Oscar Pistorius Could Compete At Rio 2016

IPC spokesman Craig Spence says of Pistorius: "Providing he serves his
sentence then he will be free to compete in IPC competitions"

Oscar Pistorius will be allowed to compete at the 2016 Paralympic
Games if he is not in jail, the International Paralympic Committee has
revealed.

The South African, 27, was found guilty of culpable homicide on Friday
after the judge ruled he killed his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp by
mistake.

Sentencing will take place on 13 October, but Pistorius could compete
at Rio if he has served his sentence.

"We wouldn't stand in his way," said IPC spokesman Craig Spence.

Pistorious, nicknamed Blade Runner, won six gold medals at three
Paralympic Games and made history by becoming the first amputee
sprinter to compete at the Olympics.

IPC director of media and communications Spence said that the
organisation's thoughts were with the family and friends of Steenkamp.

But he said the IPC would not block Pistorius if he had served his
sentence and wanted to compete at Rio.

"Providing he serves his sentence then he will be free to compete in
IPC competitions going forward," Spence told BBC chief sports
correspondent Dan Roan.

"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.

Pistorius won his first of six Paralympic gold medals at Athens in 2004

"If he had served any punishment given to him before Rio then the ball
would be in his court."

But former Paralympian Baroness Tanni-Grey Thompson doubts whether
Pistorius would make the Games - even if he had served his punishment
and was picked to represent South Africa.

"He'll have missed a chunk of time training and competing," added the
11-time Paralympic gold medallist.

"His sponsors aren't there anymore...financially he's in a very
difficult position.

BBC