Oscar Pistorius could lose his London 2012 Paralympic medals after sporting federations and anti-doping agencies claimed they were monitoring developments in South Africa following reports that banned steroids were found from ‘Blade runner’s home during the murder investigation of his girlfriend.
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Pistorius, who has been charged with the premeditated murder of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, faces the additional humiliation of having his Paralympic world records annulled and having to return his London 2012 Paralympic medals if evidence is given during his trial that he was taking steroids before or during the London Games, the Telegraph reported.
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) said that it would allow the criminal proceedings to run their course rather than open an immediate case against him. WADA said in a statement that it is aware of the newspaper reports suggesting that steroids were found at the home of Pistorius, adding as this is a police matter, they and the South Africa Institute for Drug-Free Sport must work appropriately with the police.
WADA added bearing in mind the ongoing police investigation they must refrain from making any statement at present. It is standard procedure for WADA and other anti-doping agencies to wait for a criminal investigation to finish before they take formal action, although evidence presented in the Pistorius trial could be used in a sports hearing, the paper reported.
The International Athletics Federation said that any evidence given under oath that Pistorius took steroids would be treated as full disclosure and that it would react to the allegation retrospectively, the paper said.
