News round-up: Pistorius to compete in Olympics and Paralympics
| 11:28 UK time, Friday, 6 July 2012
Known as the Bladerunner due to the carbon fibre legs he wears while competing, Pistorius is set to be the first double amputee to run at the Olympics, having been selected to compete as part of South Africa's 400X400 relay squad.
He didn't obtain good enough times to qualify for the individual 400M event but is now permitted to take part in that too; a back door passport because he's now in the relay squad.
Oscar Pistorius hit the headlines and became one of the world's best known disabled athletes after it was questioned whether he should be allowed to run against able-bodied competitors. He was cleared in 2008 when an IAAF ruling that his blades gave him an unfair advantage was overturned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
Some still question whether he should be allowed to take part in the Olympics. : "There are those who maintain that the fact he runs on a pair of blades constructed of carbon fibre rather than flesh and bone makes it inappropriate for him to be at the games."
Pistorius will also compete at London's Paralympic Games in the 100m, 200m, 400m, and 4x100m relay.
Elsewhere in the news
There are some really meaty and interesting stories in disability news this week, take a look at our selection and feel free to leave comments
'Most realistic'
robot legs developed (³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ News, Friday 6 July)
Gary McKinnon's extradition case adjourned for medical report (³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ News, Thursday 5 July)
Man and robot linked by brain scanner (³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ News, Thursday 5 July)
'Help needed' for people suffering from skin conditions (³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ News, Thursday 5 July)
(The Guardian, Thursday 5 July)
(The Guardian, Thursday 5 July)
Remploy workers vote to strike against factory closures (³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ News, Wednesday 4 July)
Was Jimmy Carr right about the Paralympics? (³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ News Magazine, Wednesday 4 July)
(The Guardian, Wednesday 4 July)
(The Guardian, Wednesday 6 July)
(The Guardian, Wednesday 4 July)
(The Independent, Wednesday 4 July)
(The Telegraph, Tuesday 3 July)
(The Guardian, Tuesday 3 July)
(The Guardian, Saturday 30 June)
New brain scanner helps paralysed people spell words (³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ News, Friday 29 June)
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