and now Pistorius is lamenting that the other guy’s bionic legs aren’t properly “short enough”.
But: What if in his family they all have unnaturally long legs?
Why can’t he have 10 metre legs, if he choses so?
How exactly do you measure an artificial leg, that is curved differently then a normal one?
etc
Perhaps it is better that AAS are officially illegal, the world doesn’t need debates about what would constitute a proper dosage for a bodybuilding contest and what amount would be even more unnatural then just unnatural and therefore unfair…
I posted in regards to how amazingly fast this guy was running at the end. His time of 24 odd seconds is crap and he would struggle to compete in a race with 13 yr old boys but that’s not the point.
The paralympics is more about competing and achieving something. Want to watch something inspiring try watching the swimmers with no arms and one leg.
Whats more they can probably swim faster than most here. Would they ever be competitive in the real world? No of course not. It’s just a chance for them to compete and do as well as they can. It’s probably not easy for them to race other athletes with similar disabilities. So when they get the chance even though the odds might be hopelessly against them (one might have half an arm and two legs) they still have a go.
Of course if the runners with prosthetic legs were to start winning medals and breaking regular world records I’m sure they would be banned from competing in regular events.
[quote]Mr Stern wrote:
It’s probably not easy for them to race other athletes with similar disabilities. So when they get the chance even though the odds might be hopelessly against them (one might have half an arm and two legs) they still have a go.
[/quote]
The paralympics is quite big here in the UK at the moment as its getting lots of coverage, so they are answering all sorts of questions like this. The swimming disability groups are not based around the disability, they are based on the athletes resistance in the water, hence why someone with all their lims fully working but they have dwarfism will compete against someone with only 1 arm or 1 leg etc.
Not sure if you guys can watch anything on 4OD outside the UK but try to catch a show called ‘The last leg with Adam Hills’. http://www.channel4.com/programmes/paralympics-on-4od/4od#3402158 because he is a disabled comedian he is able to ask all the questions that we feel wrong asking.
[quote]Mr Stern wrote:
Want to watch something inspiring try watching the swimmers with no arms and one leg.
[/quote]
FREAKSHOW.
It’s not fucking inspiring to watch someone with ONE limb swim in a pool. It’s voyueristic and fucked up. “oh look at the fucked up cripple trying not to drown.”
yolo, I think you have to imagine being in their shoes. Just because you’re missing X, Y and maybe Z, doesn’t mean that you can’t swim. I think this is a great boost, in what for me would be a spirit-crippling tragedy.
You know the saying, it’s not how many times you get knocked down, but how many times you get back up. Well imagine trying to get up when you’re missing limbs.
[quote]Mr Stern wrote:
It’s probably not easy for them to race other athletes with similar disabilities. So when they get the chance even though the odds might be hopelessly against them (one might have half an arm and two legs) they still have a go.
[/quote]
The paralympics is quite big here in the UK at the moment as its getting lots of coverage, so they are answering all sorts of questions like this. The swimming disability groups are not based around the disability, they are based on the athletes resistance in the water, hence why someone with all their lims fully working but they have dwarfism will compete against someone with only 1 arm or 1 leg etc.
Not sure if you guys can watch anything on 4OD outside the UK but try to catch a show called ‘The last leg with Adam Hills’. http://www.channel4.com/programmes/paralympics-on-4od/4od#3402158 because he is a disabled comedian he is able to ask all the questions that we feel wrong asking.[/quote]
Thanks for that link. Makes more sense.
Didn’t understand why Ellie Simmonds competed against the other 1 arm or 1 leg competitors. Almost felt incensed about it. To me it felt as if she had a competitive advantage over the others girls. Why not swim against other dwarves?
[quote]MattyG35 wrote:
yolo, I think you have to imagine being in their shoes. Just because you’re missing X, Y and maybe Z, doesn’t mean that you can’t swim. I think this is a great boost, in what for me would be a spirit-crippling tragedy.
You know the saying, it’s not how many times you get knocked down, but how many times you get back up. Well imagine trying to get up when you’re missing limbs.[/quote]
I get where you are coming from, and I don’t mean to make fun of the competitors at all. It is tragic the situation most of them are in.
But swimming with one limb makes no sense to me. Or a one legged high jump. I saw volleyball today where they had no legs and the net was like 12 inches off the ground. What is the point in this shit seriously?
[quote]MattyG35 wrote:
yolo, I think you have to imagine being in their shoes. Just because you’re missing X, Y and maybe Z, doesn’t mean that you can’t swim. I think this is a great boost, in what for me would be a spirit-crippling tragedy.
You know the saying, it’s not how many times you get knocked down, but how many times you get back up. Well imagine trying to get up when you’re missing limbs.[/quote]
I get where you are coming from, and I don’t mean to make fun of the competitors at all. It is tragic the situation most of them are in.
But swimming with one limb makes no sense to me. Or a one legged high jump. I saw volleyball today where they had no legs and the net was like 12 inches off the ground. What is the point in this shit seriously?
It seems voyeuristic to me. [/quote]
They don’t just randomly get lumped into events. I know an able-bodied, mentally handicapped Paralympic golfer who trounced every single member of his open club. He wasn’t even a medal winner.
The idea that any amputee could even swim is amazing to me. It’s more appealing than the regular Olympics.
[quote]CargoCapable wrote:
No, pushing the limits of humanity is interesting and exciting. Pushing the limits of handicaps is just a little less retarded.[/quote]
[quote]Mr Stern wrote:
Want to watch something inspiring try watching the swimmers with no arms and one leg.
[/quote]
FREAKSHOW.
It’s not fucking inspiring to watch someone with ONE limb swim in a pool. It’s voyueristic and fucked up. “oh look at the fucked up cripple trying not to drown.”
Just saying it as I see it.[/quote]
You clearly haven’t seen some of them swim. Yes some are rather slow but how fast the others manage to swim is pretty crazy. Yes there is a slight freak factor however voyeurism is taking this much too far.
I’m sure there’s some good discussion going on in this thread but I can’t get past your hilariously mesmerizing avatar of that cat slip-jumping off that windowsill.
