Oscar Pistorius sentence: Six-time Paralympic champion will not be allowed to compete until full five year sentence has been served

Pistorius was sentenced to five years in prison for the culpable homicide of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, but could be out in as little as 10 months

Oscar Pistorius wins gold at the London 2012 Paralympics (Getty Images)

Six-time Paralympic champion Oscar Pistorius will be ineligible for athletic competition until he has served a five-year sentence for culpable homicide, it is understood.

Pistorius, 27, was jailed on Tuesday in Pretoria for killing his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on February 14, 2013.

He was handed a three-year suspended sentence for a separate firearms charge as a lengthy case reached its conclusion.

Pistorius was last month convicted of culpable homicide but cleared of murder. A member of Pistorius's legal team claimed after the hearing that he is expected to serve a sixth of the sentence - around 10 months - in jail before being held under house arrest.

The sentence means Pistorius, who won his first Paralympic gold medal in Athens in 2004 aged 17, will not be free to compete in International Paralympic Committee events until 2019.

It ensures the 400metres specialist, who won three Paralympic golds in Beijing in 2008 and another at London 2012, where he also competed in the Olympics, will miss the Rio de Janeiro Games in 2016, but may, should he wish to do so, return for Tokyo 2020.

The IPC chose not to react to the sentencing by Judge Thokozile Masipa on Tuesday, having issued a statement when she delivered her verdict almost six weeks ago.

The IPC said on September 12: "Our thoughts remain with all those who have been affected by this terrible tragedy, in particular the family and friends of Reeva Steenkamp who sadly lost her life in this incident.

"Throughout this case, the IPC has stressed the importance of differentiating between Oscar's contribution to the Paralympic Movement and his private life.

"As a sports organisation, it would be unwise for the IPC to comment on the conclusion of a court case that is not related to sport."

PA