OK, this post is NOT meant to about wounded vets, handicapped kids, or killing puppies.
I am uninformed about how decisions are being made with regards
to the Olympics, maybe and other sporting events.
To wit:
USA TODAY
By David Leon Moore,
8/9/12
Oscar Pistorius, South Africa back in the relay
Quote:
LONDON —Oscar Pistorius, South Africa's double-amputee quarter-miler known as The Blade Runner,
is experiencing the full gamut of emotions at his first Olympics.<snip>
Disaster seemed to strike, however, Thursday morning when South Africa
failed to finish its opening heat because of a collision between one of its runners,
Oftense Mogawane, and a Kenyan runner during the second leg.
Mogawane was knocked down, and Pistorius, who was slated
to run the third leg, never got the baton.
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OK, I'm ignoring the pun about running the third leg.
Now, consider this 2 minute video...
My first thought:
Is Pistorius being given special entry and consideration to events ?
That is, if a different team had failed to complete the race, would they also have been advanced in the standing ?
My second thought:
Where is this Mechanically-Assisted Athelete (MAA) development going in sports ?
That is, will winners have an * in the record books ?
Will MAA spread to other events, such as floor-exercise
Will MAA spread to arms (still rings) and feet (swimming)
Will there be completely new events (MAA-marathon)
In previous posts, I've poked fun at Syncronized Swimming and Beach Volleyball,
as being exhibitions and not really athletic competitions.
So be it.
But right now, I am needing some education or else I'm having a real problem
with the idea of MAA in direct competition with non-MAA.