Oscar vows to continue fighting

2008-01-30 10:32

Rome - South Africa's Oscar Pistorius has vowed on Tuesday to continue his fight to have an Olympic ban overturned in an interview with Italian television.

The disabled sprinter, who had both his legs amputated below the knee as a child and runs with carbon fibre blade attachments, wants to be allowed to compete in the normal Olympics as well as the Paralympics.

Although he has admitted there is not the time to have his ban overturned before the Beijing Games in August, he insisted that is no reason to give up the fight.

"I think my battle is not only important for me but for the whole athletics movement," he told Rai TV.

"It's important to go forward for all the other disabled athletes who want to compete with able-bodied ones and to break down divisions and barriers."

Pistorius was in Italy to receive a special award alongside cyclists Paolo Bettini and Marta Bastianelli.

"I want to thank the Italian public for the attention and affection they have shown me during my visit and because of this I will continue my battle," added the South African.

Pistorius was wearing a T-shirt with the figure 19.72 on it - the time in seconds of the world 200m record he shares with Italian Pietro Mennea.

"We don't have any right to stop this guy's dreams to take part in the next Olympics in Beijing," said Mennea. "The real problems in the sport are not these, they are elsewhere."

Italian Olympic Committee president Luca Pancalli also spoke out in support of Pistorius's bid.

"I have the utmost respect for Pistorius, both as an athlete and as a man, and I admire him also for his stubbornness and his tenacity in not wanting to give up on his aims."

A decision to prevent Pistorius from competing in China was taken after a scientific study revealed that he used 25% less energy than able-bodied runners to run at the same speed.

The 21-year-old spent two days in Cologne, Germany last November undergoing tests alongside five able-bodied athletes of similar ability but he rejected the findings, claiming the tests were flawed.

- AFP