Oscar Pistorius Case: Agent Cancels All Future Races, but Says Sponsors Still Support Him - East Idaho News
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Oscar Pistorius Case: Agent Cancels All Future Races, but Says Sponsors Still Support Him

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Getty W 021713 OscarPistoriusJPG?  SQUARESPACE CACHEVERSION=1361135078980KARIM JAAFAR/AFP/Getty Images(PRETORIA, South Africa) — Oscar Pistorius won’t run in any of the future races that the athlete was contracted to compete in, but the Paraylmpic gold medalist’s sponsors are still supportive as he faces a murder charge, his agent said on Sunday.

The decision to cancel Pistorius’ scheduled appearances was made to “allow Oscar to concentrate on the upcoming legal proceedings and to help and support all those involved as they try to come to terms with this very difficult and distressing situation,” Peet Van Zyl of In Site Athlete Management said in a statement.

“I have decided that following these tragic events that we have no option but to cancel all future races that Oscar Pistorius had been contracted to compete in,” Van Zyl said.

Pistorius was slated to compete in races in Australia and Brazil, as well as at the Drake Relays in Iowa and the Manchester City Games in the U.K.

Van Zyl also said that Pistorius’ sponsors and partners are supportive.

“I can confirm that at this point in time, all parties are supportive and their contractual commitments are maintained. They have said they are happy to let the legal process takes its course before making any change in their position,” Van Zyl said in the statement.

However, M-Net movies, a subscription-funded South African television channel has pulled their ad campaign featuring Pistorius, tweeting, “Out of respect & sympathy to the bereaved, M-Net will be pulling its entire Oscar campaign featuring Oscar Pistorius with immediate effect.”

The agent’s announcement comes as family and friends rallied to Pistorius’ defense — saying they believe the Paralympic gold medalist’s story that he shot his model girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp by accident after he mistook her for an intruder.

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