Is it fair, then, for a capable, but disabled, athlete to be placed in another competition? Where does the line of discrimination lie? On the other hand, some of these assistive technologies, which initially were created to help those with physical disabilities, are now seen as an enhancement by some able-bodied athletes. This blending of assistive technology into an enhancement yields another line of discrimination to define. In this paper, I will explore the limits of this blurred line and look at both sides of the issue. As it is important to understand the original intention of these inventions, I will initially explain the history of prosthetics and other assistive technologies used in sports. I will explore the ethical problems associated with discriminating against disabled athletes at an elite level, as well as the ethical problems that stem from the blurred line between prosthetics as a helpful tool and a strategic advantage. It is not fair to separate able-bodied athletes from physically disabled ones if they are just as talented and have the potential to win the competition at hand. Likewise, if the athletes with assistive technologies are only winning due to their “superhuman” enhancement, they are jeopardizing the fairness of the elite
Is it fair, then, for a capable, but disabled, athlete to be placed in another competition? Where does the line of discrimination lie? On the other hand, some of these assistive technologies, which initially were created to help those with physical disabilities, are now seen as an enhancement by some able-bodied athletes. This blending of assistive technology into an enhancement yields another line of discrimination to define. In this paper, I will explore the limits of this blurred line and look at both sides of the issue. As it is important to understand the original intention of these inventions, I will initially explain the history of prosthetics and other assistive technologies used in sports. I will explore the ethical problems associated with discriminating against disabled athletes at an elite level, as well as the ethical problems that stem from the blurred line between prosthetics as a helpful tool and a strategic advantage. It is not fair to separate able-bodied athletes from physically disabled ones if they are just as talented and have the potential to win the competition at hand. Likewise, if the athletes with assistive technologies are only winning due to their “superhuman” enhancement, they are jeopardizing the fairness of the elite