Oscar is a role-model - Sascoc
SA Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (Sascoc) president Gideon Sam congratulated "blade runner" Oscar Pistorius on Tuesday for winning the 2012 Laureus World sportsperson of the year award.
"There's no doubting Oscar will be one of the key weapons in our battle to win even more medals at the Paralympics," Sam said in a statement.
"He is not only a Paralympics legend already, not only a fine ambassador for South Africa, but also a role-model to both athletes with disabilities as well as able-bodied athletes."
Sascoc CEO Tubby Reddy said his winning the award was a huge boost for South African sport.
"The impact that he has had on uplifting the image of sportsmen and women with disabilities is enormous."
Pistorius received the Laureus statuette at an awards ceremony in London on Monday.
On receiving the award, Pistorius said it had been a great privilege to be nominated and he thanked the Laureus academy members, describing them as "icons" to athletes.