Alan Oliveira: Future of Paralympics does not hinge on Oscar Pistorius

 
Alan Oliveira

The Paralympic movement will recover from the tragedy surrounding Oscar Pistorius, according to his leading rival at London 2012.

Alan Oliveira handed Pistorius his first defeat in his Paralympic career in the 200metres last year, which sparked a row with the South African questioning the validity of the Brazilian’s blades.

Pistorius has given the Paralympic movement much wider global recognition than ever thanks to his six gold medals and also his exploits in becoming the first double amputee to qualify for the Olympics.

However, Pistorius is now facing a charge of premeditated murder after shooting his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp dead last month. Pistorius denies the charge but whatever the outcome is, Oliveira argues that the movement can recover from the tragic events.

“Oscar is a great athlete but there are lots of new talents coming up and it doesn’t depend on only one athlete so it will move on after that,” he said.

Of the events at Pistorius’s house near Pretoria, the 26-year-old said: “I was very sorry for what happened. Let’s wait for the investigation to see what really happened.”

Oliveira believes he is among the leading candidates to take over from Pistorius as one of the stars of the next Paralympics in Rio.

Speaking at the Laureus Sports Awards in Rio de Janeiro, he said: “I hope I am going to be the great name of the Paralympics here because it’s my home.”

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