Oscar Pistorius accuses competitors of cheating

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'Blade Runner' cheating accusations

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Brazil's Alan Oliveira (R) is congratulated by South Africa's Oscar Pistorius after winning the men's 200m T44 classification at the Olympic Stadium during the London 2012 Paralympic Games (Reuters/Eddie Keogh)

Brazil's Alan Oliveira (R) is congratulated by South Africa's Oscar Pistorius after winning the men's 200m T44 classification at the Olympic Stadium during the London 2012 Paralympic Games (Reuters/Eddie Keogh)

By Tony Field

Oscar Pistorius, the sprinter whose artificial legs were a  talking point at the London Olympics, has now accused another Paralympics competitor of cheating by making his own legs longer.

Pistorius was the hot favourite to win the T44 200 metres final, but that's not how it turned out. Brazil's Alan Oliveira closed an eight-metre gap to take the gold.

Immediately afterwards an angry Pistorius told reporters it wasn't a fair race because Oliveira's running blades were too long. 

He says the Brazilian - and other athletes - are exploiting the rules to make themselves taller. He says last year he was taller than the Brazilian, now he's shorter.

A longer blade gives them a longer stride - he says that's the reason Oliveira could make up so much ground in the final fifty metres.

Officials rejected that suggestion.

The international Paralympic committee says the length of the blades is determined by a formula based on the height and the dynamics of the athlete.

It says: “All athletes were measured prior to competition - and all were approved.”

Oliveira says he didn't alter his blades and it was a fair race.

Pistorius had broken the world record in the heats - and would have won gold if he'd repeated that time.

He's since tweeted his congratulations to Oliveira.

The two men will race again in the 400 metres - the event in which Pistorius competed at last month's Olympics.

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Comments

5/09/2012 2:45:32 a.m.

nikki wrote:

Oscar has a longer body than the brazil guy that mean Oscar suppose 2 b taller,Oscar height is 1.87m the brazil guy has a shorter body he's heigt suppose 2 b 1.74m but he's the taller than Oscar whn he won the gold,that mean the brazil guy's blade legs is about 4-5 inches longer than Oscars.

4/09/2012 2:10:34 a.m.

1911 wrote:

Oliveira looks like he could put some jacked up cars to shame. No surprise with regard to the Official response and or the denial of a farcical situation.

3/09/2012 8:34:14 p.m.

CSilva wrote:

He says last year he was taller than the Brazilian, now he's shorter. So, when he was taller, it was ok. Now others are taller than him, so it's not ok anymore?Pistorius, listen to yourself...

3/09/2012 7:24:31 p.m.

John wrote:

What a sore loser