Cramer VS Cramer

Oscar Pistorius - Trevor Cramer tries to answer the four most frequently asked questions

 

 

Following the initial shock and horror at the arrest of sporting icon and now murder suspect Oscar Pistorius last Thursday, I like most, have been engrossed with the bail application hearing playing itself out at the Pretoria Magistrates Court.

 

A "trial within a trial" if ever I have seen one, with both the Defence and the State already firing heavy artillery at each other before the case has even gone to trial.

 

My legal background is very limited and that would give me no right to comment on the drama that is unfolding in the courtroom and until now, partly because my body's shock absorbers are still mal-functioning.

 

So, in attempting to put into words some of my feelings, strictly from a sports journalist's point of view, I have attempted to answer four key questions for you which might clear the haze, without in any way prejudicing the legal process.

 

 

 

HOW WILL THIS AFFECT OSCAR'S CAREER?

 

There is absolutely no doubt that this will impact severely on Oscar's athletics career if he is found guilty. But, as we see, we are now only at the bail application stage.

 

Once that has been determined, the case will go to trial and the State and Defence given some time to prepare their case and then lead evidence. So the legal process alone could take quite a long time.

 

Oscar has had to put all his future meetings and appearances on hold. Some of the cancelled engagements, but to name a few, are pretty lucrative… among them the marquee event, the IAAF World Championships in Russia and meetings in Australia, Brazil, America and England.

 

Then there's the commercial string to his career. The Celebrity Nett Worth website earlier this week determined that Oscar's nett worth is said to be in the region of 5 million US Dollars. 

 

The court, as part of the bail application, also learned that his house is valued in the region of 5 million Rand, he owns further properties valued in the region of R1,6 million, his career as an athlete generates some 5,6 million Rand per year and also some cash investments totalling a million-plus per year. So that would tell you what he stands to lose financially.

 

In short, Pistorius has sponsorship and endorsement deals worth US $2-million a year with Össur, BT, Nike, Oakley and Thierry Mugler..He was also central to M-Net's "Oscar Month" ad campaign, while Nike, Oakley and the French cosmetic firm Clarins, who manufacture Thierry Mugler, announced they are dropping all adverstising campaigns featuring Oscar.

 

In saying that, there is a common denominator here. The campaigns and sponsorships were not pulled due to Oscar being charged with murder, but as they all put it..."Out of respect and compassion for the families implicated in this tragedy".

 

Clearly a reactive consequence of what has happened. Furthermore, companies may subject themselves to litigation because I don't need to highlight it again...Oscar still REMAINS INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY...

 

Right now it is very difficult to imagine that Oscar will recover from this tragic saga - It's undoubtedly likely to leave severe psychological scars, even if he ends up being acquitted.

 

 

 

 

HAS HE EVER TESTED POSITIVE FOR BANNED SUBSTANCES?

 

The answer to that is an emphatic NO...Being an elite athlete in both able bodied and Paralympic athletics, Pistorius would more than likely have been a target for both in and out of competition testing.

 

In fact, the International Paralympic Committee came out yesterday and confirmed that Oscar was drug-tested before - and during - last year's Paralympic Games in London and on both occasions the results were negative.

 

The first drug test in London was four days before the Games opened while the second would have been after he retained his T44 400m title for single and double below-the-knee amputee sprinters on the last full day of competition.

 

He was also tested by both the IAAF, who look after world athletics and the local SA Institute for drug-free sport last year.

 

 

 

ARE CERTAIN PUBLICATIONS JUMPING TO CONCLUSIONS BY CALLING THEM "STERIODS" WHEN THEY HAVEN'T EVEN BEEN TESTED YET?

 

YES...some nagging, unsubstantiated reports surfacing about certain drugs allegedly found in his home at the time of his arrest, but once again, untested and unsubstantiated.

 

In a chat with Fahmy Galant, the Doping Control Manager for the Institute for Drug-Free Sport in South Africa, it was confirmed that the list of prohibited substances is the same for able bodied and disabled athletes.

 

Not only that, but he told me that doping offences IN and OUT of competition can only be determined by a clinical testing process and NOT the mere possession of these substances. He also confirmed that random OUT of competition testing takes place regularly and without any prior warning.

 

So, as Galant explained to me, possession, unless it involves the illegal sale or distribution, is not grounds for banning an athlete and sanction is only meted out based on clinical testing.

 

Although details of any testing remain confidential, I'm convinced that Oscar, being the high profile athlete that he is, would be well aware that he would be tested regularly...

 

 

 

IF HE IS ACQUITTED CAN HE BECOME A SPORTING HERO AGAIN?

 

My answer is YES. Oscar remains a very accomplished athlete and a sporting icon and over and above all his accomplishments on the track, which are all well documented, it is something which can't and won't be expunged from the annuls of sporting history.

 

I am forced to take the Tiger Woods case as an example. He may have become a liability to many backers and sponsors during his drawn out, high profile divorce case with his wife Elin and all the events leading up to it, but fact is, he remained the sporting icon that he is and one could never ignore all his accomplishments.

 

Today he is stronger for it and has bounced back both financially and on the golf course.

 

Oscar has also broken through every conceivable barrier placed before him in his life and accomplished what many other able bodied athletes have failed to - AGAINST ALL ODDS.

 

That a personal tragedy can floor such a role model and iconic flag-bearer for disabled sport worldwide, is nothing short of tragic...Let's wait and see what is decided the Court of Law.

 

 

-  Trevor Cramer