The 2012 Paralympic Games are 6 days away and it’s safe to say that Oscar Pistorius served as just a sampling of the incredible inspiration that everyone can feel from the fearless athletes who compete in each of the 21 sports featured at this year’s games. Pistorius, of course, will soon be the first ever disabled person to compete in both the Olympics and the Paralympics, and nobody can take that away from him with stupid arguments about any advantages his “bionic” legs may give him.
That’s why this next bit of news sucks.
Three members of the Jordanian Paralympic team accused of sex offences at a pre-Games training camp in Northern Ireland have been withdrawn from the event, an official said on Thursday. (Via Sport 24, H/T to Fark)
I’m going to need a sh*tload of Teamocil soon if I keep getting roped into these horrible stories about athletes that (allegedly) need to be shot into the sun.
Power lifter Omar Sami Qaradhi, 31, faces three charges of sexual assault, two against a child, and one of voyeurism after allegedly entering a women’s changing room at the team’s training centre at the Antrim Forum leisure centre.
Police said he was identified by a 14-year-old girl who claimed that she posed for photos with him before he groped her between the legs in Antrim town centre.
Please don’t tell me there’s more. Damn it, there’s more.
The same day, a girl aged 16 said she was walking along the river path beside the team’s training base at Antrim Forum with a friend when their path was blocked by the three accused.
This is horrible. Horrible, horrible, horrible. Thankfully, they weren’t released on bail. Just kidding, they were. And now that they’re not competing in the Paralympics anymore, I’m sure they’ll use their free time to behave and serve as model citizens.
(Banner via Getty)