IAAF seeking to cut Blade Runner from Olympics relay

‘BLADE RUNNER’ Oscar Pistorius may take legal action against the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) amid reports they are trying to exclude him from South Africa’s Olympic team.

The sprinter, who has prosthetic legs, was cleared by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in May to compete against able-bodied athletes after winning his appeal against the IAAF who barred him from doing so at the beginning of the year.

Now Pistorius has consulted his lawyers after senior IAAF officials allegedly stated that he represented a danger to athletes, particularly in the 4x400metres relay.

Last night the sprinter was making a last attempt to achieve the Games qualifying standard of 45.55seconds at an international meeting in Lucerne, but even if unsuccessful he is hoping to be picked for his national relay squad.

The 2004 Paralympic champion’s lawyers claim IAAF general secretary Pierre Weiss and communications director Nick Davies have made inappropriate comments to the press regarding his participation in Beijing.

Weiss said: “It’s a decision that rests with the officials of the federation and the South African Olympic Committee, but we’d prefer that they don’t select him for reasons of safety.”

Davies stated, “There is still a big issue over the prosthetics, we just don’t have the resources to check every time he is running what he is using”.

His lawyers claim those statements suggest that Pistorius’s results would be suspect if he continues to improve his 400m time. Pistorius last night advised the IAAF that he will defend his right to compete, without interference, against able-bodied athletes through new legal action if the IAAF does not cease violating the CAS decision. It is understood that should he be chosen for the relay team, a compromise would see him run on the first leg to reduce the risk of a collision.