Olympian Steven Van de Velde, convicted of child rape, faces backlash

Steven Van de Velde, the former Dutch Olympian, has found himself embroiled in massive controversy with his recent appearance at the Paris Olympics. The 30-year-old volleyball player was found guilty of raping a 12-year-old British girl in Milton Keynes in 2014. Despite his four-year sentence, Van de Velde only spent one year in prison. This was the result of a legal maneuver that saw him extradited to the Netherlands, where he was charged with “indecency” – a crime under Dutch law.

Public uproar over Van de Velde’s return to the Olympic Games

In Paris, Van de Velde was heckled and booed during his performance, particularly when serving, which made him consider giving up the Olympics. However, he instead decided to continue, stating that he would not be dissuaded from taking part. He later told Dutch media that he was surprised by the “magnitude” of the backlash and condemned the media for their negative coverage, as it would have affected his wife and child.

Van de Velde’s participation in the Olympics has sparked widespread anger. Victims’ rights groups, politicians and fans have called for him to be banned from participating. A petition seeking to exclude him from the Games received more than 94,000 signatures. However, the International Olympic Committee has said it is unable to prevent the Netherlands from selecting him as long as he meets all the qualifications.

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The Netherlands stands by Van de Velde amid the scandal

The Dutch Olympic selectors defended the decision to include Van de Velde in the national team, saying that he would be given special care – such as private transport and bodyguards – to keep him out of the spotlight. His teammate Matthew Immers also vouched for him, claiming that Van de Velde had already “suffered” his punishment and was truly “soft-hearted”.

The Van de Velde story has reignited debates about whether athletes with previous doping convictions like himself should be allowed to continue competing in international events like the Olympics. He has tried to start his life over, even going so far as to marry another volleyball player named Kim Behrens and become a father, but his past seems to haunt him.

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