Oscar Pistorius will Be Allowed to Compete at 2016 Paralympic Games after Sentence
The International Paralympic Committee has revealed that Oscar Pistorius will be allowed to compete at the 2016 Paralympic Games if he completes his sentence.
The South African has won six gold medals at three Paralympic Games and made history by becoming the first amputee sprinter to compete at the Olympics. He was found guilty of culpable homicide of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on Friday but He will be sentenced on 13 October.
Although the IPC director of media and communications, Craig Spence said that the organisation’s thoughts were with the family and friends of Steenkamp, he also revealed that the 27-year-old will be allowed to compete at Rio if he has served his sentence.
“We wouldn’t stand in his way, providing he serves his sentence then he will be free to compete in IPC competitions going forward,” Spence said. “Oscar would need to decide first whether he wanted to compete and then he would need to be selected by the South African National Paralympic Committee.
“If he had served any punishment given to him before Rio then the ball would be in his court.”
IPC chief executive Xavier Gonzalez also said Pistorius’s conviction will not harm the profile of the Paralympic movement.
“The trial has had no negative impact on the Paralympic movement,” he added. “Since London and Sochi 2014 we have seen an incredible growth in all aspects of our activities and we are looking forward positively to Rio and Pyeongchang.
“Oscar was a fundamental ambassador of the Paralympic movement in the period between 2008 and 2012. Since then the Paralympic movement has many other ambassadors and many other athletes that have been recognised globally.”
