Oscar Pistorius is seeking to make history, by becoming the first double amputee sprinter to compete in the Olympic Games in Beijing. The Court of Arbitration for Sport recently repealed a previous decision by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) that ruled his prosthetics qualify as “technical aids” and gave him an unfair advantage. Excessively long organizational names aside, this all basically means that the 21-year-old Pistorius has won the right to be eligible to compete in the Olympic Games. He lost both his legs below the knees when he was only a baby, but has gained the nickname “Blade Runner” for obvious reasons. But others are crying foul, stating that the shock-absorbing carbon-fiber prosthetics give Pistorius an unfair advantage. Who knew that missing half your legs could make you run faster?

The South African Pistorius is fast, holding the Paralympic world records in the 100, 200, and 400 meters. In the most recent Paralympic Games in Athens he won a gold and bronze in two different sprinting events. His “track” record against more able-bodied foes is mixed, finishing second and last in two such races. In spite of this, the IAAF believes that the prosthetics, known as “Cheetah limbs”, give Pistorius an unfair advantage.

After two days of testing on Pistorius in Germany, 10 scientists discovered that Pistorius could run just as fast as an able-bodied sprinter but spent 25% less energy doing so. They used high-speed cameras, a 3d scanner, and special equipment to analyze the differences. The blades apparently give an energy return that his three times higher than the human ankle joint. The CAS hasn’t excluded the possibility of once again banning Oscar Pistorius, but until the IAAF completely proved that he had an unfair advantage, they are going to let him run.

One overlooked aspect of the case is that although the ruling is unprecedented, it could do “a disservice to other Paralympic athletes,” according to CNN. What will be the future of the Paralympic Games if competitors shun them for the Olympics? And wouldn’t it defeat the purpose if people could compete in both?

[CNN]

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