A convicted child rapist competing for the Netherlands at the Paris 2024 Olympics was met with boos – and some applause – as he walked out for his first beach volleyball match on Sunday.
Steven van de Velde, who was convicted for raping a 12-year-old girl in 2016, lost his first game with partner Matthew Immers. The beach volleyball player has been at the centre of a storm in Paris after victims groups said his inclusion sent a dangerous message to rapists and would cause “collateral damage” to victims of sexual abuse.
Boos were audible when Van de Velde was was introduced to the crowds at the Eiffel Tower Stadium in central Paris, but were replaced with cheers when his Dutch teammate Immers took to the field of play before the pair’s match against Italy.
There had been a mixture of boos and cheers as the players had entered the arena together, but when Van de Velde was introduced on his own, the jeers were more pronounced. While there was some muted applause for the player, there were no cheers. Van de Velde raised his arm as he walked on to the sandy court, which is directly next to the Eiffel Tower.
The Italians Alex Ranghieri and Adrian Ignacio Carambula Raurich took the first set 22-20, while the Dutch won the second 21-19, and the deciding third set was 15-13 to the Italians.
Van de Velde, who is now 29, was sentenced to four years in prison in 2016 after pleading guilty to raping the British girl. He had flown to England to meet her in 2014 with full knowledge of her age, having met her on Facebook. Van de Velde served 12 months in a British prison, before being transferred to his home country where he was released after a further month.
The boos that greeted the player are unusual at the Games, and were incongruous in this most spectacular of venues where crowds had earlier performed several Mexican waves and cheered as dancers entertained them between matches.
Two Dutch fans said they had bought tickets for the event a year and a half ago before the scandal blew up. Anna from Utrecht who did not want to give his surname said: “I think he has had his penalty, so now he can start with a clean sheet.”
His friend Jesper, who also did not want to give his second name, said the case had sparked a lot of debate among Dutch people. “The crime he committed is, of course, a sensitive one,” he said. “That’s why people are also a little bit struggling, because we having conversations like, are we cheering him on, or not? It’s different – if it was any other Dutch person, we wouldn’t even have that discussion.” He added that he also thought Van de Velde had served his time and should be allowed to play: “You respond from emotion, which is completely correct. But we also have a legal system.”
Earlier this week the International Olympic Committee faced calls for an investigation into how the player had been allowed to compete at Paris 2024. In an email seen by the Guardian, a senior official with the Dutch Olympic Committee has insisted that Van de Velde was not a paedophile, in response to a concerned British man who lives in the Netherlands.
The man had called the inclusion of Van de Velde in the team “a stain on the Dutch national side”. In a reply the Dutch Olympic committee spokesperson wrote: “Steven is NOT a peadophile [sic]; you really don’t think that de Dutch NOC would send someone to Paris who IS a real risk? No, he isn’t a risk.”
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Van de Velde is understood have requested not to stay in the Olympic Village, and has been allowed to absent himself from post-match mixed zone interviews.
The International Olympic Committee has said that inclusion in competition is a matter for individual nation’s Olympic committees. Asked if the IOC was “comfortable and happy” with Van de Velde’s involvement, its spokesman Mark Adams said: “I think to characterise it as ‘comfortable and happy’ would not be correct.” He added: “I think a crime occurred some time ago, 10 years ago. A great deal of rehabilitation has taken place, and there’s very strong safeguarding in place also, and I believe … the athlete in question is not even staying in the village.”
In a statement the Dutch Olympic Committee said it had put in place “concrete measures” to ensure a safe sporting environment for all Olympics participants in light of Van de Velde’s participation.
They said Van de Velde had engaged with all requirements and had met stringent risk assessment thresholds, and stated that there is no risk of him reoffending. They said: “Van de Velde has consistently remained transparent about the case which he refers to as the most significant misstep of his life. He deeply regrets the consequences of his actions for those involved. He has been open about the personal transformation he has undergone as a result.”
It said it “regretted” the “unforeseen renewed attention, on social media in particular, for those struggling with trauma from sexual offences and transgressive behaviour”.