Double amputee barred from Olympics. Reason: He has a "competitive advantage".

[11 Bravo]

I'm actually somewhat torn on this one. On an emotional level I can't help but feel like the guy should be allowed to compete. However, it's pretty much incontrovertible that the spring-like affect of his prothesis enables him to run at the same speed as an able bodied runner, while expending less energy.
But damn! A guy with no feet has an advantage in a foot race?
What do you think?

http://www.sportsline.com/worldsports/story/10576464

[hfojvt]

1. He's bionic. Steve Austin beats Stone Cold every time.

nuh-nuh-nuh-nuh-nuh

[Deja Q]

11. You are so wrong!!!!1!!!!111!!!!!!!!!11!2

It's

neh-neh-neh-neh-neh

:evilgrin:

[fenriswolf]

2. what if instead of springs they were rockets?

just saying if all things are equal in the olyimpics it should work on all angles. no drugs, no supliments, not cybernetic legs, etc.

side note if she was allowed would anyone amputate their legs for an advantage? would they be allowed to compete?

side side note, I acknoledge the guys personal courage and fortitude to be a winner after such a tragedy but it really is an advantage that his competitors do not have.

[EOTE]

3. Unfortunately, I agree with the ruling.

There definitely should be a venue for him to compete, but competing against 'able bodied' athletes isn't quite fair when your prosthesis provides that type of advantage. Not only would he expend less energy using the potential energy of his legs, but I'd imagine it provides much less impact as well, making it a lot less taxing to run for great distances.

[dorkulon]

4. Reminds me of Tom Dempsey, the NFL field goal kicker

who had a flat plate on his deformed kicking foot. Kicked the league's longest field goal at 63 yards I think. But it's fairly clear his handicap was indeed an advantage on the field.



Wikipedia:

Dempsey was born without toes on his right, kicking foot. He wore a modified shoe with a flattened and enlarged toe surface. This generated controversy about whether such a shoe gave a player an unfair advantage.<1> In 1977, the NFL added a rule, informally known as the "Tom Dempsey Rule," that "any shoe that is worn by a player with an artificial limb on his kicking leg must have a kicking surface that conforms to that of a normal kicking shoe."<2><3>

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Dempsey

[hfojvt]

13. it isn't an advantage

if Nate Allen gets in the way of your kick and it bounces to Bobby Bryant.

http://members.tripod.com/~mydamrams/index-262.html

"Knox decides to go for three.

Dempsey goes out for the chip shot FG. But Nate Allen blocked the kick, which bounced directly to defensive back Bobby Bryant, who dashed 99 yards for the game's first points. "

[madrchsod]

5. the human ankle is inferior to the prosthesis

there does need to be more resaearch

[dmallind]

8. true. Kinda buggers up divine intelligent design eh?

I mean it only took us 6000 years to come up with something superior to an eternal omnisicence.... ;)

[catnhatnh]

6. No question..he is disqualified....

30% advantage....steroids and HGH are much lower in boost. And he is not trying to cheat-just compete...but just because a corvette is also a car does not mean it can run against 4 cylinders....gotta compare apples and apples...

[GCP]

7. I agree with the ruling

Not only do the prosthetics give him more propulsion, but they're also lighter in weight than a pair of legs. He wins both ways.

[11 Bravo]

9. I agree with the ruling, as well.

But there remains that one, small, rebellious, synapse that screams out "How can a guy with no feet have an advantage in a foot race?"

[Gruenemann]

10. "Advangage" maybe, BUT

I doubt you'll see any able runners having their legs amputated to install the springs...

[Johonny]

12. ?

Are all sports about competitive advantages? If everyone in the race was the same they'd all finished tied for first (last).

[ShaneGR]

14. Actually, with the technology, he could potentially run faster.

He would start slower, but the spring action acts sort of like running a trampoline. He could potentially, with a TON of training, "run" faster than even the most accomplished olympic level sprinter.