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Pistorius: CAS ready to rule
15/05/2008 22:06 - (SA)
Lausanne - The Court of Arbitration for Sport said it will issue its ruling on Friday on amputee sprinter Oscar Pistorius' bid to race at the Beijing Olympics.
Pistorius, who runs on prosthetic blades, appeared before a CAS panel at a two-day appeal hearing last month. The 21-year-old South African is asking the court to overturn a ruling by the IAAF banning him from competing against able-bodied runners.
The IAAF ruled in January that the J-shaped "Cheetah" blades were energy efficient and gave Pistorius a technical edge. It based its decision on studies by German professor Gert-Peter Brueggemann.
Pistorius' legal team presented results from independent tests conducted by MIT professor Hugh M Herr, which claimed to show he doesn't gain any advantage over able-bodied runners.
Even if the panel rules for the South African, he would still have to qualify to run for his country at the Aug 8-24 Olympics.
Pistorius finished second in the 400m at the able-bodied South African championships last year, and has set world records in the 100, 200 and 400m in Paralympic events.
He was born without fibulas - the long, thin outer bone between the knee and ankle - and was 11 months old when his legs were amputated below the knee.
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Rugby
