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.”