Paddy Power reprimanded over Pistorius promo

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) in the UK has told Paddy Power to pull its Oscar Pistorius promo following the highest number of complaints it has ever received.

"We consider the ad may be seriously prejudicial to the general public on the ground of the likely further serious and/or widespread offence it may cause," the ASA said in a statement. "We are also concerned that the good reputation of the advertising industry may be further damaged by continued publication of this ad."

The ad promoting the 'courtroom flutter' - which Paddy Power maintain was a one-off - ran in the Sun on Sunday with the tag line 'Money back if he walks'. The bookmaker continues to offer odds on whether the South African athlete will be acquitted or convicted of the murder of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp. 

Complaints were driven by an online petition on Change.org which so far has garnered over 100,000 signatures.

Jean Hatchet, who set up the petition, maintains that the bet fails to condemn domestic violence. “The brutal murder of a young woman is not "sport" or "entertainment" and promoting the opportunity to make money from it is a vile and offensive act which anyone with a sense of human dignity and respect for human life must reject,” she said.

“138 women died in the UK alone as a result of male violence in 2013. This type of random carelessness for the lives of women by Paddy Power is an affront to those women and their families.”