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Articles on Oscar Pistorius

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Cathy Freeman was criticised for flying the Aboriginal flag at the 1994 Commonwealth Games but the same act at the Sydney 2000 Olympics was hailed as a moment of reconciliation. Reuters/Jerry Lampen

Why being a sporting role model isn’t as simple as most people think

Athletes are increasingly expected to be good role models. But we don’t usually expect them to sacrifice their chance of winning to help others.
Olympic and Paralympic track star Oscar Pistorius arrives at the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria, South Africa, for his sentencing. Reuters/Siphiwe Sibeko

Oscar Pistorius sentence: you might not like it, but it is the law

Under South African law, murder carries a minimum sentence of 15 years for first-time offenders. But courts may deviate from this if they find ‘substantial and compelling circumstances’ to do so.
Olympic and Paralympic track star Oscar Pistorius speaks with his legal team ahead of his sentence hearing at the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria, South Africa. Reuters/Masi Losi/Pool

Oscar Pistorius gets six years for murdering Reeva Steenkamp

Disgraced Paralympic superstar Oscar Pistorius has been sentenced to six years in prison for the 2013 murder of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp. You can find a selection of articles The Conversation has…
Oscar Pistorius’ early release was a virtual certainty from the day he was sentenced. EPA/Herman Verwey

Why parole for Oscar Pistorius is perfectly legitimate

Oscar Pistorius was convicted of culpable homicide for what was deemed a tragic accident. In light of that verdict, he has not been subject to any special treatment in terms of his sentence.
Guns were part of Pistorius’ life at home and in public. EPA/Phill Magakoe/Pool

Pistorius verdict reflects a troubling relationship with guns

South African paralympic athlete Oscar Pistorius has been found not guilty of the murder of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp. The presiding judge, Thokozile Masipa, found him guilty, though, of culpable…
The judge in Oscar Pistorius’ trial has asked for his mental health to be assessed. EPA/Gianluigi Guercia

Oscar Pistorius faces psychiatric tests – what are anxiety disorders?

Oscar Pistorius’ trial took another dramatic turn earlier this week when the judge in the case agreed to a prosecution request to have his mental health assessed. After a psychiatrist called by the defence…
Pistorius trial has kept violence against women on the frontpage. Kim Ludbrook/EPA

Who is killing women in South Africa? The inconvenient truth

Who is responsible for violence towards women? This question runs like a thread through some of the public discourses swirling around the trial of athlete Oscar Pistorius. In some ways he represents an…

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