Dutch athlete convicted of child rape won’t stay in Olympic Village
- Steven van de Velde, 29, was convicted of child rape in 2016
- He served only a year in Dutch prison before returning to sport
- The athlete will not talk to the press during the Olympics
Steven van de Velde of the Netherlands during Day 6 of the Beach World Champs Tlaxcala 2023 at Tlaxcala Plaza de Toros on October 11, 2023 in Tlaxcala, Mexico. (Photo by Pablo Morano/BSR Agency/Getty Images)
(NewsNation) — Dutch beach volleyball athlete and convicted rapist Steven van de Velde will partake in the Paris Olympic games but will not be housed with other athletes, the country’s Olympic committee decided.
It’s a move from the Dutch Olympic Committee*Dutch Sports Federation (NOC*NSF) that aims to ensure calmness among the other Olympic Village residents during the 2024 Paris Games, according to the NL Times.
Van de Velde confessed in 2016 that he’d raped a 12-year-old British girl three times in 2014 when he was 19. Van de Velde, now 29, met the victim on Facebook, traveled to meet her, provided her alcohol and had sex with her, all while knowing her age.
A British court permitted him to serve his four-year sentence in the Netherlands, but the athlete only spent one year in jail before he was released. Van de Velde then restarted his volleyball career.
NOC*NSF told BBC Sport: “After his release, Van de Velde sought and received professional counseling. He demonstrated to those around him — privately and professionally — self-insight and reflection.”
The organization defended sending him to represent their country in the games, telling NL Times “NOC*NSF regrets the impact of the unforeseen renewed attention for everyone who suffers from trauma due to sexual offenses and inappropriate behavior.”
“In the interests of the people involved, no further announcements will be made about this,” NOC*NSF added.
Van de Velde will not speak to journalists during the international sporting event, which runs from July 26 to Aug. 11.
