In a sports world where the topic of unfair advantage has become the number one issue of discussion (see Barry Bonds, Tim Donaghy, Bill Belichick, Floyd Landis… you get the point), it seems fitting that this summer’s Olympics should jump into the fray. Obviously, the event is not a newcomer to this discussion in any sense, but a new wrinkle has been added to their constant fight against cheating and unfair advantage: prosthetic limbs.
Oscar Pistorius, a 22-year-old South African sprinter, was recently granted the chance to qualify for the 2008 Summer Olympics. Pistorius is a double amputee who runs with the aid of carbon fiber artificial legs. The question at hand is whether his prosthetics provide the runner with an advantage over runners without the devices.
Tim Keown says no on ESPN’s Page 2, while SI FanNation’s Mary Nicole Nazzaro says we should forget the debate and focus on the compelling story that is Pistorius’ life. One last voice: MSNBC contributor Arthur Caplan gives a compelling, if somewhat old school, argument for the ‘no’ side.
No comments:
Post a Comment