being defined as trans first and a man or woman second, he is working to have himself defined as an athlete first and an amputee second rather than the reverse. He comes across as a nice and genuine man in interviews, and I see him as breaking down further the barriers typified by the title of a BBC programme on disability, "Does He Take Sugar"