LONDON, England - If South Africa wins a medal in the men's 4x400-meter (m) final tonight, it could potentially create a serious uproar at these 30th Olympic Games.
According to reports, the South Africans were re-instated into the relay and allowed to run the final after it was ruled that their second leg runner, Ofentse Mogawane, was tripped by the Kenyan runner in the heats. Kenya was taken out of contention, and South Africa didn't even finish the race. This immediately raised the question as to why the South Africans should be allowed to run in the final, if they didn't complete the race.
Mogawane was injured in the collision, suffering a dislocated shoulder, and had to be helped off the track. 'The Blade Runner', Oscar Pistorius, was set to run the third leg for South Africa and will undoubtedly run in the final tonight, fuelling speculation that the team was only re-instated because of the marketability of the no-legged star, and the global attention he attracts. Pistorius is a media darling wherever he goes, quite frankly because of his ability to compete at this level. He is the first double amputee to compete at the Olympics.
"The ruling is certainly unusual," said Bahamas Olympic Committee (BOC) Secretary General Romell 'Fish' Knowles. "I think that it certainly puts the other teams at a competitive disadvantage going into the final, but it's a decision that we will have to live with, and just wait and see what happens."
Knowles said that he's unsure if The Bahamas can again protest the decision that was handed down, but added that is something that they will certainly explore.
"I think that it is a decision that has to be protested now, but I'm sure that the coaching staff and the Chef de Mission will review the decision that was made," he said. "To get a pass to the final begs the question of what would have happened if the shoe was on the other foot. Would we have been so fortunate if that was us?"
As for 'The Blade Runner', he was given the name because of his iron prosthetic legs. He will apparently run the third leg for the South Africans in the final tonight. They will run out of lane one.
There are some runners who are of the opinion that double amputee Pistorius shouldn't be running with athletes who are not disabled, because it could create an unfair advantage in either direction. For instance, they say, it could be looked at that he is able to accomplish something with no legs that most can't do with two, because of hard work and dedication; but at the same time, he is immune to injuries related to the Achilles and foot, unlike able-bodied athletes. Be that as it may, after a successful protest, Pistorius and South Africa will run in the final tonight.
After the decision was handed down, Pistorius tweeted: 'It's on. We're in the final.'
According to the protest committee, Kenya was disqualified when the official ruled that the Kenyan runner, Vincent Mumo Kiilu, cut across too soon and caused Mogawane's fall.
Only the top three finishers from each semi-final heat and the next two fastest finishers were initially entitled to run in the final. The Bahamas finished as the top qualifier in its fourth fastest time ever, 2:58.87; the United States matched that time to also automatically qualify, and the other finalists are Trinidad & Tobago, Great Britain, Cuba, Belgium, Russia and Poland.

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