IAAF: Prosthetic legs provide less air resistance

Colleges haven't used yards for decades. Everything is in meters except the indoor mile.

And 46.56 to 45.95 is a very significant improvement. I wouldn't yet say he's on the verge of qualifying. Still, I'm sure that's why they want to address it now, though the ruling is horseshit. Having no legs in a running event is an advantage? Whatever.

 

I have a question.

First let me say that I think they are insane for saying he has an advantage and whatnot. But would weight difference from a "live" leg vs. prosthetic make a big difference? I wasn't sure if they made prosthetics weigh close to what a leg would since a light one might make you top-heavy.

 

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/more/01/14/pistorius.olympics/index.html

Whew! IAAF keeps the Olympics safe from guys with no legs.

 

I side with the IAAF here. Because of both weight and wind resistance factors, this guy has advantages that potentially make him run faster than he would be on two full legs.

Now, if this was a prosthetic leg that had roughly the same weight, spring/explosiveness and wind resistance as a normal lower leg, then I'm all for him being eligible to race in the Olympics. At that point, it becomes like a replacement ligament or a replaced joint that functions the same way as the old one. Until then, as silly as it sounds, the prosthetic potentially gives him an advantage other runners can't match.

 

Pistorius has won his appeal, can try to qualify for Beijing.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/olympics/athletics/7243481.stm

 

If that's an advantage, why not make him wear weight like a horse?

 

If a guy with fake legs can win, more power to him.

 

This guy agrees:

 

Somebody just spotted Jeremy Wariner wandering around Waco carrying a machete.

 

Apparently there will not be a rush of athletes cutting off their legs in order to install prosthetics. Pistorius still not qualified for Olympics:

http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/trackandfield/news/story?id=3483741

 

When he became adopted by Gil?

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Somewhere, Casey Martin silently weeps.

 

Along those same lines, I wonder if they'd say an asthmatic would have an advantage because inhalers provide more lung capacity.

Guess not.