By Tom Degun at the Main Press Centre on the Olympic Park in London

Alan Fonteles_Cardoso_Oliveira_and_Oscar_Pistorius_05-09-12September 5 - South Africa's main sports body has written to the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) demanding an urgent investigation in the blade row started by their star athlete Oscar Pistorius after he was beaten in the men's 200-metre T44 final.

Last week, the 25-year-old double-leg amputee from Johannesburg launched a stunning verbal attack on Alan Fonteles Cardoso Oliveira (pictured above, right) during a television interview after he had been beaten into second place by the Brazilian, five years his junior.

The four-time Paralympic sprint champion, who participated in the London 2012 Olympics, said he had lost because of the length of his rival's prosthetic blades and had not been competing in "a fair race".

The issue was slowly starting to cool but the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC), who have responsibility for Paralympic sport in that country, have reignited it with an official complaint to the IPC.

"Yesterday we received a letter from the chief executive [Tubby Reddy] of the South African NPC (sic)," said IPC communications director Craig Spence.

"It was two-fold: it asked us to launch an urgent investigation into claims that T43 athletes were using different size blades for semi-finals, finals and in different events.

"It also asked us to meet to review the rulebook and the formula for calculating the height of blades.

"We met with coaches of the relevant athletes in the Village yesterday.

"I have to say there was quite a look of shock on the coach's faces when we put this to them.

"At the moment there is no evidence so it is difficult for us to investigate any further.

"We will go back to the South African NPC with this."

oscar pistorius_05-09-12Oscar Pistorius gave a scathing post-race interview to Channel 4, in which he claimed winner Alan Fonteles Cardoso Oliveira had an unfair advantage because of his elongated blades

Spence also revealed that SASCOC had made no complaint to the IPC, despite being given the opportunity, until Pistorius suffered his defeat.

"I should also mention that on the April 17, we sent a communication to all countries and athletes ahead of the Games asking them to raise any concerns or clarifications they needed on the rules," he said.

"We heard nothing back from Oscar."

Meanwhile, London 2012 chairman Sebastian Coe has given his support to Pistorius following his controversial interview with Channel 4 that came straight after his loss to Oliveira.

"We've all been there in mix zones 40 or 50 seconds after an emotional moment in your career and said all sorts of things," said Coe, the two time Olympic 1500m champion.

"This is elite sport, so we shouldn't be surprised if people are emotional.

"I think he was very clear yesterday morning in trimming and apologising for what he had said.

"Beyond that it's a matter for the IPC and I don't think it's appropriate for an Organising Committee to insert itself in that conversation."

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


Related stories
September 2012: "Oscar is a great guy" says IPC President after he escapes punishment
September 2012: Exclusive - Pistorius affair will reignite amputees versus able-bodied debate, believes Grey-Thompson
September 2012: Pistorius apologises for "timing" of outburst against rival but could be hit with punishment from IPC
September 2012: Mike Rowbottom - Pistorius cuts to the chase in the big blade question
September 2012: Irate Pistorius questions rival's blades after controversial Paralympic 200m defeat