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Thursday, March 28
The Indiana Daily Student

sports

Amputee sprinter ruled ineligible for Olympics

Italy Athletics IAAF Pistorius

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.\nTrack 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.\n“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.\nPistorius had long learned not to consider his artificial legs a hindrance, even refusing to park his car in a spot for \nthe disabled.\nHis manager, Peet Van Zyl, called the IAAF ruling a “huge blow.” Van Zyl spoke briefly with Pistorius, saying he “could hear from his voice that he \nis disappointed.”\n“He has been competing in South African able-bodied competition for the past three years,” Van Zyl said. “At this stage it looks like he is out of any able-bodied event.”

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