Convicted child rapist and volleyball player Steven van de Velde booed by crowd at Olympics
28 July 2024, 13:18 | Updated: 28 July 2024, 13:31
Convicted child rapist Steven van de Velde has been booed by crowds when making his Olympic beach volleyball debut in Paris.
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In 2016, Van de Velde was sentenced to four years in prison after admitting three counts of rape against a 12-year-old British girl.
He had flown to England to meet her in 2014, with full knowledge of her age, after connecting with her via Facebook.
At the Eiffel Tower Stadium he played alongside his partner Matthew Immers, with the duo ranked 10th in the world.
However, they lost 2-1 to Italy's Alex Ranghieri and Adrian Carambula, who are ranked 25th.
When the pair were introduced to the crowd and walked out, there were audible boos amongst the cheers and applause.
All players shook hands before and after the match.
Next the Dutch pair will face Chile's Marco and Esteban Grimalt at 15:00 BST on 31 July.
Before he played his first match, an online petition calling for 29-year-old Van de Velde to be banned from the Olympics had received 90,000 signatures.
Additionally, there are calls for an investigation into Van de Velde’s inclusion at the Olympics, as well as for mandatory consent training for sporting figures, and education on healthy sexual relationships for young players in sporting academies.
Women's and safeguarding groups have criticised his inclusion in the Dutch team, saying sporting bodies are sending a dangerous message to rapists and causing “collateral damage” to victims of sexual abuse.
But the International Olympic Committee (IOC) said the selection of athletes for the Games was the responsibility of individual committees.
Van de Velde returned to playing in 2017, and the Dutch Olympic Committee (NOC) said he had met guidelines set by the Dutch Volleyball Federation (NeVoBo) for athletes to continue competing following a conviction.
The NOC said Van de Velde had returned to the playing arena "following a specialist treatment programme".
It added: "Van de Velde has fully engaged with all requirements and has met all the stringent risk assessment thresholds, checks and due diligence.
"Experts have stated that there is no risk of recidivism."
The sportsman has always been upfront about the case, which he refers to the greatest misstep of his life.
He said he deeply regrets the consequences of his actions for those involved.
On Saturday, Mark Adams, spokesperson for the IOC, was asked if the organisation was "comfortable" with Van de Velde's inclusion.
He said: "To characterise it as comfortable and happy would not be correct.
"We feel the NOC have explained their decision.
"Comfortable and happy, characterise it how you want, but the statement that they have given to us is correct and we will continue with the situation as it is."
When Van de Velde was sentenced, he was told by Judge Sheridan: "Prior to coming to this country you were training as a potential Olympian.
"Your hopes of representing your country now lie as a shattered dream.”
The court also heard that his victim had self-harmed and taken an overdose.
The Netherlands’ Olympic Committee selected Van de Velde, stating that he had served his sentence, completed an extensive rehabilitation programme and, following expert consultation, was at no risk of reoffending.
