IAAF and Pistorius to settle case with biomechanical analysis

Jul 26, 2007, 11:06 GMT

Monte Carlo - A biomechanical analysis of the Paralympic champion Oscar Pistorius will be carried out to obtain whether his prothesis gives him an advantage over able-bodied runners, the ruling athletics body IAAF announced on Thursday

The IAAF said in a statement that the scientific analysis will be carried out by Peter Bruggemann from the institute of biomechanics at the German Sport University of Cologne in Germany.

According to the IAAF, the test will take place over three weeks, starting not before October 2007.

The double amputee Pistorius, who runs on carbon-fibre curved blades that simulate shins and feet, was allowed to run against able- bodied runners at the IAAF meets in Rome and Sheffield two weeks ago.

Video evidence from the Rome race to be used in the biomechanical analysis.

Pistorius, who aims to compete at the Beijing Olympics next year, claimed after the races that the IAAF was not helping him in the best possible way, but now welcomed the new initiative.

'I am pleased to be working with the IAAF on conducting the appropriate research so that we can jointly come to a fair and educated conclusion.

'There is much at stake personally and for the future of all amputee athletes and I applaud the IAAF for recognizing that. By aligning experts from prosthetics and biomechanics I believe we will be able to put this issue to rest one way or the other,' he said.

IAAF president Lamine Diack said: 'Now that Oscar has improved his times to the extent that he is able to compete in open athletics competitions, the IAAF has a duty to make sure that his prosthetics are analysed carefully. We cannot permit technical aids that give one athlete an unfair advantage over another.'

The research is to determine whether Psiorius' blades violate the IAAF rule on the use of technical aids in competition.

The rule prohibits devices that incorporate 'springs, wheels or any other element that provides the user with an advantage' as well as the use of an 'appliance that has the effect of increasing the dimension of a piece of equipment beyond the permitted maximum in the rules.'