“Cass” closes the door to the Olympics in Lieber’s face

The CAS Court of Arbitration for Sport has refused to allow American Paralympic athlete Blake Lieber to try to qualify for athletics competitions at next summer’s Olympic Games in Tokyo with the prosthetics he uses so far on his legs.

Lieber, a 31-year-old born without lower legs (below the knee) and two medalists at the Paralympic Games (silver in 400 meters and bronze in 200 meters in London 2012), had appealed the decision of the IAAF taken in February. The past and the judge prevented him from competing in an official contest with a blade-shaped prosthesis. The International Federation rejected the request, believing that the quality of the prostheses used by Lieber gives him an advantage over other athletes, a test confirmed by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
The court said in a statement after hearing expert witnesses: “The running prostheses used by Blake Lieber give him a competitive advantage in the 400-meter race over an athlete who does not use such mechanical assistance, as it allows him to run several centimeters more. from the maximum height. Possible if you have biological legs. “
Lieber, who wanted to participate in the regular Olympics, like South African Oscar Pistorius in 2012, qualified for the IAAF World Championships in Athletics in Doha in October 2019, where he ranked fifth in the selection events of American teams. However, he was unable to participate in the Qatar World Cup as the International Federation was considering his application.

Subscribe to «News» on YouTube here