The International Olympic Committee has recently faced a lot of criticism for allowing a convicted child molester, Steven van de Velde, to participate in the Paris Olympics. The 29-year-old is a Dutch beach volleyball player who recently played his first match at the event on Sunday.
Velde was convicted of three counts of r*pe against a 12-year-old British girl in 2016. He admitted that the crime took place while he was 19 years old and served four years in prison as his sentence. While many thought that his volleyball career was over, he ended up serving only twelve months and resumed his beach volleyball career in 2017.
Although he was banned from the Olympic Village, the IOC allowed the Dutch player to participate. The committee claimed to be satisfied with the explanations provided by the Netherlands Olympic team regarding his participation. The Dutch Olympic Committee has also stood by his nomination, albeit imposing a ban on him talking to the media.
Convicted child rapist Steven van de Velde made his Olympic beach volleyball debut to a mixed reaction in Paris, with audible boos.
Van de Velde was sentenced to four years in prison in 2016 after admitting three counts of rape against a 12-year-old British girl.
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) July 28, 2024International Olympic Committee Spokesperson Mark Adams said that they were not fully comfortable with the decision. However, the crime was committed ten years ago. Velde has gone through plenty of rehabilitation, and several safeguarding steps have been taken by the organization to allow him to participate.
Fans call for Steven van de Velde’s ban from Paris Olympics; gets booed in debut match
The 29-year-old’s inclusion in the team has faced several mixed reactions from fans both online and at the event. Netizens had negatively reacted to the news of Velde playing at the Paris Olympics much before the date of the event. An online petition garnered over 90,000 signatures asking for his ban from the Dutch team.
There were some on the opposite end of the spectrum, as well. Several fans believed that Velde should be given another chance. He had served his time in prison and accepted his fault. However, others believed that the crime was too severe for forgiveness, and should be banned from all sporting events. Here are some of the reactions:
Disgusting that he is allowed to compete. Indefensible
— Puneet (@TennisPuneet) July 28, 2024The pedo only served 12 months of that already-too-lenient sentence
— Fruella_🦝 (@FruellaDeBrille) July 28, 2024Why is a convicted child rapist even given the opportunity to represent his country, let alone in the olympics?
Imagine your country being represented by a child rapist. That how you’d like your country to be depicted?
— Charlie (@TheResellerHub) July 28, 2024Why the fuck is he not in prison still.
— PUSB 🏴 (@ccfc_07) July 28, 2024Sentencing really needs to be harsher than that! 4 years for raping a child, yet that child has to live with that memory for the rest of their life. Criminals like this should never see the light of day again, better yet, put a bullet in them so we don't have to fund keeping them…
— Sportswashed (@SportsWashed49) July 28, 2024Not only is it utterly indefensible that he is allowed to compete, it is remarkable how easily and readily so many men have been to leap to his defence. Or perhaps I should say it OUGHT to be remarkable; because it isn't. It is entirely consistent with the inconsistencies of our…
— John Urquhart 🎄 #AintAsking 𓅿 (@TheDryhtscipe) July 28, 2024Wait so someone who whipped a horse four years ago was stopped from representing their country but THIS… this is ok?! Madness. Not surprised there was booing. What he did is unforgivable.
— Football Tips & Data by OddAlerts.com (@OddAlerts) July 28, 2024The Dutch pair of Steven van de Velde and Matthew Immers faced the same reception at the event. They walked down to the court amidst a plethora of boos and even some cheers. Fan disapproval of his inclusion was also clearly heard as his name was being announced. They eventually lost the match 2-1 against Italy’s Alex Ranghieri and Adrian Ignacio Carambula Raurich.
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