Kirani James’ agent, Renaldo Nehemiah, told News Americas Now by email Tuesday that his team have “advised Kirani to avoid making comments about the Pistorius situation,” shutting down any reaction from the Grenadian Olympian to the news that has stunned the world.
James, the first Grenadian to win an Olympic medal last summer in London, made news worldwide after he swapped bib numbers with Pistorius following the running of the semi-finals of the 4×400 meters. The South African failed to qualify for the finals but James, who won the race and went on to win gold in the 400-m, showed sportsmanship by swapping tags with the double amputee.
“My hat’s off to him, just coming out here and competing,” James told reporters in London at the time. “I just see him as another athlete, another competitor. What’s more important is I see him as another person. He’s someone I admire and respect.”
But with allegations by South African prosecutors that Pistorius shot his girlfriend, model Reeva Steenkamp , the James camp is staying silent.
By contrast, Bolt, who played in a Celebrity basketball game over the weekend, said he is shocked at the allegation.
“When I heard [about the murder], I was like, ‘What? Who? The amputee guy?’ I was asking all sorts of questions because I was thinking, ‘This can’t be the same guy that I’ve seen and I know,'” he told CNN.
Adding: “I still can’t process it really. As far as I’m concerned, I’m just listening out and listening to the news. I’m still in shock.”
The Jamaican star athlete says he will be following the case closely in the media as it unfolds.
Trinidad-born Olympian and sportscaster, Bolden, also told CNN Monday, that he too is stunned at the news and said Pistorius’ name would not have come up if he was asked initially to guess at who the athlete being slapped with murder charge was. But he warned: “athletes and guns are never a good mix.”
On Tuesday, Pistoriuss bail hearing was postponed to Wednesday even as in an affidavit read by his lead attorney in court, he insisted the shooting was one of mistaken identity. The Associated Press reported that a 9mm handgun had been found at his home in the luxurious Silver Woods gated community.
