Paris 2024 Olympics slammed for allowing convicted child rapist

The Paris 2024 Summer Olympic Games have faced controversy due to the participation of Dutch beach volleyball player Steven van de Velde, who was convicted of raping a 12-year-old girl in 2016.

Van de Velde’s presence at the Olympics has triggered widespread outrage and intense debate.

Reason behind Van de Velde’s conviction

Van de Velde, now 29, received a four-year prison sentence after admitting to three counts of rape in the U.K. The incident occurred in 2014 when Van de Velde, then 19, traveled to meet the girl he had befriended on Facebook. Despite his conviction, he was released after serving just over a year, following a transfer to the Netherlands to complete his sentence.

After his release, Van de Velde sought professional counseling and gradually returned to competitive sports. He has participated in international tournaments since 2017. The Dutch Volleyball Federation and the National Olympic Committee (NOC) have supported him, citing expert opinions that consider the chance of recidivism to be nil. “Van de Velde has fully engaged with all requirements and has met all the stringent risk assessment thresholds, checks, and due diligence,” the NOC stated.

Van de Velde made his Olympic debut with his teammate Matthew Immers amid a hostile reception. Boos filled the air when he was introduced, though some Dutch fans cheered. This polarized reaction has been a consistent theme throughout the Games.

Dutch Olympic Committee defends Van de Velde

The NOC defended its decision to include Van de Velde, citing his adherence to stringent rehabilitation guidelines and professional counseling.

The NOC stated, “Van de Velde has fully engaged with all requirements and has met all the stringent risk assessment thresholds, checks and due diligence.” Experts have assessed him as posing no risk of reoffending. Despite these assurances, many criticized his presence at the Olympics.

Women’s rights groups and the public expressed strong opposition, arguing that Van de Velde’s participation sends a dangerous message and undermines the spirit of the Olympics. An online petition calling for his ban from the Games garnered 90,000 signatures, reflecting the depth of public discontent.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) stated that individual national committees are responsible for the selection of athletes. IOC spokesperson Mark Adams acknowledged the controversy but emphasized the NOC’s due diligence and the safeguarding measures in place. “To characterize it as comfortable and happy would not be correct,” Adams said, pointing to the discomfort surrounding Van de Velde’s participation.

Polarized reactions

Van de Velde and Immers lost their first match to Italy’s Alex Ranghieri and Adrian Carambula. The Dutch pair will next face Chile’s Marco and Esteban Grimalt on July 31. Despite the defeat, the focus remained on the broader implications of Van de Velde’s presence at the Games.

Van de Velde chose not to stay in the Olympic Village and avoided post-match media interactions, aiming to minimize media scrutiny. His teammate Immers expressed frustration over the attention the controversy has drawn, stating, “We talked about it one time and we want to enjoy every moment on this stage because we gave everything together for the past three years to qualify.”