Drug scandal brings bad name to GamesThe first drug scandal of the Paralympics rocked the Beijing Olympics but things soon start going the right way as “Blade Runner” Oscar Pistorius created headlines with a thrilling 100m track win.

Pistorius crossed the line in 11.17sec at the Bird’s Nest National Stadium on a wet night, an event that was also highlighted by Marlon Shirley failing to materialize by collapsing two-thirds into the race.

From Foxsports.com.au:

Earlier a shadow was cast over the Games when it was revealed that Pakistani power lifter Naveed Ahmed Butt, 37, had been given a two-year ban for steroid use.

In the first drugs scandal of the Paralympics, he tested positive for the steroid methandienone metabolites on September 4, two days before the opening ceremony, the International Paralympic Committee said.

“In accordance with the IPC anti-doping code, and after a hearing of the IPC anti-doping committee, the IPC ratified the decision to disqualify Butt,” the committee said in a statement.

A total of 356 tests have been carried out at the Games, both in and out of competition, according to IPC figures until the end of Monday.

At the Athens Games in 2004, 680 doping tests were conducted, resulting in 10 anti-doping rule violations, according to the IPC.

In other news Heath Francis pulled off Australia’s first gold medal in the 200m sprint, winning in world record time in his T46 class.

The one-armed runner finished well clear of the field in a time of 21.74sec over Cyprus silver medallist Antonis Aresti and Cuba’s Ettiam Calderon in third.

Naveed Ahmed Butt, power lifter from Pakistan, was rendered disqualified by the International Paralympic Committee in accordance with the IPC anti-doping code and a hearing of the IPC anti-doping committee.