OSCAR PISTORIES IS A SOUTH AFRICAN LOOKING TO COMPETE IN THE OLYMPIC GAMES.  READ THE STORY BELOW... THEN LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK REGARDING THIS TOPIC.

Oscar Pistorius verdict is expected from CAS within two weeks

7 hours ago

LAUSANNE, Switzerland — Sport's highest court is aiming to rule within two weeks on amputee sprinter Oscar Pistorius' bid to race at the Beijing Olympics.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport spent Tuesday and Wednesday hearing an appeal by the 21-year-old South African, who runs on prosthetic blades. Pistorius is asking the court to overturn a ruling by athletics' world governing body, IAAF, banning him from competing against able-bodied runners.

"Both parties requested a speedy resolution. We will try to shorten the time as much as we can to two weeks," CAS secretary general Matthieu Reeb told The Associated Press. "With a panel of three arbitrators there is still some deliberation and some comments on the draft. The panel will do its best to issue a full award with the grounds as soon as possible."

CAS lawyers - Martin Hunter from England, Switzerland's Jean-Philippe Rochat and David Rivkin of the United States - listened for two days to a personal plea by Pistorius and conflicting evidence from engineering experts.

The IAAF ruled in January that the J-shaped "Cheetah" blades were energy efficient and gave Pistorius a technical edge. It based its decision on studies by German professor Gert-Peter Brueggemann.

Pistorius's legal team presented results from independent tests conducted by MIT professor Hugh M. Herr, which claimed to show he doesn't gain any advantage over able-bodied runners.

Even if the panel rules for the South African, he would still have to qualify to run for his country at the Aug. 8-24 Olympics.

Pistorius will be in demand from promoters across Europe if he is cleared to resume his career. Organizers of track and field meets in Italy and Britain have said they would likely offer invitations.

"We're watching the CAS tribunal closely and will formulate our views when a decision is announced," said Steve Chisholm, communications director of British promoter Fast Track. "Providing the IAAF, under whose rules we operate, are happy if he is cleared, we would feel comfortable for him to compete and invite him."

Pistorius finished second in the 400 metres at the able-bodied South African championships last year, and has set world records in the 100, 200 and 400 metres in Paralympic events.

He 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.
COURTESY: THE CANADIEN PRESS

----SO HERE ARE MY THOUGHTS----

IS THIS NOT WHY WE HAVE THE PARALYMPICS?  I DON'T MEAN TO SOUND COLD HEARTED BUT I AM SORRY, IF THIS GUY COMPETES THE PLAYING FIELD IS NOT LEVEL EITHER WAY YOU LOOK AT IT.

WHETHER YOU THINK HE HAS AN ADVANTAGE OR NOT.... HE'S NOT THE SAME AS EVERYONE ELSE COMPETING.

OSCAR HAS COMPETED IN THE PARALYMPICS BEFORE.... WHAT'S WRONG WITH THAT? 

I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHY THIS IS A QUESTION OR WHY THEY ARE EVEN APPEALING IT.  I'M SORRY BUT FOR ME THE ANSWER IS NO.

~LEWIS