PARIS, Feb 16: The murder charge brought against Oscar Pistorius, whose fairytale story attracted multi-million dollar investment from various worldwide brands, has plunged his army of sponsors into turmoil.

From sports equipment giant Nike to British Telecom (BT), who made him the face of their publicity campaign for the London Paralympics last year, through to Ossur, the Icelandic-based manufacturers of his prosthetic limbs, the response to the shocking news appears to be “wait and see”.

“Given the ongoing legal proceedings, it would be inappropriate for us to give any further comment at present. Our thoughts are with all those affected,” said a BT spokesperson, adding that the six-time Paralympic champion would remain a brand ambassador.

“At this moment, it’s a matter that’s being investigated. We’re not speaking about the sponsorship,” said Nike South Africa spokeswoman Seruscka Naidoo, who said there was an “issue at hand here which is much bigger than a sponsorship”.

Pistorius’ website had featured a Nike advert with a photo of the South African accompanied by the slogan “I am the bullet in the chamber” before its removal in the wake of Thursday’s shooting.

Meanwhile, M-Net Movies, a subscription-funded TV channel in South Africa, elected to pull its “Every night is Oscar night” campaign “out of respect and sympathy to the bereaved”.

Born without the fibula bone in either leg, Pistorius, 26, became the first double amputee to challenge able-bodies athletes at the Olympic Games, transcending the little covered world of handicapped sport to become a global icon.—AFP