Oscar Pistorius: Nike Won't Use Athlete in Ads After Murder Charge

Nike won't use Oscar Pistorius, the South African track star charged with the murder of girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, in its future ad campaigns, the Associated Press reports.

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A Nike representative confirmed the company's decision with the AP but declined to say whether it would remove current ads featuring Pistorius or whether it had made prior plans with the athlete to be featured in upcoming spots. 

Pistorius -- whose legs were both amputated below the knee when he was a baby -- is the first amputee track athlete to participate in any Olympic outing, qualifying last year for London's individual 400 and the 4x400 relay races. He's also a Paralympics gold medalist whose brand sponsorships also included Oakley.

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Nike, meanwhile, has yanked an online ad with Pistorius, sporting his signature blades, and the caption: "I am the bullet in the chamber."

The 26-year-old was charged on Valentine's Day with shooting Steenkamp, 29, to death four times at his home in the capital of Pretoria. He had dated the model and law school grad for several months. On Saturday, the South African Broadcasting Corp. aired Steenkamp's reality show debut, Tropika Treasure Hunt.

In court last Friday, Pistorius  broke down sobbing while attorneys debated whether his case should be televised; the runner is scheduled to appear before a judge on Tuesday for a bail hearing, and allegedly confessed to friends that he killed Steenkamp.