So what does everyone think of the paralympics?

[dave50]

Do they truly test a person's sporting prowess on a level playing field so to speak or are they just a gesture to the disabled so as not to make them feel excluded?

[Sqad]

I have a lot of sympathy for the opinion of dave.

How can one make sure that the percentage of physical disability is the same for any particular event..........unless they have a clever formula. Surely the one with the lesser disability has an advantage or am i being simplistic?

[EcclesCake]

Yes, you are Sqad. Paralympians are graded, and the level of scrutiny is very high.

[dave50]

You know what I mean ecclescake! 'Normal' athletes have no disabilities .ie everything is physically intact.

[Sqad]

Eccles....I agree that it must be..........but surely a blind athlete would have an advantage of a one legged competitor in the 100metres.

[EcclesCake]

Absolutely Sqad, but the grading would mean they didn't compete against one another.

[EcclesCake]

Here's a link to the grading... http://news.bbc.co.uk...ity_sport/7586684.stm

It is hotly contested and very heavily scrutinised to avoid cheating. The competitors may be physically impaired but not mentally, the desire to win is not diminished.......and cheating has been a problem in the past with competitors being misleading during assessments....

[Sqad]

Eccles......I am sure that you are right.

[EcclesCake]

It has been known Sqad ;-).....