Abstract
This paper examines regulatory frameworks, such as the Maximum Allowable Standing Height (MASH) standard, to show how they play key roles in delineating the boundaries of able- bodiedness through setting specific criteria for disabled athletes. This project explores how such regulations ostensibly target disabled athletes to shore up the porous boundaries of able- bodiedness, reinforcing normative expectations of athletic performance. The case of Tom Dempsey, whose modified shoe led to changes in NFL regulations, provides a backdrop for understanding how the regulation of disabled athletes provokes shifts in regulatory practices for all athletes. This regulatory trend continues with the 2020 and 2021 Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) rulings against Blake Leeper, a T43/T44 athlete. Leeper was barred from participating in the Tokyo 2020 Games, as his running blades were claimed to provide an artificial advantage. World Athletics’ case against Leeper heavily relied on the MASH standard, which his legal team argued is based on anthropometric data excluding Black male athletes. Drawing from biomechanical and prosthetics research and insights from Disability Studies and Gender Studies scholars, this paper argues that the frameworks governing athletic competitions work toward reifying hetero-ablebodied norms through the regulation of disabled bodies. Using Leeper’s case, this study explores the complexities of sports regulations, emphasizing the challenges and controversies surrounding standards such as MASH.
Presenters
Fred Ariel HernandezLecturer, Disability Studies, University of California, Los Angeles, California, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
Sporting Cultures and Identities
KEYWORDS
Disability, Blade Runner, Court of Arbitration, Race, Gender
