Running head: THE RISE AND FALL OF OSCAR PISTORIUS
The Rise and Fall of Oscar Pistorius
Jessica Doiron
St. Francis Xavier University
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THE RISE AND FALL OF OSCAR PISTORIUS
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Oscar Leonard Carl Pistorius is a Paralympic and Olympic sprint runner from South
Africa. He was born on November 22, 1986 in Johannesburg and has spent his life competing
and playing in sports despite being a double leg amputee. He began his sprinting career in 2004,
breaking the world record for the 100m track event for double-leg amputees during his very first
competition. Since the beginning of his Paralympic career in 2004, Pistorius has set multiple
world records in the 100-m, 200-m, and 400-m track events. In 2012, Pistorius became the first
double leg amputee to participate in the Olympic Games. However, on February 14, 2013,
Pistorius fatally shot and killed his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp. After a very lengthy trial,
Pistorius received an 8-year combined prison sentence for the murder and a separate reckless
endangerment conviction. Since his rise to fame after the 2004 Olympics, Pistorius has been an
advocate for the inclusion of athletes with disabilities into the Olympic program. He garnered
extensive media coverage during the controversy leading up to the 2008 Beijing Games and
became a worldwide hero when he qualified and competed during the 2012 London Olympic
Games. However, after the murder of Steenkamp, Pistorius suffered a major fall from grace in
the eyes of the media. I am of the belief that this rise and fall of Pistorius has had a great impact
on disable-bodied sport and in the following paper, I argue that that it is necessary to examine the
case of Oscar Pistorius in order to show how he has contributed to improving opportunities for
athletes with disabilities despite his moral shortcomings.
The Life and Times of the Blade Runner
Born with fibular hemimelia (or longitudinal fibular deficiency), Pistorius has a
congenital absence of his fibulae (oscarpistorius.com). At the early age of 11 months old, his
parents decided to amputate his legs halfway between his knees and ankles (Geoghegan, 2014).
Through the use of prosthetics, Pistorius spent his early years playing sports. In 2004 while
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playing rugby, Pistorius was introduced to sprinting during his rehabilitation at the University of
Pretoria. He ran his first 100m race three weeks later and won with a time of 11.72s. This time
was 0.48s faster than the world record for double leg amputees at the time. Eight months later
Pistorius competed in the 2004 Paralympic Games in Athens, winning the 200m gold medal.
This was only the beginning of Pistorius’ athletic achievements at the Paralympic Games. He
went on to break 7 more World Records for amputees and 2 Paralympic Game Records.
The Fastest Man on No Legs: Olympic Controversy and Broken Barriers
Pistorius not only competed disability sport events, but he also took part in able-bodied
competition across Europe. Including...
Pistorius was intent on competing at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing China. In 2007,
however the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) introduced an amendment
to IAAF Rule 144.2 relating to the use of technical aids during competition. It was a ban
prohibiting the “use of any technical device that incorporates springs, wheels or any other
element that provides the user with an advantage over another athlete not suing such a device”
(IAAF, 15 November 2007). In order to compete, Pistorius had to prove that he was not running
with an unfair advantage when using his prosthetics. In order to do this, he took part in a series
of tests at Cologne Sports University. This study reported that Pistorius’ limbs (i) need less
energy than natural limbs, “increasing energy efficiency by up to 25%; (ii) provide up to three
times greater energy return than the human ankle joint; and (iii) provide a mechanical advantage
in relation to a healthy ankle joint of more than 30%” (Jones & Wilson, 2009).
The Murder of Reeva Steenkamp
What precisely, is the problem/issue/moral dilemma?
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What are the ethical issues at play in this problem? Harm/fairness
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Projection of Oscar Pistorius’ immorality onto other athletes with disabilities. (e.g. every
discussion surround prosthetics and Olympics talks about OP)
Who are the relevant stakeholders? Who is involved? – Athletes with disabilities. Reeva’s family
– she is always talked about as ‘the deceased,’ never as a real person (quote from mother!)
Evaluate and assess the ethical situation. Provide objections and try to respond to them.
Opportunities and Discussion
Discuss the lit:
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Hilvoorde
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Edwards
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Smith
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Harvey
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Mumford? Or save this for MOG?
Media often discusses how Pistorius did not “like to be reminded he was different because
mentally he wasn’t.” It is often stated that his mother brought him and his brother up equally.
When his brother was told to put his shoes on for school, Oscar Pistorius was told to put on his
legs. He was different, but was treated equally (Geoghegan, 2014).
Conclusion/Summary (1-2 pages, ahhhhhhhh)
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The predicament of Pistorius attracted plenty of media attention, but also prompted debate with
academic fields (Edwards, 2008; Van Hilvoorde & Landeweerd, 2008).
Pistorius became famous quickly, attracting plenty of media attention.
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Pistorius “moved the level of double lower leg amputee sprinting into a new era” (Miller,
)
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“through his battle for acceptance with the IAAF and then his steady improvement on the
track to the point where he was able to hold his own against the world’s best 400 metres
runners, Pistorius has shown that disability need not mean inability.” (Hart, )
However, the media attention garnered during the controversy surrounding Pistorius’
participation in the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games does not come remotely close to the
coverage of Pistorius after the murder of Steenkamp and during his subsequent trial. In fact,
some believe that these events have effectively overshadowed any other remarkable men and
women in the Paralympian community (Chang, 2014).
This belief is important to my argument because as I have shown, Pistorius has done
remarkable things. His achievements in the Paralympics and Olympics have played a crucial role
in creating inclusion for disabled athletes. However, with the murder and subsequently lengthy
trial, all of those achievements were cast to the side. His Paralympic and Olympic legacy is
headed into the darkness of history, just as OJ Simpson’s American football career receded.
Twenty years before Pistorius’ trial, Simpson was in just about the same position. Accused of
murdering his ex-wife Nicole Brown and her friend Ronald Goldman.
Simpson played for the City College of San Francisco as both a running back and defensive
back before being awarded an athletic scholarship to the University of Southern California. He
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was drafted by the American Football League’s Buffalo Bills in 1968 and then was traded to the
San Francisco 49ers before ending his football career in 1979 (Biography.com, 2015). He set
multiple NCAA records and became the first NFL player to rush for more than 2,000 yards in a
single season (Biography.com, 2015). In 1994, Nicole Brown and Ronald Goldman were found
stabbed to death outside of her condominium. Police suspected Simpson of the murder, and he
fled, taking part in a nationally televised car chase. He surrendered and thus commenced the trial
that found him not guilty of either murder. Simpson’s former sister-in-law, Denise Brown stated
that she saw many parallels in the two cases and I think it is important to consider these
(Alexander, 2014). Brown also discussed with The Telegraph her opinions on how we keep
seeing these crimes repeatedly over time (Alexander, 2014). I believe it is due to the pressure we
place on athletes. Society calls them heroes, superstars, and role models. The world raises them
up and pays them obscene amounts of money. Through this, we tempt them with power, fame,
sex, and drugs and yet still expect them to be morally perfect.