Australia Stands Firm on Integrity: Convicted Rapist Not Welcome on Olympic Team

Australia’s Olympic team chief, Anna Meares, has firmly stated that a convicted rapist would not be selected for their Olympic squad, following the controversial inclusion of Steven van de Velde in the Netherlands team for Paris 2024.

Van de Velde, now 29, was sentenced to four years in prison in 2016 for raping a 12-year-old British girl. Despite serving just 12 months of his sentence, he resumed his volleyball career and was recently named to the Dutch Olympic team.

Meares emphasized Australia’s strict stance on safeguarding and integrity within their team. “If an athlete or staff member had that conviction, they would not be allowed to be a member of our team,” she said. “We have stringent policies on safeguarding within our team.”

The Dutch Olympic Committee (NOC) defended their selection, stating that Van de Velde had sought professional counselling and demonstrated self-insight and reflection post-release. They noted that his return to the sport followed the Dutch Volleyball Federation’s “Guidelines Integrity Record,” which sets out conditions for athletes to resume competing after a conviction.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) maintains that the selection of athletes for the Games is the responsibility of individual national committees. Despite his inclusion, Van de Velde will not stay in the athletes’ village but will be provided with alternative accommodation in Paris.

Van de Velde’s selection has faced criticism from women’s safety groups, highlighting the ongoing debate about the balance between rehabilitation and safeguarding in sports.