Can anyone explain to me why the Netherlands allows a convicted child molester to represent them at the Olympics?

This article mentions child sexual abuse. Please read with caution.

In a scenario that no one could have predicted, Dutch beach volleyball player Steven van de Velde has qualified to represent the Netherlands at the upcoming Paris Olympicsdespite his dark past as a convicted child molester. This decision has sparked outrage and raised serious questions about the eligibility of athletes, their rehabilitation and the moral standards of the Olympic Games.

In 2014, when van de Velde was 19, he flew from Amsterdam to the UK to meet a 12-year-old British girl he had been chatting with on Facebook. Despite knowing her age, he raped her multiple times over the course of two days. He was eventually extradited, tried and sentenced to four years in prison in 2016. At the time, Judge Francis Sheridan told van de Velde that his “hopes of representing his country are now like a shattered dream”. The judge’s words seemed prophetic, with van de Velde’s lawyer describing the verdict as a “career-ender” for the athlete.

And today, in 2024, for some inexplicable reason, that “shattered dream” has been pieced back together. Van de Velde, now 29, has returned to competitive volleyball and secured a spot on the Dutch Olympic team along with his partner Matthew Immers. They are currently ranked 11th in the world ahead of the Paris Games.

Is this a fever dream or is a child molester actually taking part in the Olympic Games in Paris?

I think I speak for many people when I ask the following questions:

1. Was there no one else who would have volunteered as tribute? Anyone? Perhaps a very talented seal?

2. How did van de Velde manage to restore his career so quickly?

3. Why does the Netherlands allow a convicted child molester to represent their country on the world stage?

4. And perhaps most importantly, what message does this send to victims of sexual abuse?

The situation becomes even more confusing when you consider how other athletes have been treated for far less serious offenses. Take the case of Sha’Carri Richardson, the American sprinter who was banned from the 2021 Tokyo Olympics after testing positive for marijuana. Richardson had been using cannabis – which is legal in many U.S. states – to cope with the recent death of her biological mother. Despite widespread public support and calls for leniency, she was nonetheless barred from participating.

The stark contrast between these two cases highlights troubling questions about privilege and double standards in sport. Van de Velde, a white European, is allowed to compete despite committing a heinous crime against a child. Richardson, a black American, was banned for reasons that would have made much more sense to make an exception. And to any Europeans who want to claim there is no racism or white supremacy on their side of the pond, what do you think about the Roma? I’ll wait. This inequality points to deeper problems of systemic racism and sexism in sport and society at large. It is a clear example of how intersectionality (the way different forms of discrimination intersect and reinforce each other) plays out in the real world.

To add a little more context, cannabis is banned by the International Olympic Committee’s World Anti-Doping Agency “unless an athlete has an approved therapeutic use exemption.” If an athlete tests positive for THC, they can be penalized for “anti-doping rule violation and sanction” because the organization considers it a performance-enhancing substance and health risk, and it goes against the “spirit of sport.” Do you see the sick irony of this whole debacle yet?

These complex events are further compounded by van de Velde’s apparent innocence. In an interview following his early release in 2017, he attempted to “correct all the nonsense” that had been written about him, claiming he had been wrongly branded a “sex monster” and a “paedophile.” His comments naturally drew harsh criticism from child protection organizations, who described his “lack of remorse and self-pity” as “breathtaking.”

The Dutch Olympic Committee has not yet commented on van de Velde’s qualification, and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) faces a significant ethical dilemma. Every Olympian must sign a declaration of athletes’ rights and responsibilities, which includes a role model clause. Given his past actions, it is difficult to see how van de Velde will meet this requirement.

This controversy is also reminiscent of the ever-growing circus of US politics, particularly the case of former President Donald Trump. Although he faced multiple criminal charges, including charges related to his alleged role in the January 6 Capitol insurrection, Trump was granted some immunity from prosecution for certain acts committed while in office. This Supreme Court ruling allowed him to continue his 2024 presidential campaign largely unhindered.

The parallels between these situations – a rapist being allowed to compete in the Olympics and a former president facing serious criminal charges being allowed to run again – raise troubling questions about accountability, justice and the privileges afforded to certain people in positions of power or celebrity.

The international sporting community must grapple with these difficult ideas in the lead-up to the Paris Olympics. Should there be clearer guidelines on the eligibility of athletes in cases of serious criminal convictions? How do we balance the concepts of rehabilitation and second chances with the need to protect vulnerable individuals and preserve the integrity of sport? As fans and global citizens, we must demand more from our sporting institutions and hold them accountable for the messages they send with their decisions.

The Olympic Games are meant to represent the pinnacle of human achievement and the best of the human spirit. I think it goes without saying that allowing someone like van de Velde to compete goes against those ideals.

If you know someone who is a victim of sexual violence, contact RAIN or the National Sexual Abuse Hotline at 1-800-656-4673.