South African Parole Board to Decide Fate of Oscar Pistorius, Formerly One of the World’s Most Admired Athletes

Oscar Pistorius, the double-amputee Olympic runner who was once one of the world’s most admired athletes, could be granted parole on Friday after spending nearly 10 years in prison for murder.

The televised 2014 trial had viewers around the world glued to the courtroom video feed as prosecutors argued that the athlete, known as the “Blade Runner” for his carbon-fiber prosthetic legs, had deliberately shot his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on Valentines Day 2013. Pistorius was sent to prison in late 2014 and has been given a second chance at parole in the space of eight months after he was wrongly ruled ineligible for early release at a first hearing in March.

The South African parole board will meet to decide if the Olympic runner will be released. They will consider his conduct and disciplinary record in prison, his participation in educational or other training courses, his mental and physical state, whether they believe he is likely to relapse into crime and the risk he poses to the public.

The case has been closely followed by the public, and Pistorius’ supporters have argued that he has served enough time in prison and should be released. However, the prosecution has argued that the athlete should remain in prison for the full 15-year sentence.

The parole board’s decision will be closely watched by the public, as it will determine the fate of the athlete who was once one of the world’s most admired athletes. The outcome of the hearing could have a lasting impact on Pistorius’ future and the public’s perception of him.