It’s Ok to be Disabled Until—-
May 22, 2008 by Kristina Chew, PhD
Filed under Health
We all root for amputees—-until they win medals is the blurb on an article by William Saletan in the May 21st Slate. Saletan writes about Oscar Pistorius, the runner from South Africa who—he is a double amputee—runs on specially built prostheses called “cheetahs” ( j-shapes blades made of carbon fiber). Pistorius recently won a decision to be allowed to compete in the Olympic trials; the International Association of Athletics (IAAF—track’s governing body) had argued that he had an unfair advantage because of his high-tech prosthetic legs. But the Court of Sports Arbitration “deemed that there was not enough evidence to prove that Pistorius’s flexible j-shaped blades, attached below his knees, gave him an advantage.”
It could as readily be argued that Pistorius is at something more than a disadvantage. If I may be blunt, how would your life be different if you did not have one leg, or both? (I have thought about this more than a lot, as a close friend has a prothesis.)
Pistorius’ being allowed to compete in the Olympic Trials is a watershed decision. From the New York Times:
Ann Cody, a seven-time Paralympic medalist for the United States in basketball and track and field who sits on the governing board of the International Paralympic Committee, added: “It sends a message. People with disabilities can see people like them compete, and they’ll connect. They’ll say, ‘Maybe I can do that, too.’ ”
There’s been a lot of discussion here about exclusion after a Minnesota priest filed a restraining order against the parents of 13-year-old Adam Race. What it is about autistic children and adults that results in them being separated, segregated, and set apart?
Again, I’m not sure there’s a definite answer that can be made about Adam Race and St. Joseph’s parish in Minnesota. I remain wary of coming to any definite conclusion about “who’s right” and “who’s wrong” and whether this or that should or should not have been done. In our days with Charlie, helping him to learn and succeed requires a constant dance and a shifting of strategies in a land with hidden quicksand and, too, quagmires.
In the midst of this, reading about the documentary Including Samuel helped to turn my thoughts to inclusion. Samuel has cerebral palsy; he is mainstreamed in the New Hampshire elementary school in the town where he lives. The film is by his father, Dan Habib, who wonders, while Samuel is included now as a child, what happens when he gets older? (And if you haven’t seen the trailer for the film, it’s here.) I wonder the same: Charlie at 11 is not the “cute little guy” who can be tossed in the air or cuddled in a lap; his difference stands out and the response from those who don’t know him is tinged with puzzlement and even fear. One thing to see a disabled toddler so “in need of help”—but what about when the toddler becomes a young, disabled man?
The response from those who spend their days with Charlie, who sit beside him when he moans for some sadness he has no words for, who applaud him when he seeks out another student in his class for a very short coversation—-their response is a sort of pride and joy at how far he’s come. Being autistic didn’t “slow down” Craig Pierson, who is graduating from high school and plans to become a disability lawyer. And Joel Sidney, who is also autistic, is graduating from the University of California at Berkeley with a degree in American Studies and a thesis on bluegrass music (and Am Stud is my husband Jim’s main academic field and the vast percentage of my relatives, including my mother’s father, went to Cal Berkeley—- Sidney’s accomplishment has a special gleam on it for me, and were I to become a lawyer, disability rights is where I’d be headed, like Pierson).
I’m rooting for Oscar Pistorius when he runs in the Olympic trials and in every race—-I’m rooting for him to win.
How about I design and wear a prosthesis that allows my old and obese body to run faster than trained olympic athletes?
I am truly happy that modern science has made it possible that Oscar Pistorius and others like him can walk and run.
I don’t believe Steve Majors (Bionic Man) would use his manmade gifts to compete in a footrace.
When I was a kid, a girl that had lost her arm to an accident was the toughest kid on the block because she would start swinging that plastic arm with the steel hook and nobody could get close.
Idea! Maybe I’ll find a guy thats lost his arms and we’ll build him some steel clubs to punch with. Championship belt in no time!
The article was pretty thorough about the the process that was gone through to determine that the prosthesis evened the playing field, not conferred undue advantage; in fact that was the main point of some considerable deliberation. Mr. Pistorius will still have to make time in order to qualify for the trials; he’s not being given an Olympic berth simply because he has a difference or because of undue advantage. If you know anything about the world of track, it’s not a slam-dunk by any means.
