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Oscar Pistorius, a former Paralympic champion, has been granted parole after serving nearly 11 years in prison for the murder of his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp. He has been released from prison.
On February 14th, 2013, he fatally shot Steenkamp and was subsequently imprisoned following a widely publicized trial in South Africa.
Revised: Pistorius was granted parole on November 24, effective January 5, 2023, after serving half of his 13-year and five-month sentence for murder.
It is anticipated that he will reside in a garden cottage on his affluent uncle’s secured premises in Pretoria. There is conjecture that, at 37 years old, he may attempt to rejoin the world of high-level Paralympic competition. However, is this a feasible possibility?
Here is all the information you need to know regarding a possible return.
What were the accomplishments of Oscar Pistorius in athletics?
Oscar Pistorius rose to international recognition in the early 2000s after winning a gold medal in the T44 200m event at the 2004 Paralympic Games in Athens. He achieved this feat at the age of 17, overcoming a fall in the heats and still managing to qualify for the final.
The South African athlete then aimed to compete against non-disabled runners at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, but was denied participation in the event by World Athletics (formerly known as IAAF).
The Court of Arbitration for Sport ultimately reversed the ban, but Pistorius was unable to meet the qualifying standard for the Olympics by only 0.70 seconds. Despite this setback, he dominated at the Paralympics that year, winning gold in the T44 category for the 100m, 200m, and 400m events. He then set his sights on qualifying for the 2012 London Olympics.
He was able to achieve his goal this time and made it to the 400m semi-finals, representing South Africa in the 4x400m relay. He also earned three more Paralympic medals in the same year. However, a few months later, he committed the murder of Steenkamp and was subsequently imprisoned in 2013.
Pistorius achieved multiple medals in international contests representing South Africa.
Can he participate in athletics under his parole conditions?
Pistorius, even though he is not incarcerated anymore, will be closely monitored and must adhere to parole requirements until his sentence ends in December 2029.
He is prohibited from consuming alcohol and other banned substances, conducting media interviews, and must adhere to a curfew.
According to a lawyer representing the Steenkamp family, Pistorius must participate in gender-based violence programs and continue therapy for managing anger after being granted parole.
The specific terms of his release are still unclear, but he would require special permission from the legal system in order to begin participating in sprinting events. This may be particularly necessary if it involves traveling abroad.
Singabakho Nxumalo, who speaks on behalf of the Department of Corrections, stated that Pistorius will require authorization from authorities to leave Pretoria for the next five years. Nxumalo clarified that being granted parole does not signify the end of Pistorius’ sentence, as it is still considered part of his punishment. It simply means that he will serve the remainder of his sentence outside of a correctional facility.
Is he physically fit for a comeback in sports?
There have been no recent photos of Pistorius since his imprisonment, but accounts from his time in prison indicate that he has grown a beard, put on weight, and started smoking. If these reports are accurate, he would not only be unrecognizable from his previous identity as an elite athlete, but also physically unfit to return to competitive sports.
It is highly improbable that Pistorius will return to the Paralympics.
Is he planning to participate in the 2024 Paralympic Games?
The upcoming Paralympic Games will be held in Paris during the summer of next year. If Pistorius wants to compete, he must have an active World Para Athletics Athlete Licence for the 2024 season and be classified in an eligible sport class by August 5, 2024, with his status either confirmed or under review.
The athlete must fulfill the qualifying time criteria at a World Para Athletics competition held between October 2022 and August 2024, unless they are granted an exemption through the ‘Bipartite Commission Invitation’. This exception allows athletes who were unable to qualify under exceptional circumstances to compete at the Paralympics at the discretion of the organizers.
The chances are slim that the Paralympic Committee would exercise their judgment to permit a convicted killer to participate in Paris 2024. And even if they did, Pistorius would still have to be chosen for the team by the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee, which could cause tension in his home country only half a year after his release on parole.
Is Pistorius eligible to participate in the World Para Athletics Championships?
The Kobe, Japan event in May is the venue for the World Para Athletics Championships. It is unlikely that Pistorius will meet the necessary requirements to participate in the championships, but organizers may choose to give him a spot at their discretion.
Unfortunately, Japan has extremely strict regulations regarding the entry of individuals with criminal records, particularly in cases of murder, making their immigration laws especially stringent.
Given the previously mentioned potential travel issues, it is highly unlikely that he will be able to attend the Worlds.
Additional reporting was done by Reuters.
Source: independent.co.uk
