Essay On Amputee Athletes

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Imagine having to change your whole life for a disability the way you walk, run, and you go through life by being separated from what society calls normal. After years of technological advancements, many amputee athletes still continue to face discrimination, and in many cases they have no chance at the opportunity to perform in the Olympics. Many believe that a disability defines one and that these technological advancements make it ethically unfair to perform within the Olympics. However, others can argue that there are very few differences between a non-disabled and an amputee athlete. Ultimately, the controversy is whether or not an amputee athlete should be allowed to partake in an Olympian sport. However, though there are a few differences, it is not proven that an amputee has an advantage in performing better than a non-disabled …show more content…
This centers on a debate one of which happened to be around the time Oscar Pistorius sought approval to participate within the Olympic sport. The article states, “the debate over whether or not his J-shaped carbon-fiber blades give him an unfair advantage” (Rohan). However, science failed to provide statistical and concrete evidence to support their claim. Nevertheless, scientists are still not convinced which leads them to make more assumptions and develop arguments. Rohan further states, “One argument is that because the blades are so much lighter than a human leg, Pistorius can turn over, or reposition, his prosthetic legs unnaturally fast.” This again has failed to be proven even though many tests have been performed on Oscar, but each fail to answer the question of an advantage. One thing that scientists do point out is that “there is biomechanics used” (Hirons). Therefore, until there is proven data to confirm that an amputee has an advantage, one should not have their abilities to be

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