THE MAIL

The purpose of the Olympics is to measure the highest level of athletic performance in a competition. Olympic athletes compete with a well-trained system of muscles, tendons and bones free of any chemical or hormonal enhancements. Oscar Pistorius's blades, however, are clearly a different kind of system. It is foolish to think we can measure and compare the performance of this type of mechanical system side by side with a biological system any more than we can compare men and women in the same event.

Clyde Robinson, Framingham, Mass.

LETTERS

Prosthetic Debate

How can some in the world of track and field, which has a history of athletes doping, complain about Pistorius having an edge over everyone else (Unfair Disadvantage)? Even if he did have some type of mechanical advantage, it would be obvious, and as a spectator I could see it and make my own judgment.

David Lowry, Ottawa, Ont.

There's another factor to consider when comparing Pistorius with able-bodied athletes. How fair is it that throughout training and races, Pistorius runs no risk of suffering an injury from the knee down? No broken foot, ankle sprains or shin splints. These are all common injuries for the average runner.

Bert DeVeau, Elizabethtown, Ky.

Munich

I want to thank L. Jon Wertheim for his informative and insightful perspective on the challenges Israeli athletes face in international competition (Never Forgotten). Rather than worrying about offending Arab nations whose athletes refuse to compete against Israeli teams, the IOC should have done everything possible to properly pay tribute to the Israeli Olympians who were brutally murdered at the Munich Games.

Aaron Troodler, Teaneck, N.J.

If we are to blame Arab countries for not allowing their athletes to compete against Israelis, we should also blame the IOC for giving in to their ridiculous demands. Instead of being assigned to European divisions, the Israeli teams should be placed in Asian divisions. I bet the risk of disqualification would end any protest the Arab countries may have.

Adam Herbst, River Edge, N.J.

False Start

At first it may have seemed that the world had caught up to Team USA (U.S. Against the World), but the final medal count from the pool proved it was just a glimmer. The U.S. tallied 31 medals in the Aquatics Centre, nearly triple the amount of runner-up Japan.

Travis Mewhirter, Hampstead, Md.

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FEEDBACK

Do you think LSU is still a national championship threat without Tyrann Mathieu?

Kevin Edwards: Absolutely. Mathieu was good, but a cornerback/punt returner doesn't make or break a team's chances of winning a championship.

Michelle Dolan: Nope! The Honey Badger ran the Tigers' defense. They're hopeless without him.

Calvin Wasdyke: They'll be fine. They still have a top-ranked defense and four-star recruit Jalen Collins to take Mathieu's place.

Patrick Fenerty: This whole argument is comical. The Honey Badger was good, but don't fool yourself. He wasn't the only thing that made LSU great. I think they'll still be right in the thick of things.

Jimson C. Cuenta: Even before Mathieu was dismissed from the team, I didn't think the Tigers were national championship contenders. But now that he's out, I think they are the fourth-best team in the SEC West, behind Alabama, Arkansas and Auburn.

Patrick Cole (@Patrick_Star_13): Losing the Honey Badger drops LSU out of the top five, maybe even the top 10. Losing that type of team leader will make a difference.

P.J. Hughes: He isn't a great defensive player, so losing him won't hurt the team that much. He constantly got burned when he was in coverage. They will miss him on special teams, however, so that is a major blow.

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HEINZ KLUETMEIER (COVER)

FOR August 6, 2012

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JOHN BIEVER (MATHIEU)

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