Crowd loudly boos convicted child rapist Steven van de Velde at Olympics

Beach volleyball subordinate and convicted kid rapist Steven van de Velde was heartily booed by nan crowd during his first 2 matches astatine nan Paris Olympic Games.

Van de Velde’s inclusion connected nan Dutch Olympic squad sparked outrage up of nan Games, pinch women’s authorities advocates and sports fans alike questioning why nan admitted rapist is being allowed to compete astatine 1 of nan astir important sporting events successful nan world.

In 2016, Van de Velde pleaded blameworthy to raping a 12-year-old British girl he met online. He spent 13 months successful prison, pinch 12 of those months successful nan U.K. and 1 period successful nan Netherlands.

Despite his lawyers lamenting astatine proceedings that Van de Velde’s then-burgeoning diversion profession was over, nan formation volleyball subordinate almost instantly jumped backmost into competing for nan Netherlands. He was backmost playing internationally successful 2017, months aft being released from prison.

The Netherlands Volleyball Federation has stood by Van de Velde amid nan controversy, and has defended his inclusion connected nan Dutch Olympic team.

“After his release, Van de Velde sought and received master counselling. He has demonstrated to those astir him — privately and professionally — self-insight and reflection,” nan federation said. “Van de Velde now meets each nan qualification requirements for nan Olympic Games and is truthful portion of nan team.”

Calls to region Van de Velde from nan Olympics person been large connected societal media. The crowds astatine some of Van de Velde’s matches truthful acold person been likewise loud.

The 29-year-old Olympic rookie was greeted pinch a fistful of boos erstwhile he first took nan soil for warmups up of his first lucifer against Italy. The jeering was louder for nan much general prematch introduction, though location was immoderate mixed applause from orange-clad Dutch fans.

All nan different players, including Van de Velde’s volleyball partner Matthew Immers, received thing but cheers. Van de Velde and Immers fell to nan Italian squad aft 3 sets.

During their adjacent match, against Chile, nan crowd was moreover harsher. Van de Velde was booed each clip he served nan ball.

Van de Velde and Immers won against nan Chilean squad aft 2 sets. Instead of nan customary applause for nan winners, nan crowd loudly jeered.

“I was disappointed pinch nan crowd, for sure,” Immers said. “I cannot do thing astir his past anymore. I’m present to play pinch him. … So, yeah, I’m disappointed pinch it. But I deliberation mentally we’re really strong, and I’m really beardown to get done this, together. And we’re going to do that.”

Immers was asked astir nan acold reception and said he and Van de Velde said connected nan tribunal and recognized they would request to beryllium other supportive of each other. When asked if he understood why they received that reception, he said, “I don’t want to talk astir that, if it’s OK.”

“I deliberation what’s successful nan past is successful nan past, and we’re present to spell for a bully consequence together,” said Immers, noting that location were Dutch fans cheering for them. “And I want to opportunity location was besides a batch of group supporting us, and we’re doing it for them. I really for illustration this athletics and I still emotion nan crowd and nan group who support us.”

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Van de Velde has been barred from speaking to reporters during nan Olympic Games, a break pinch a longstanding IOC policy. The Dutch Olympic squad besides chose to move him to replacement accommodation successful Paris truthful he will not reside successful nan athletes’ village. The youngest Olympic jock astatine nan 2024 Games is just 11 years old.

Dutch squad spokesperson John van Vliet said nan determination not to make Van de Velde disposable was aimed astatine keeping nan attraction connected nan diversion competition.

“We want to talk astir sports, particularly him. We are very overmuch alert that if we bring Steven retired present it won’t spell astir his athletics and his performance,” he said. “We are present to create an situation for each our athletes successful which they tin execute well.”

When asked if nan Dutch Olympic squad was protecting a convicted kid rapist, he said: “We are protecting a convicted kid rapist to do his athletics arsenic champion arsenic imaginable and for a tourney which he qualified for.”

“The wide matter of activity condemnation and sex-related crime is decidedly a much important rumor than sport,” Van Vliet said. “In his case, we’ve sewage a personification who has been convicted, who did his sentence, who did everything afterwards which he tin do to beryllium capable to compete again.”

The IOC does not play a domiciled successful selecting Olympic athletes aliases mounting regulations for who tin participate. The world volleyball federation said it “recognizes that this is simply a highly delicate matter” but said squad action is nan work of nan nationalist Olympic committee “while respecting nan eligibility criteria.”

— With files from The Associated Press