Pistorius gives up on Beijing but still appealing

Double amputee Oscar Pistorius has given up on competing at this year's Beijing Olympics but is appealing a ruling banning him from able-bodied competition.

"We have appealed and we are busy setting things up for the testing," Pistorius told Reuters from Milan yesterday.

"But it's a massive commitment and there simply won't be time to get it all done before Beijing, let alone in time for me to run in qualifiers."

Pistorius, who had both legs amputated below the knee as a child, runs with carbon fibre blade attachments that athletics' ruling IAAF has ruled gave him an advantage over able-bodied athletes.

The decision was based on testing done last year at the German Sport University in Cologne, but Pistorius claims the study was flawed.

"We have circulated the report to various experts in the United States and they have told us it did not take enough variables into consideration," the athlete's manager Peet van Zyl said.

"We believe more tests need to be done, and the onus is on us to prove that."