Former Paralympic star Oscar Pistorius will remain behind bars after a South African parole board turned down his request for early release.
Pistorius has been in prison since 2016 for the murder of his girlfriend, model Reeva Steenkamp.
Speaking to reporters Friday, South African Correctional Services spokesman Singabakho Nxumalo said the parole board, after receiving clarification from South Africa’s Supreme Court, determined Pistorius has not served the minimum time required to be eligible for parole.
Nxumalo said Pistoriius can again seek parole in August of 2024. In South Africa, prisoners are eligible for parole once they have served at least half their sentence.
Pistorius was convicted of the murder of Steenkamp on February 14, 2013. He shot her multiple times through the bathroom door in his home.
During his trial, which drew extensive international attention, the double-amputee athlete once known as the “Blade Runner” for his prosthetic running gear, said he mistook Steeknamp for a burglar.
Pistorius was originally sentenced to five years in prison. But in 2017, South Africa’s Supreme Court agreed with state prosecutors, who argued the original sentence was too lenient and extended it to 13 years.
The parents of the victim, Barry and June Steenkamp, had opposed Pistorius’ release. The family’s attorney, Tania Koen, told the Reuters news agency that, while the family was relieved, they do not see Friday’s decision as a cause for celebration.
Pistorius was once viewed as a hero in South Africa, where he was a multiple Paralympic champion and made history by running against able-bodied athletes at the 2012 Olympics.
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