Categories: Sports News
| Published On Apr 23, 2014 11:09 am CEST  |  Updated on May 2, 2021 1:42 pm CEST | By Daniel Allermand

Paddy Power Gets Reprimanded for Oscar Pistorius Ad

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Paddy Power is the attention of the media these days, first for sending the grim reaper after David Moyes and now because they have gotten a reprimand by the Advertising Standards Authority of Ireland after running a advertising campaign where bettors could bet on the outcome of the Oscar Pistorius case.

The Paddy Power Advert for betting on Oscar Pistorius’ trial

The campaign was shown all across the UK in newspapers and in the local bookies and features a Oscar statuette which has been designed to look like Pistorius, as well as the text “Oscar Time – Money Back if he Walks”. Pistorius is currently under trial for having murdered his wife, admitting to do so but believing she was an intruder. Pistorius is most known for having prosthetic legs and being the world’s fastest runner with those legs.

The advertising campaign caused some stir in the UK, where a total of 65 complaints were filed against Paddy Power. The complaints were in general stating that the advertisement was offensive to the victim, his family as well as for women as they believe that Paddy Power trivialised domestic violence as well as being rude towards handicapped people.

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Paddy Power of course do not share these beliefs and finds it absurd how some people can take an advertising and turn it that Paddy Power should be all for domestic violence and against handicapped people. They admitted to having used “adult humour” in the “If he walks” line, but other from that there were no intensions of crossing the line and believed that everything was caused by 10 people with too much media attention.

But the ASAI said that they withhold their reprimand stating that the ad “had been found to be offensive as it appeared to make light of murder and domestic violence” and “could be seen to trivialize the difficulties associated with disability including amputees”. Paddy Power didn’t comment any further on the case.

Daniel Allermand

Daniel Allermand is a freelance writer, with more than 14 years of experience in the industry as an operator, affiliate and poker player. Daniel has decided it was time to try and bring more coverage about the industry to the general public by writing articles about everything from poker to casino.