South African Olympian Oscar Pistorius, who was recently cleared for the murder of his 29-year-old girlfriend, was convicted the lesser charge of culpable homicide. Reeve Steenkamp, his girlfriend, locked herself in the couple’s bathroom during the early hours of Valentine’s Day last year. Pistorius claims he thought she was an intruder, leading him to shoot four times through the door.

Judge Thokozile Masipa, although accepting Pistorius’s defense, found his actions negligent. Masipa came to her verdict on September 12, 2014, ruling, “The accused is found not guilty and discharged. Instead he is found guilty of culpable homicide.”

After breaking down in tears multiple times through months of testimony, Pistorius stood straight, showing no emotions to the verdict.

Found guilty of a negligent, although unintentional killing, also known as culpable homicide in South Africa, could lead to Pistorius facing a long term jail sentence or nothing at all. The judge will make this decision on October 13, which depends on how reckless she sees his actions. South Africa’s National Prosecuting Authority has expressed disappointment in the verdict and will decide to appeal after sentencing.

Pistorius, who is only 27, is a double amputee. He won fame after running in the 2012 Olympic Games in London on prosthetic legs. His achievement attracted sponsorships worth millions of dollars, though they were dropped shortly after the murder charges. His discharge could mean the possibility of continuing his sporting career.

Although Masipa ruled out murder convictions for Pistorius, his negligent actions led to her verdict of a lesser homicide charge similar to manslaughter, known in South Africa as culpable homicide.