Pistorius Wins Appeal To Compete In Beijing

Oscar Pistorius won his appeal against a ban at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), meaning that the double amputee can compete to qualify for this summer’s Beijing Olympics.

Pistorius had been ruled out of the Beijing Olympics earlier in the year by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) on the grounds that he could not compete with able-bodied athletes because the carbon-fibre blades attached to both his legs gave him an advantage.

However, Swiss-based CAS, the main arbitration body for resolution in sport, said in a statement that the IAAF had not proved competition rules would be contravened by his J-shaped blades.

The ecstatic South African runner confirmed he would run in able-bodied races in Milan on July 2, and at the Rome Golden Gala on July 11. The 400 metres will be his main target, but he is realistic about his chances of making the Beijing Games, with the qualifying deadline of late July imminent.