Sports

Jailed South African Paralympic champion, Oscar Pistorius, who killed girlfriend up for parole Friday

Published

2 months ago

March 29, 2023

Jailed South African Paralympic champion, Oscar Pistorius, could be released from prison on Friday after spending 10 years for killing his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, on Valentine’s Day in 2013,

Pistorius, according to the South African Correctional Service, is going to face another parole board in Pretoria which will decide whether he should be let out early, with his legal team believing the hearing will be successful.

The board, normally made up of correctional services and community members, will consider whether an inmate has been rehabilitated or still poses a danger to society.

They will consider the seriousness of the offence as well as Pistorius’ behaviour behind bars, including whether he attended educational and life skills programmes.

“The board must determine whether the purpose of imprisonment has been served,” said Department of Correctional Services’ spokesman Singabakho Nxumalo, on Wednesday.

Now 36, Pistorius, shot dead Steenkamp, a model, in the early hours of February 14, 2013, when he fired four times through the bathroom door of his ultra-secure Pretoria house.

At his trial, he pleaded not guilty and denied that he killed Steenkamp in a rage, saying he mistook her for a burglar.

Known as the “Blade Runner” because of his carbon-fibre prosthetics, he was sentenced to 13 years behind bars and has served more than half, having started his term in 2014.

As part of his rehabilitation, Pistorius met Steenkamp’s parents, June and Barry last year, in a process authorities said aims to ensure inmates “acknowledge the harm they have caused to their victims and the society at large.”

Click to comment

Sports

FIFA honours Osimhen after amazing season with Napoli

Published

15 hours ago

June 7, 2023

Akanimoh Etim

Following his record-breaking season with Napoli where he scored 26 goals to win the Serie A top scorer award, Nigerian striker, Victor Osimhen has been honoured by the Federation of International Football Association (FIFA).

The world football governing body Tuesday presented Osimhen with a customized jersey and soccer ball for his “superb displays for Napoli in the 2022/23 season,” which led to Napoli winning the Scudetto after a 33-year wait, according to an official of FIFA, Gelson Fernandes, in a “special message” to the 24-year-old Nigerian forward.

“Victor Osimhen, you represent at the moment what football can do,” Fernandes wrote in an Instagram post.

“From Lagos to Napoli where people love you, you have suffered, but your love for football and determination have guided you.

“Keep going, keep pushing. Africa needs examples and millions are watching and dreaming.”

Osimhen became the first African to win the highest goal scorer award, while also becoming the first player since Zlatan Ibrahimovic to win both the Capocannoniere and the Scudetto in the same season, a record which has stood for 14 long years.

His horde of honours was also enhanced with a National Award of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic bestowed on him by former Nigerian President, Muhammadu Buhari.

Sports

Tunisian tennis star, Ons Jabeur zooms into French Open quarter-finals

Published

2 days ago

June 6, 2023

Akanimoh Etim

Tunisian tennis sensation, Ons Jabeur took a step further in her quest to win the 2023 French Open Grand Slam when she defeated World number 36, Bernarda Pera 6-3, 6-1 to zoom into the quarter-finals.

Jabeur, ranked number 7 in the world, and who only won her first WTA 1000 title at the Madrid Open last year, has since then been facing a downward slide coupled with injuries which saw her either missing out on some tournaments or crashing out in early rounds.

However, the 28-year-old who became the first ever African woman to reach a Grand Slam final last year, was at her best when she defeated Pera to move to the next stage on Monday night.

Though Jabeur was not at her fluent best and was herself broken three times in the first set and at the start of the second set, she still raced through the final six games, sealing victory in 63 minutes.

“I never thought about something was missing or I didn’t reach all four of them,” the African said after the match.

“Maybe it’s a good thing. It came and hopefully, we’ll set it to all semi-finals and then all finals,” she added.