Just ask the guy who comes in 3rd right behind Pistorius whether it only matters if he wins.

Thats the problem though, nobody will ever consider his legs fair if he wins, or even competes... somebody without real legs competing they must be cheating! reality is, if we were really interested in fairness, all athletes would have to train in the exact same place, all athletes would have to use the same treadmills, weight benches, and supplements. A poor country with no support, is not likely to be Americans or Chinese competitors simply because they don't get the supplements, the coaching, the technology and the edge that rich countries get. I think he should be allowed to compete, life isn't fair, someone who was screwed by life finally found a way to screw the rest of us and beat us, and all we can do about it is cry and try to change the rules.

Well, I guess countering injustice with injustice is just fine by current ethical standards, even though in this case the first injustice was just an accident. Someone must be held responsible, right? When in doubt, it's always the rest of us.

One has to wonder at his real motives, but we can be sure that a lot of it is the large amounts of cash involved, as it is with all televised professional sports (and please don't plead the "amateur" status of the Olympic$).

"One has to wonder at his real motives, but we can be sure that a lot of it is the large amounts of cash involved,"

I've always been competitive and was a jock.

Screw the cash. There is NOTHING like winning!!
Obviously, you don't understand this and/or what it's like to enjoy competition as an athlete.

The Kenyans and other African countries win the lion's share of marathons! They are poor countries and don't have access to shoes in some cases, let alone all the other stuff.

Tamjak, maybe in running, but all I have to say is check the medal count at the olympics... Kenay doesn't place in top 10. Which does bring up another point, why do we pretend racing is fair anway? Some people are just built for it, somebody might actually work harder, and run harder but lose because of build. Its all nonsense anyway, the Olympics doesn't prove anything, its just a way for Coke and other sponsors to get rich while the heads of the olympic board take bribes.

perib.... That is what all the athletes want is money and fame.

The article was about running, so I was talking about marathons-both in the Olympics and at other marathon races. That's what this debate was about.

Runners though do not make ANYTHING near what other athletes in other sports make.