PARIS, April 1, 2008 (AFP) - South African Paralympic champion Oscar Pistorius, who has been told he cannot compete in the Beijing Olympics, will appeal his case before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on April 29-30, it was confirmed on Tuesday.

The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) have banned the 21-year-old sprinter from all competitions involving able-bodied athletes because the artificial legs he uses give the 400m runner an unfair advantage.

CAS secretary general Matthieu Reeb said that the decision will be made as quickly as possible, 'probabally in the days following the hearing'.

If he wins his case he still has to achieve the minimum Olympic qualifying time of 45.95sec, or 45.55 if another South African runs less than 45.95. Pistorius' personal record is 46.46.

Pistorius, who as an 11-month-old baby had both of his legs amputated below the knee, runs on specially adapted carbon fibre blades that have seen him win Paralympic titles and challenge the times set by top-level able-bodied athletes.

But a scientific investigation into his springy prosthetics carried out by the Institute of Biomechanics at Cologne University last November found that they gave him a clear competitive edge over such athletes.