The International Paralympic Committee will allow Oscar Pistorius to compete in the future after the movement’s most famous athlete was found guilty of the culpable homicide of his girlfriend.

South African double amputee runner Pistorius was said to have acted “negligently” when he fired shots through a toilet door, killing Reeva Steenkamp, but in the “belief that there was an intruder”, Judge Thokozile Masipa said in her verdict in Pretoria.

Pistorius will be sentenced on October 13 but the IPC said it would allow him to return to the sport.

Craig Spence, the IPC’s director of media and communications, said: “Oscar’s done a great deal for the Paralympic movement, he’s been an inspiration to millions, but obviously his priority now is to see (what) the judge decides.

“And then if he wishes to resume his athletics career then we wouldn’t step in his way, we would allow him to compete again in the future.”