Family denies Pistorius back in training

Oscar Pistorius's family issued a statement on Thursday denying the Olympic and Paralympic 'Blade Runner' was back in training for the first time since he was charged with murdering his girlfriend.

Oscar Pistorius's family issued a statement on Thursday denying the Olympic and Paralympic 'Blade Runner' was back in training for the first time since he was charged with murdering his girlfriend.

South African newspapers had published a grainy photograph, reportedly taken by a visiting schoolgirl, of the double amputee in running gear and wearing his carbon-fibre blades on a Pretoria University running track last month.

"Oscar is not back on any official training programme," the family statement said. "This may change in future, but this will be a decision taken by Oscar and Oscar alone.

"At this point Oscar is still in an extremely traumatized state and has made it clear to all of us that he is not able or willing to even contemplate this issue at this stage.

"Oscar has been out running on a number of isolated occasions in the days following the relaxation of his bail conditions, but each time has been very difficult and he has 'struggled immensely' with the decision to even leave the house," it added.