France accuses Britain of techo cheating

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.dailymail....cheating---again.html

Have they got a point, and should all wheelchairs be identical?

But then if this kind of thing were to take place, then where would it end, all cycles to be identical, all water borne craft to be identical etc, etc?

All this sounds like 'sour grapes' on the part of the French.

[Gromit]

Their mistake is to think sport is an even playing field. It isn't. The facilities for British athletes are among the best in the world, paid for by a national lottery which is mostly non profit making. If they do not run sport that way in France or Jamaica, it is not our fault.

[argorstran]

There hasn't been any cheating because no rules were broken , however I would like to see the standardisation of all equipment because then it gives a true contest .
I remember some years ago (I don't know if they still do it ) they would "pool" all the javelins for the last three throws of the competitions and I think that was a good idea i.e. you could choose to throw your competitor's javelin - some of the javelins were slightly flattened rather than round and could fly further - a bit like an aeroplane wing .

[sandyRoe]

In motor racing aren't all cars regulated? While they're not identical they're not that different.

[ludwig]

// 'We can't afford to compete with you' //

Good.

[emmie]

yes, but that is down to the countries who compete. If anyone watched the opening Paralympic ceremony, these points were discussed, about the differences in wheelchairs. in the case of the poorer countries who's disabled athletes compete they use substandard equipment, that info was from a disabled pundit. It is down to the countries investing in their Olympians, Paralympians.
The foolish French had a go at Dave Brailsford coach of the Olympic Cycling team, about having better wheels, there was more, but can't remember it all. The upshot is that the wheels are made in France, so perhaps it us sour grapes.

[emmie]

sorry again typo.. that is sour grapes from the French.

[anotheoldgit]

Yes Em regarding the comments made on the wheelchairs during the opening ceremony, wasn't that about the need for some being so heavy that they needed an assistant to push them in the parade?

I don't think that those would be the ones in which they did the racing in, but it did get me thinking why they didn't all use electrical powered wheelchairs or scooters to traverse the parade distance?

Surely it would have been an ideal opportunity for some manufacturer or retailer to provide them on loan free of charge under a sponsorship deal?

[DTCwordfan]

Whingeing Gallic buzzards.....jealousy and they ought to look at their ex-President for what he did to single-handedly damage their chances of taking the Olympics. Prattt of the highest order.

[tonyav]

LOL, you've got to love them, our old friends the French cheese munching surrender monkeys.

[DTCwordfan]

keep the wine, cheese, cooking and women and annex the rest. Apparently we were offered them in 1947 but didn't have the resources to rebuild France and us. Could be a great way to counter German hegemony.

[rojash]

You've got to admit that there does seem to be a double standard here though.
For non-disabled athletes to spend money improving their performances by means of technology (blood-doping, steroids, etc) is seen as cheating. Yet, if you take two paralympians of approximately equal physical prowess, and improve the chances of one of them simply by providing them with better machinery, that's seen as fair.

[emmie]

rojash, that is up to the governments of the respective countries, if they don't supply their Paralympians with the best available equipment, and it's out there, not hidden by a few nations who want to win at any cost, then why should anyone feel aggrieved. Oscar Pistorius, fantastic runner has run faster than others on the track, because he has better technology. Blades are now being worn by many Paralympians. He was beaten i think yesterday by a guy who has longer blades, is that sour grapes, or simply that the country had seen the advantages of the best equipment. You still have to run the race, no matter the equipment.

[naomi24]

Didn’t they say something similar about the cycling in the main Olympics? Something about wheels? If they're not happy the onus is on them to provide better equipment. Sour grapes.

[emmie]

naomi, they did say the same about the cycles, better wheels or some such balderdash, the British cyclists bike wheels are made in France, so says Dave Brailsford British Cycling coach, so if there is an advantage, which i am sure there isn't, why don't they just ask the bloody makers.

[lil'frog]

Aaaah, the joys of being French and clicking on a Daily Mail link about my country/people :/

[emmie]

but it wasn't just the daily mail, the interview i watched with Dave Brailsford was on the BBC.