Sports
Convicted Rapist Van de Velde Booed in Olympic Debut
Steven van de Velde, a convicted child rapist, made his Olympic beach volleyball debut in Paris, where his presence was met with both cheers and boos. The Dutch athlete, who served a four-year prison sentence beginning in 2016 for the rape of a 12-year-old British girl, competed with his partner Matthew Immers against Italy’s Alex Ranghieri and Adrian Carambula at the Eiffel Tower Stadium.
Van de Velde and Immers, ranked 10th globally, lost 2-1 to their Italian opponents, who are ranked 25th. As the duo was introduced to the crowd, there were mixed reactions, with cheers and boos accompanying their entrance. When Van de Velde was individually announced, the audience again expressed a mix of boos and applause. All players exchanged handshakes before and after the match, maintaining sportsmanship.
The Dutch team will next compete against Chile’s Marco and Esteban Grimalt on July 31 at 15:00 BST. Meanwhile, an online petition urging the ban of the 29-year-old Van de Velde from the Olympics garnered 90,000 signatures prior to his first match. His selection for the Dutch team has faced criticism from women’s and safeguarding organizations.
Van de Velde has previously addressed the issue in Dutch media, stating, “I can’t reverse it, so I will have to bear the consequences. It has been the biggest mistake of my life.”
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) clarified that the selection of athletes for the Games is determined by individual national committees. The IOC also noted that 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.”
Warren Gatland is set to leave his role as Wales head coach after a record-breaking 14 consecutive Test match defeats, bringing an early end to his second tenure in charge.
Although the 61-year-old was contracted until the 2027 Rugby World Cup, he was already expected to step down after the Six Nations. Now, his departure will come midway through the tournament, with Wales still set to face Ireland on 22 February in Cardiff, Scotland on 8 March, and England on 15 March.
Possible successors include former Australia coach Michael Cheika, Glasgow’s Franco Smith, and Ireland interim boss Simon Easterby.
Gatland, who enjoyed a highly successful 12-year first stint with Wales—winning three Grand Slams and leading the team to two World Cup semi-finals—returned in December 2022 to replace Wayne Pivac. However, his second tenure has been marred by poor performances, with Wales suffering their worst losing streak in 144 years of international rugby. The 22-15 loss to Italy last weekend cemented their decline, dropping them to 12th in the world rankings.
In total, Gatland has overseen 151 Tests across both spells, with 76 wins, 73 losses, and two draws. His recent record stands at just six victories in 26 matches, a win ratio of only 23%.
Tiger Woods has pulled out of this week’s Genesis Invitational, stating he is “still processing” the recent death of his mother, Kultida Woods.
The 15-time major champion, who had initially planned to participate, announced his withdrawal on social media, saying, “I planned to tee it up this week, but I’m just not ready. I did my best to prepare, knowing it’s what my mom would have wanted, but I’m still processing her loss.”
Woods’ mother, Kultida, passed away on February 4. Just days later, tournament organizers had confirmed Woods’ participation in the event, which is now being held at Torrey Pines instead of its usual Riviera Country Club venue due to wildfires in Los Angeles.
Woods has not played a PGA Tour event since The Open at Royal Troon last July. His competitive appearances have been sporadic since a 2021 car accident left him with severe leg injuries, and he underwent additional back surgery in September. Most recently, he played alongside his son, Charlie, in a 36-hole event in December and participated in an exhibition for the Tomorrow’s Golf League (TGL), which he co-founded.
As the tournament host, Woods hopes to attend the Genesis Invitational later in the week but has not committed to a specific timeline. The event benefits his TGR Foundation, which supports youth education initiatives.
Fans and fellow players have expressed their condolences and support for Woods as he navigates this difficult time.
Tottenham Hotspur defender Radu Dragusin has been ruled out for the rest of the season after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury in his right knee. The 23-year-old sustained the injury during Spurs’ Europa League clash against Elfsborg last week and will undergo surgery.
Dragusin is expected to be sidelined for at least six months, though recovery from ACL injuries can sometimes extend to a year. Tottenham confirmed that their medical team will monitor his rehabilitation to determine his return timeline.
The Romanian international had become a key figure for Spurs, starting 21 of their last 23 games. His absence adds to an already extensive injury list, which includes Destiny Udogie, Guglielmo Vicario, James Maddison, Brennan Johnson, Timo Werner, Wilson Odobert, Cristian Romero, and Dominic Solanke. However, Micky van de Ven and Ben Davies have recently returned to action.
Dragusin joined Tottenham from Genoa in January 2024 in a £25 million deal. To bolster their defensive options, Spurs signed Austria international Kevin Danso on loan for the remainder of the season, with an option to buy for £21 million. They also made an ambitious £70 million bid for Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi, which was rejected, but secured the signing of 19-year-old attacker Mathys Tel from Bayern Munich.
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