Oscar Pistorius Challenges Bail Conditions on Travel Ban and Drugs Testing

Oscar PistorIus has instructed his lawyers to challenge his bail conditions on the grounds that they are unfair and unwarranted.

Africa's eNCA news website said the 26-year-old Paralympian athlete, who has been charged with the Valentine's Day murder of his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, wants modifications to many of the conditions set out at his bail hearing.

His lawyers said he was not a proven flight risk and should be allowed to travel internationally.

Judge Desmond Nair imposed the restrictions after ruling that Pistorius, also known as Blade Runner, did not need to be kept in custody until his murder trial starts in June.

Pistorius denied murder and said he shot her because he mistook her for an intruder.

As part of the bail conditions, Nair said the athlete must hand over all his guns, must not take drugs and must not be involved in violence against women.

Lawyers argued that it was not necessary for him to report daily to a police station and that he should not be under the supervision of a probation officer.

Wants to return to crime scene

They also wanted to overturn the drug and alcohol testing condition.

"There is no desire by the appellant to use any prohibited substance or alcohol but the condition imposed is not warranted or substantiated by facts," the court application maintained.

Pistorius wanted to be able to return to the scene of the crime and speak to neighbours, they said. He is banned from doing both under the bail ruling.

The conditions stipulate that he must not leave Pretoria without the consent of his parole officer and must not enter an airport or any area that would allow him to travel internationally.

Pistorius was forced to hand over his passport and any travel documents. Prosecutors argued that he posed a flight risk because he was thought to have a second home in Italy and offshore accounts.

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