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Pistorius can compete for a place in the Olympics

CAS upholds his appeal

— Photo: AFP

OSCAR WINS AWARD: The Court of Arbitration for Sport has ruled that Oscar Pistorius, who runs on specially adapted carbon fibre blades, is eligible to compete at the Beijing Olympics.

LAUSANNE: Double-amputee sprinter Oscar Pistorius won his appeal on Friday and can compete for a place in the Beijing Olympics.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruled that the 21-year-old South African is eligible to race against able-bodied athletes, overturning a ban imposed by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF). CAS said the unanimous ruling goes into effect immediately.

Pistorius must still reach a qualifying time to run in the individual 400 metres at the Beijing Games. However, he can be picked for the South African relay squad without qualifying.

Chasing a dream

“I am ecstatic,” Pistorius said. “When I found out I cried. It is a battle that has been going on for far too long. It’s a great day for sport. I think this day is going to go down in history for the equality of disabled people.”

“As you can imagine I have been struggling to hide my smile for the last half an hour,” Pistorius told reporters in Milan, Italy.

“I can definitely say the truth has come out. We have the opportunity once again to chase my dream of participating in an Olympics, if not in 2008 then in 2012.”

Pistorius appealed to CAS, world sport’s highest tribunal, to overturn a January 14 ruling by the IAAF which banned him from competing against able-bodied runners.

The IAAF said his carbon fibre blades gave him a mechanical advantage. A two-day hearing was held before a panel of three arbitrators at CAS headquarters last month.

IAAF fails to prove

CAS said the IAAF failed to prove that Pistorius’ running blades gave him an advantage.

“The panel was not persuaded that there was sufficient evidence of any metabolic advantage in favour of a double-amputee using the Cheetah Flex-Foot,” CAS said.

“Furthermore, the CAS panel has considered that the IAAF did not prove that the biomechanical effect of using this particular prosthetic device gives Oscar Pistorius an advantage over other athletes not using the device.”

The IAAF said it accepted the binding decision.

“Oscar will be welcomed wherever he competes this summer,” IAAF president Lamine Diack said in a statement. “He is an inspirational man and we look forward to admiring his achievements in the future.”

IOC welcomes verdict

The International Olympic Committee also welcomed the verdict.

“Oscar Pistorius is a determined and gutsy athlete who will now no doubt put all his energy into reaching the qualification standards for the Olympic Games,” the IOC said in a statement.

“If he makes it we would be delighted to welcome him.”

Pistorius was born without fibulas — the long, thin outer bone between the knee and ankle — and was 11 months old when his legs were amputated below the knee. — Agencies

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