MONTE CARLO, Monaco (AP) - All his life, Oscar Pistorius has confronted obstacles. The double-amputee sprinter from South Africa now faces another one — a decision barring him from the Olympics.
Track and field's governing body ruled Monday he is ineligible to compete this summer in Beijing — or any other sanctioned able-bodied competitions — because his "Cheetah" racing blades are "technical aids" that give him a clear advantage.
"An athlete using this prosthetic blade has a demonstrable mechanical advantage (more than 30 percent) when compared to someone not using the blade," the International Association of Athletics Federations said.
http://msn.foxsports.com/olympics/st...PHCP>1=10838
Track and field's governing body ruled Monday he is ineligible to compete this summer in Beijing — or any other sanctioned able-bodied competitions — because his "Cheetah" racing blades are "technical aids" that give him a clear advantage.
"An athlete using this prosthetic blade has a demonstrable mechanical advantage (more than 30 percent) when compared to someone not using the blade," the International Association of Athletics Federations said.
http://msn.foxsports.com/olympics/st...PHCP>1=10838