Have you heard of Oscar Pistorius? He was born without fibula bones which led the doctors to amputate both of his legs below his knees. He became a runner using “cheetahs,” a type of prosthetic leg. Competing in the paralympics, he has dominated. He is so fast, he could potentially qualify for the Olympics and compete against able-bodied athletes.
The Olympics have banned him from competition claiming his prosthetic legs are really technical aids which have made him faster.
Debbie and I have gone back and forth on this. She feels he should be allowed to participate. I keep changing my mind back and forth. It is almost hilarious that this would even be a debate! A man who is missing both legs below the knees is considered to have an unfair advantage over those who are healthy!
At the same time, there are certain advantages these prosthetic legs give him. In the near future, technology could very easily propel disabled people beyond the capacities of the able-bodied. They also give him disadvantages (traction, coming off the blocks, lateral movement, etc.).
Should he be allowed to participate?