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Digest #4587
| 1 Olympic Games Blades Sprinter - Comments? by "deadliftdiva@comcast.net" |
Fri Jul 6, 2012 10:23 am (PDT) . Posted by: "deadliftdiva@comcast.net"
A man much previously discussed on our board is now entered in two running events at the Summer Games.
For discussion, I'd like to ask our group a couple of questions:
1. Will inclusion of Oscar and his blades end up impairing the Special Olympics and the other special Games for those with physical and mental challenges by encouraging such entrants to pass up them up for the mainstream?
2. Are the blades themselves "fair" against the meat feet and legs of the other competitors? There has been some discussion about the energy savings and other concerns - that the blades are more "springy" and possibly "better" than meat feet/legs?
3. If you believe the blades are "fair" for running events, would you also believe they retain that "fairness" if you were to see them entered in the high jump or other more "springy" events? Would they be an "unfair" advantage in say, high hurtles as well?
4. If Oscar ends up defeating the non-challenged entrants (the non bladed entrants), what do you believe will be the result of this and do you think it will result in a ban? Court challenges as to the "fairness" of the entry?
My personal opinion is that although shoes have been changing and improving over time, they do not account for the springy nature of the blades, nor do they account for the lack of energy expenditure or oxygen debt that limbs do. We penalize many means of changing one's energy profile - like blood doping, etc. While the entrant is fast enough and will bring a great deal of attention to the events, I'm not sure it will be a continued feature of the games, that the inclusion may encourage some attempts to mimic the effect of the blades by way of devices not currently allowed or other means yet to be determined. That athletes without blades may find themselves behind someone with what was previously considered a disadvantage in sport and become desperate to keep up...any way they can. Gold medals mean money and livelihood, sometimes for the family of the winner for life in many countries. There's too much at stake...
I look forward to reading the discussion and see what really happens with this amazing athlete and the Games themselves.
the Phantom
aka Linda Schaefer, CMT/RMT, competing powerlifter
Denver, Colorado, USA
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
For discussion, I'd like to ask our group a couple of questions:
1. Will inclusion of Oscar and his blades end up impairing the Special Olympics and the other special Games for those with physical and mental challenges by encouraging such entrants to pass up them up for the mainstream?
2. Are the blades themselves "fair" against the meat feet and legs of the other competitors? There has been some discussion about the energy savings and other concerns - that the blades are more "springy" and possibly "better" than meat feet/legs?
3. If you believe the blades are "fair" for running events, would you also believe they retain that "fairness" if you were to see them entered in the high jump or other more "springy" events? Would they be an "unfair" advantage in say, high hurtles as well?
4. If Oscar ends up defeating the non-challenged entrants (the non bladed entrants), what do you believe will be the result of this and do you think it will result in a ban? Court challenges as to the "fairness" of the entry?
My personal opinion is that although shoes have been changing and improving over time, they do not account for the springy nature of the blades, nor do they account for the lack of energy expenditure or oxygen debt that limbs do. We penalize many means of changing one's energy profile - like blood doping, etc. While the entrant is fast enough and will bring a great deal of attention to the events, I'm not sure it will be a continued feature of the games, that the inclusion may encourage some attempts to mimic the effect of the blades by way of devices not currently allowed or other means yet to be determined. That athletes without blades may find themselves behind someone with what was previously considered a disadvantage in sport and become desperate to keep up...any way they can. Gold medals mean money and livelihood, sometimes for the family of the winner for life in many countries. There's too much at stake...
I look forward to reading the discussion and see what really happens with this amazing athlete and the Games themselves.
the Phantom
aka Linda Schaefer, CMT/RMT, competing powerlifter
Denver, Colorado, USA
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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