Pistorius unlikely to run this year
| 21 May 2013 09:09 |
| Oscar Pistorius has turned his back on athletics for the rest of the year to focus on fighting the murder charge hanging over him. |
| The South African's agent Peet van Zyl told Press Association Sport the 26-year-old was not mentally ready to return to competition as he awaits trial, charged with the premeditated murder of his girlfriend. |
| Instead, the athlete has turned down a number of invitations to meetings. |
| "There was never any pressure from me or his coach (Ampie Louw) to return to competition, it's his decision and it's his decision not to compete," Van Zyl said. |
| The six-time Paralympic gold medallist is charged with the murder on Valentine's Day of Reeva Steenkamp. |
| He is next due in court on 4 June, with a trial expected to take place before the end of this year. The double amputee claims that when he fired the shots which killed the 29-year-old through the bathroom door at his home in Pretoria, he believed he was shooting at an intruder. |
