Pistorius’ bid may be rejected by IAAF

PARIS: South African Paralympic champion Oscar Pistorius will learn on Monday whether he can participate in competitions for able-bodied athletes, the IAAF announced.

The 21-year-old Pistorius runs on carbon fibre blades attached to both his legs below the knee and his artificial 'limbs' are currently the subject of an investigation by the IAAF.

They said in a statement on Saturday they had received a letter from Pistorius regarding tests carried out at a laboratory in Cologne, Germany on November 12-3 last. "The IAAF will not make any announcement on this case until Monday," the statement added.

However Pistorius’ bid looks set to be rejected as the tests carried out by the Institute of Biomechanics at Cologne University found that the blades give him considerable advantage over his sprinting rivals.

Pistorius, dubbed by the press as the 'Blade Runner', was fitted with his prosthetics when he was only 11 months old after a congenital disorder forced him to undergo the amputations.