http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/trackandfiel...tory?id=3398915This is a really tricky situation I completely understand the desire to compete at the highest level. And we're all for the people who life deals a bad hand and respond, instead of feeling sorry for themselves, by basically giving life the finger and achieve great things. But at what point will these disabilities become a competitive advantage? As noted in another article referenced on that page, sooner or later (maybe sooner) technology will produce prosthetics that work better than the human body parts they are supposed to replace.
Initially I was simply thinking about whether or not the prosthetics gave a mechanical advantage. I didn't even consider the very real issue that fake body parts don't use oxygen; they don't become fatigued, and they don't cramp up. Therefore, in any type of endurance race, prosthetic legs could provide a huge advantage.
And where do you draw the line between helping an injured athlete perform at his usual level and replacing something that doesn't work right? We have no problem with someone spraining an ankle, getting it taped up and possibly even injected to dull the pain, and going back into the game. It seems like there's a huge gap between that and a prosthesis, but I'm sure there are examples that make the line much thinner.
Just wondering what feelings are on this subject.
