Blake Leeper Eligibility – Double Amputee Runner Not Allowed to Compete – Runner’s World

• Double-amputee sprinter Blake Leeper will not be allowed to run at the IAAF World Championships in Doha, Qatar, later this month.
• The , but said it will not complete the review process in time for the event.
• Leeper is still eyeing an appearance for Team USA at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.

Blake Leeper, a 30-year-old middle distance runner who competes with running blades on each leg, will not be making the trip to Doha, Qatar, next week for the 2019 world championships after the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) told him and his attorneys earlier this month that the review process for his eligibility would not be finished by the start of the event, which takes place September 27-October 6.

The double amputee runner had previously qualified for Team USA’s 4×400 team at the U.S. Championships in July when he finished fifth in the individual 400-meter event. The USATF had allowed Leeper to compete in the able-bodied races on a conditional basis; however, the IAAF—the governing body for international track and field—will not recognize the results until the review is complete.

So, to make his case, Leeper is now going through a similar process to what South African amputee Oscar Pistorius went through to compete in IAAF competitions like the Olympics.

“When this type of case was first arbitrated with Pistorius, the burden of proof was on the IAAF,” Leeper told Runner’s World. “Now, it’s on me, the athlete, to show that I don’t have a competitive advantage over able-bodied competitors.”

Leeper is being represented by the same attorneys that handled Pistorius’s case. Where the case is different, Leeper said, is that there are no set guidelines for what specific evidence must be presented for him to run, but his attorneys have submitted an application to the IAAF that is currently being reviewed.

But, because the application is still under review, the IAAF notified Leeper that the process would not be completed by worlds, and it may take until later this year for the full review to be finalized, according to .

“It is an unfortunate situation, but I’m trying to stay positive,” Leeper said. “Part of me is hurt, but I’m here to compete for my country. I want to be the first amputee on a USA, able-bodied squad and have a high chance of medaling.

“I understand this is a process, and yes, I’m hurt, but there is a bigger purpose for all of this and that’s why I have to be patient.”

That bigger purpose right now is the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Less than a year out, Leeper is optimistic he can make the team when the U.S. Olympic Track Trials come around next June. Though he’d prefer to qualify as an individual, he’s also prepared to run for the 4×400 relay teams and the recently-added mixed relay team, which opened up four additional spots on Team USA.

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As an amputee who was born without legs, Leeper has always faced obstacles since birth when trying to compete. Growing up, he noticed people trying to put up barriers for him because of his condition. He had to fight prove season after season he didn’t need to be held back. To help his case against the IAAF, he’s worked with labs and biomechanics experts to provide data showing there is no major advantage when he is using his running blades.

All of these efforts so he can hopefully showcase his talents on the greatest athletic stage in the world as the next amputee runner in the Olympics.

“You don’t just put on gear and it makes you faster,” Leeper said. “That doesn’t happen with anything you put on no matter what sport you play. You can’t just put on blades and go compete at a high level.

“My legs didn’t change when I made a commitment to compete. My blades didn’t change. I trained hard to run on these teams, so when I hear the negativity that I have an advantage, I want people to see the side of it where I worked hard to get here.”

Gear & News Editor Drew covers a variety of subjects for Runner’s World and Bicycling, and he specializes in writing and editing human interest pieces while also covering health, wellness, gear, and fitness for the brand.