Rarely has a sports hero fallen so brutally from his pedestal. Oscar Pistorius (37) amazed the world by sprinting to the Olympic Games without legs, but lost all luster after the murder of his girlfriend. Today – eleven years after the facts – the South African is released early. Although in the case of Pistorius that is very relative.
Iconic. Extraordinary. Inspiring.
For years, every witness was short of superlatives for the life story of Oscar Pistorius.
Earlier this century, the South African became a global role model with his groundbreaking sporting achievements, despite the loss of two lower legs due to a gene defect.
His participation as a paralympian in the ‘regular’ Olympic Games in 2012 is historic. Pistorius reaches the semi-finals of the 400 meters in London wearing artificial prostheses.
In their home country of South Africa, they almost put the phenomenon on a par with Nobel Prize winners Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu.
Due to his enormous popularity, Pistorius is doing great business financially thanks to deals with global brands such as Nike. And everything also seems picture perfect in the family when the athlete finds love with the famous fashion model Reeva Steenkamp.
On Valentine’s Day 2013, the fairytale story takes a tragic turn.
Pistorius kills his 29-year-old girlfriend Reeva at his home in Pretoria by shooting a pistol four times into a closed toilet door. According to the shooter, it was a fateful accident, because Pistorius claims he thought there was a burglar in the house.
But according to the prosecutor – and almost the entire public opinion – the reason was a heated argument between the couple and Pistorius shot his girlfriend in a fit of rage.
The case captivates the whole of South Africa, and the rest of the world is also shocked by the tragedy.
During the “trial of the century” – broadcast live on national television, a first – the judge first sentences Pistorius to 5 years in prison for manslaughter. Later, the Supreme Court converted it to murder and increased the prison sentence to 13 years and 5 months.
With tears in his eyes, the guilty person disappears behind lock and key.
Collective outrage
Today, almost 11 years after the facts, Pistorius is released early (to the anger of many).
The South African legal system allows prisoners to be released after half their sentence if they have good behavior and if there is a low chance of recidivism. Even with serious facts, such as in the case of Pistorius.
In recent weeks, various newspapers have outlined the doings of the ex-sprinter during his time behind prison walls. The Times knows that Pistorius filled his time by learning everything about investments, immersed himself in the Bible, coached others in powerlifting and moonlighted as a vegetable grower and cleaner.
Apart from a fight with a fellow inmate over phone time, Pistorius reportedly never made negative comments.
According to The Telegraph, life behind bars has undeniably scarred the South African. The once trained top athlete is now said to be several kilos heavier, has a beard and gray hair and is addicted to cigarettes.
Paparazzi are already crowding for the first photo.
Oscar Pistorius had to show during the trial how he walked without prosthetics.
The impending release of Pistorius is causing an unprecedented wave of collective outrage in South Africa, but also far beyond.
Barely nine years in prison for murdering a defenseless woman…
It is another hard slap in the face, especially for family and friends of the late Steenkamp. They regret that Pistorius continues to stick to his version of the facts.
In an attempt to find peace of mind, Steenkamp’s father visited Pistorius in prison a few years ago, but he persistently denied that he deliberately killed Reeva. “He gave me his truth, not mine,” said Barry Steenkamp, who has since passed away.
Mother June does not now oppose Pistorius’ release, but does wonder out loud in a letter whether Pistorius’ “huge anger problems” have disappeared. She also says “she is concerned for the safety of any woman who may come into contact with him in the future.”
In the meantime, the authorities are doing everything they can to underline that Pistorius’ parole does not at all equate to freedom.
The Olympian will be under strict supervision until his sentence expires in December 2029. He must also undergo anger management therapy and sessions on violence against women. Consuming alcohol and talking to the media is strictly prohibited.
Lurking danger
Anyway, not that Pistorius will consciously seek the spotlight any time soon – the man is being hunted wild in South Africa.
According to insiders, Blade Runner was already walking around inside the prison with a target on the back of several notorious gangs, but outside of it it will be no different.
On the contrary.
“There is no doubt that some people want Oscar’s scalp,” said Mark Williams-Thomas, a journalist and friend of Pistorius.
An ex-teacher who visited Pistorius several times in prison revealed that the South African himself is awake to the lurking danger. “He is afraid of being attacked when he goes to the store or bar,” the acquaintance noted.
This fear of revenge does not just appear out of the blue.
Remarkably, figures from the underworld already appeared in the courtroom during the murder trial. Hitman Mikey Schultz, among others, made it clear without words that Pistorius is better off sleeping with one eye open.
Many link the threat to Reeva’s late father Barry, who was active in the horse world all his life – a sector with a lot of money and therefore inevitably shady figures.
An anonymous acquaintance told The Sun: “Barry has made a lot of friends and not everyone is a sweetheart. Since the murder of his daughter, all he wanted was an admission of guilt. Now that Pistorius returns to the real world, someone can ‘convince’ him to tell the truth.” narrate.”
The South African probation service will therefore logically not release any details about Pistorius’ release. “We have to manage the risk carefully,” they realize.
Despite the great sensitivity of the entire file, the future ‘hiding address’ has already been leaked to the press.
Pistorius would be given housing (and work) by his wealthy uncle Arnold – a successful businessman who lives in a secure diplomatic district close to Pretoria. The public enemy had previously stayed there while awaiting trial.
The mansion is surrounded by large walls of barbed wire and has received increasing security upgrades in recent months as Pistorius’ release approaches.
Television crews are now waiting en masse on the sidewalk for his arrival, and sensational newspapers have undoubtedly already recruited some ‘spotters’ in the area. And the Reuters news agency even launched last night a live stream from the prison who will soon leave the fallen hero.
Pistorius is free again, but at what price?
An archive image of a camera crew at Uncle Arnold’s mansion, where Pistorius is said to be staying.
2024-01-05 04:00:00
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