Paralympics

[Andrew]

Don't think there is a thread on this already.
It's not getting much publicity (outside of the 6o'clock news) over here but the Irish are doing well.

Gay Shelly won bronze yesterday in the Boccia competition so a big congrats to him. 3 more irish in action later today.

[Rover 609]

a member of the german wheelchair basketball team been banned from games for failing a drug test!!!:confused:WTF is goin on?

[Andrew]

a member of the german wheelchair basketball team been banned from games for failing a drug test!!!:confused:WTF is goin on?

Same thing that goes on at the Olympics. Athletes are taking drugs to try and win. It's a shame.

[mrpotatohead]

some more controversy here.
http://www.breakingnews.ie/sport/mhqlqlaumhsn/

The Irish football Paralympic team have had one of their players sent home.

Derek Malone has been deemed ineligible by the governing body of cerebral palsy football.

The Irish team have lost their first two group games and play their final match against Great Britain on Friday.

[mrpotatohead]

Update on this story: Derek Malone seems to have been kicked out of the olympics for being too good for his class and having too much of an influence on the games. Irish organisations and family claim he has trained so hard that he has battled his disability and this is why he is so good. Got to feel for the poor guy, the rules should be clearer or something, he should never have been let compete in this class if he was "too good" from the beginning, but there is surely some level he can compete at?

Some more info here: http://www.independent.ie/national-news/lack-of-clear-guidelines-blamed-for-governing-bodys-own-goal-1474104.html

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/the-sporty-boy-who-threw-his-walking-stick-away-1474105.html

[Andrew]

That's a bit dodge in fairness. The guy has a disability that prevents him from competing at the top level. Just because he trained hard enough to overcome his disability he's been kicked out. That sucks. What message does that send out.

"Be all you can be..... but don't be too good, we don't want you to achieve anything here"

[D-Red]

Update on this story: Derek Malone seems to have been kicked out of the olympics for being too good for his class and having too much of an influence on the games. Irish organisations and family claim he has trained so hard that he has battled his disability and this is why he is so good. Got to feel for the poor guy, the rules should be clearer or something, he should never have been let compete in this class if he was "too good" from the beginning, but there is surely some level he can compete at?

Some more info here: http://www.independent.ie/national-news/lack-of-clear-guidelines-blamed-for-governing-bodys-own-goal-1474104.html

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/the-sporty-boy-who-threw-his-walking-stick-away-1474105.html

That's unreal. Kicked out for being "too good"? Surely they should be rewarding him for all his effort and training, not kicking him out.

Poor fella. He must be at a really low ebb now

[stamullenredmen]

fair dues to the sprinter guy today he set a world record within a second of usain bolts one in the full bodied and of things.this might sound insensitive but what is his disability.i was half expecting to see him with them prostethics when i seen the time

[NomadicRed]

Update on this story: Derek Malone seems to have been kicked out of the olympics for being too good for his class and having too much of an influence on the games. Irish organisations and family claim he has trained so hard that he has battled his disability and this is why he is so good. Got to feel for the poor guy, the rules should be clearer or something, he should never have been let compete in this class if he was "too good" from the beginning, but there is surely some level he can compete at?

Some more info here: http://www.independent.ie/national-news/lack-of-clear-guidelines-blamed-for-governing-bodys-own-goal-1474104.html

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/the-sporty-boy-who-threw-his-walking-stick-away-1474105.html

This is nuts- he's been kicked out for not being disabled enough! WTF!!!

They deemed him "disabled enough" to compete in athletics (800m race) in the 2004 paralympics but not to kick around a football. They really need to address these issues and make necessary reforms instead of punishing a guy who has fought such a courageous battle with cerebral palsy to attain the high level that he's at.

[deckymc001]

A mates brother is playing in the cerebral palsy team too, reckons the lad sent home just trained hard and managed to overcome his disability to greater degree than most. The team is stunned as they believe he is being unfairly punished as they are too by loosing a good player.