Some people are more forgiving than others, and this would appear to be the case when it comes to Paralympic runner Oscar Pistorius, who was recently convicted for the culpable homicide of girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.
The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) last week indicated that if he is not imprisoned he would not necessarily be barred from competing again. They said that under certain conditions such as qualifying times, and the South African selection process, Pistorius “would be free to compete again”.
Since then Sir Philip Craven, has revised that comment when speaking to the Daily Telegraph on the IPC celebrating 25 years since it was founded. He is quoted as saying “Is there a possibility that legally Oscar Pistorius could come back and compete at the Paralympic Games? Yes, of course, there is a legal possibility of that.Whether it will happen or not, is highly hypothetical. We don’t even know the sentence yet.”
If the IPC do allow Pistorius to compete the chances of him competing in the United Kingdom may be a different matter
The British Immigration authorities have taken a much stronger line. Reports state the Home Office sources have said that such a serious offence is likely to see him denied entry to the United Kingdom, no matter what sentence is handed down. This is part of their toughening of their immigration laws.
One sports personality who has already been on the receiving end of this tough line approach is former World Boxing Champion Mike Tyson who was refused entry due to his criminal past, when trying to gain entry to promote his autobiography last year.