This represents a breakthrough, just as Casey Martin was for the PGA, but because of the nature and stakes involved in the Olympics, I have no doubt that these will be determined on a case by case basis at least for some time to come.
I had to chuckle when I heard the story about Oscar Pistorius. I thought the same thing! How about that, going from being considered “disabled” to “more abled” or “better abled”!
I hope he qualifies!
And what about all the steroids and “substances” various pro athletes use—-do those contribute to the cyborg-izing of the human body…….
It is supposed to be a an even playing field. Drugs, anabolic steroids, blood-doping are not allowed. Equipment improvements such as form-fitting swimsuits, hinged speed skates, or even cleats are.
I remember the first two were controversial both because richer nations acquired them first and the assault on the record book they allowed.
Now some equipment which may give an advantaged to an athlete. However that equipment is not generally available as one needs to be an amputee to use it.
Perhaps a board of mechanical engineers, physicists, and physiologists needs to be setup to rule on each prosthetic device.
If that boards found no advantage, no appreciable advantage, the evidence was inconclusive, or was evenly split between advantage and no advantage, the athlete could compete.
I think it’s neat that someone who had been disabled is now of concern of being “more abled”.
I think as long as they can quantify that assistance devices on a case by case basis do not give someone an unfair advantage they should be allowed. They shouldn’t be allowed if they were designed to create an advantage or they inadvertantly do.
I think even easier than the engineering approaches to this would be the simple application of a test like, has Oscar won every race he has been in with his prostheses? If he hasn’t placed in the top 3 in a good number of other races than the alleged advantage probably doesn’t exit, in my opininion. If he consistently outruns the competition in every race, then it appears there is some advantage.
I will be cheering him on as well!
…If he consistently outruns the competition in every race, then it appears there is some advantage.
By that logic, Tiger Woods would be excluded from ever competing in golf again.
Joe
…If he consistently outruns the competition in every race, then it appears there is some advantage.
By that logic, Tiger Woods would be excluded from ever competing in golf again.
Yeah exactly. What if he’s a really good runner? Is that just not considered possible or what?
Apparently, you can only be one or the other…..
I love these discussions. These things are so interesting, but more important…we actually have them to discuss. Think how it might have been even 10 years ago.
Amanda-your very valid point. Only after Oscars 2nd open(vs able bodied) race did we found out that he will be classified as a T43 in the paralympic arena. Although he was then still competing with his home made, primative blades, (called so by his older brother Carl) he did not won any of his first two races, but he broke the World Differently ABLE Record (vs disable) by 0,97sec in his FIRST race already.
Much more can be told about the extra ordanary athlete Oscar Pistorius-”TIGER MAN” to his dad since a todler.
(Oscar told an American TV interviewer who found it difficult to refer to Oscar as disable in an interview held at the end of a day the two of them had spend together, “remember I am not disable, I just do not have legs”.
More later-thank you for your positive reply.
Henke.
(to add completeness to my comment above)
……Amanda, Oscars first race ever, after starting his athletic carreer only TWO MONTHS earlier, was the race in which he broke the Differently Able 100m World Record.
In the first 3 months 8 primative blades snapped like glass, in full flight – Oscar looked more like a moto-x rider who refuses to where protective gear. Oscar lost a lot of skin in the first months, but none of his vision – to be the fastest.
Thank you again. Henke.
@henke pistorius,
thank you thank you! It’s wonderful to learn more about Oscar’s story—-a good friend of mine lost one leg in an accident and it’s beyond inspiring to watch Oscar run. We’ll be cheering him on here!
Pistorius won’t be competing in the Olympic Games; he did not meet the qualifying time for the 400 meters. He’ll be competing in the Paralympics in Beijing and has his sights set on the Olympics in 2012. (from the New York Times)
Beiijing 2008 Paralympic Games website with event schedule
So here’s a question–what US network is broadcasting this? I’m having trouble finding that info. From what I can tell, the majority is being broadcast in Australia.
Kristina-I have no doubt that Oscar will not disappoint any of his supporters. If anyone can do it, Oscar will do it- 3 gold with 2, or even 3 World Records is on the cards.
He works so hard & dedicated in practice, lets respect him for it.
All the best to all Oscar’s supporters – enjoy the Paralympics. Henke Pistorius – henke@salime.biz
(did you know “para” means, alongside or next to and has nothing to do with paraplegic?)