Markus Rehm is still hopeful of competing in the Rio Olympic Games after the Paralympic long jump champion stated that a study showed athletes with a carbon-fibre prosthesis do not gain an unfair advantage over able-bodied competitors. 

A ruling introduced by the IAAF recently requires amputee athletes to prove they have no advantage over rivals and a study was carried out in an attempt to answer that question.

Rehm still harbours hopes of showcasing his talents in the Rio Olympics in August after the findings of the study were revealed on Monday.

The 27-year-old German said: "One could not determine an advantage through the prosthesis and that makes me happy,

"I have not given up hope of making it to Rio. It is not about medals but about presenting Paralympic sport."

Professor Wolfgang Potthast of the Institute of Biomechanics and Orthopaedics at the German Sport University Cologne said of the study: "We saw disadvantages in the run-up for athletes with amputations of the lower thigh that we could determine were due to the prosthesis,

"But in the movement techniques, we noted an advantage due to the improved jump efficiency. These are two completely different movements and cannot be offset."

The study was carried out in association with the German Sport University Cologne, Tokyo's National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, the University of Colorado Boulder and a Japanese broadcaster.

Rehm would be the second athlete with a carbon fibre prosthesis to compete in the Olympics if he is given the green light, with Oscar Pistorius having represented South Africa in London four years ago.