Blind Man Protests for Equality

Blind Man Protests for Equality

By Jeremy Oh

A legally blind Athlete sues for the rule of having to wear blackout glasses  leaving them temporarily sightless in an effort to "level the playing field". The lawsuit was filed on Wednesday in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan by Aaron Scheidies. He is 30 years and he says the rule violates the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. "Poses substantial danger to not only the competitor but those around them," the complaint says. "It is illegal to require Aaron to wear blackout glasses that no able-bodied person would have to wear as a condition of receiving reasonable accommodation in a triathlon," said Richard Bernstein, Scheidies' lawyer. The glasses that make people have to go into darkness, have been required for athletes that are sight-challenged, according to Bernstein. "USA Triathlon is discriminating against legally blind competitors stripping them of their dignity and depriving them of their ability to participate in the athletic activity they love," says Bernstein who was blind since he was born. " "ITU is committed to having the new system ready by 2013, which will result in a full revision of the ITU competition rules," said the Vancouver, British Columbia-based group. The group that governs more than 140 affiliated national federations including USA Triathlon.

Scheidies says ITU and USA Triathlon have made promises on this before and doesn't believe that is will change anytime soon.

Scheidies said," When I tried running with the blackout glasses with a guide, I hit my head on a pole, fell; into a ditch and ran off the road several times all in a two-minute time span. It was so scary and brought tears to my eyes. I felt defeated and less of a human being."

Aaron Scheidies Practicing for Triathlon

People who chose not to wear blackout glasses have been disqualified to run in the race because they didn't follow the rules of the race.

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