By Tom Degun

oscar pistorius 200513May 20 - Oscar Pistorius will not compete at all this year as he awaits trial for the alleged murder of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, his coach and agent have both confirmed.


The 26-year-old six-time Paralympic champion from Johannesburg was charged with the murder of Steenkamp in February after she was shot dead inside his home but the double leg amputee sprinter was released on bail and recently saw his conditions relaxed following an appeal so that he can now travel abroad if he wishes.

His case is due back in court in South Africa on June 4, with a trial expected to take place before the end of this year.

But despite talk of him returning to compete the 2013 International Paralympic Committee (IPC) World Athletics Championships in Lyon in July, his camp says he is not mentally ready to race this year.

"We have decided as a team we are not talking about any training or athletics," said his coach Ampie Louw.

"We have postponed races for the whole year.

"He is nowhere close to being in a position to train.

"He just does fitness exercises in the morning with his family."

Oscar-Pistorius-in-courtOscar Pistorius is due back in court on June 4 having been charged with the murder of girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp

Pistorius' agent Peet van Zyl added that the decision has been made despite requests from organisers for the Paralympian to compete at their events.

"There were a good number of requests for him," Van Zyl said.

"Enough to keep him busy through the year.

"But there was never any pressure from me or his coach to return.

"It's his decision."

Of the events Pistorius was invited to, the London Anniversary Games at the Olympic Stadium was not on the list, with UK Athletics chairman Ed Warner saying he did not want the meeting to turn into a "media circus" around the Paralympian.

But Warner, who is also the chairman of the IPC Athletics Sport Technical Committee, admitted there was a chance the South African could have competed at the 2013 World Championships in Lyon if he had chosen to do so.

Oscar Pistorius and girlfriend 200513Oscar Pistorius has been charged with the alleged murder of Reeva Steenkamp (left)

"The onus is really on Oscar himself and the South African Federation over whether he actually wants to compete and whether they want to select him or not," Warner told insidethegames earlier this month.

"So there is a chain here.

"It starts with the athlete himself and his federation.

"They must decide what they want to do before it then goes to the IPC."

But with Pistorius now deciding not to compete, the IPC no longer needs to decide whether to allow him to appear in Lyon or not.

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May 2013: Exclusive - Pistorius could still compete at World Championships says IPC Athletics chief
April 2013: Pistorius "not in full training" despite being pictured on the track
March 2013: Pistorius free to compete abroad after judge relaxes bail conditions
February 2013: Pistorius begins withdrawing from events after being left "numb with shock" following murder charge