Oscar Pistorius  has been sentenced to five years in prison for the manslaughter of Reeva  Steenkamp – but he could serve just 10 months in jail before being held  under house arrest.

Pistorius killed  his girlfriend in the early hours of Valentine’s Day in 2013 when he shot Miss  Steenkamp, who was 29, through the bathroom door at his home in  Pretoria.

Even if the  27-year-old is released from prison early, the International Paralympic  Committee has confirmed he will not be permitted to compete at any of their  events for five years. This rules Pistorius out of running at the 2016 Rio de  Janeiro Paralympics but he could return for Tokyo 2020.

(South African police escort Oscar Pistorius (left) to prison in the back of an  armoured vehicle)

(Pistorius enters the armoured vehicle, which took him  to Kgosi Mampuru II prison, formerly Pretoria Central)

(Pistorius pictured in November 2012 with girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, who he shot  dead in their home)

This would change  if Pistorius appealed against Judge Thokozile Masipa’s punishment and was handed  a shorter sentence, but the IPC confirmed it is currently impossible for the  athlete to compete in Rio.

Craig Spence,  spokesman for the IPC, said: ‘It’s five years, 2019 is where we stand on  it.

‘The only way he  could compete earlier is if he or his team appealed and got a lesser  sentence.’

The International  Olympic Committee were more equivocal about Pistorius being allowed to compete  against able-bodied athletes in Rio in 2016 or Tokyo four years  later.

‘We take note of  the court’s decision,’ said IOC spokesman Mark Adams. ‘This is a human tragedy  for the family of Reeva Steenkamp and also for Oscar Pistorius. We hope very  much that time will bring comfort to all those concerned but at this stage we  have no further comment to make.’

Pistorius’  selection would first need to be ratified by the IAAF – athletics’ world  governing body – before reaching the IOC.

The amputee  athlete, known as the Blade Runner, stood staring straight ahead as Judge Masipa  announced his sentence for killing the model. Pistorius always argued that he  thought he was firing at intruders into his home.

[via The Daily Mail]