A Dutch beach volleyball player, previously convicted of raping a 12-year-old British girl, has qualified for the Paris Olympics, scheduled for next month. Steven Van De Velde, 29, was sentenced to four years in prison in March 2016 after admitting to three counts of rape against a minor he met on Facebook. Despite the conviction, he has secured a place on the national team.
Conviction and sentence
In August 2014, at the age of 19, Van De Velde traveled from the Netherlands to the UK to meet the victim. Judge Francis Sheridan, during the sentencing, remarked, “Before coming to this country you were training as a potential Olympian, but your hopes of representing your country now lie as a shattered dream.”
Van De Velde served only 12 months in a Dutch prison before being allowed to resume his Olympic career. In June, he and his partner, Matthew Immers, secured a spot in the national team for the Paris Games. They are currently ranked 11th in the world.
Ethical concerns
Van De Velde’s comeback raises ethical questions for the International Olympic Committee. Olympians in Paris must sign an Athletes’ Rights and Responsibilities Declaration, which includes a commitment to act as role models.
Details of the crime
In 2016, Judge Sheridan condemned Van De Velde’s actions, highlighting the severity of traveling to the UK to engage in sexual relations with a 12-year-old girl. He had communicated with the minor on social media before arranging the visit and assaulting her while her mother was away.
After his release in 2017, Van De Velde attempted to address the negative media portrayal, stating, “I deliberately didn’t read any of it, but I understand it was quite severe, branding me as a sex monster, as a pedophile. That I am not, really not.” The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children criticized his lack of remorse, emphasizing the impact on the victim.
Awaiting final decision
The Dutch Olympic committee has yet to comment on Van De Velde’s qualification for Paris. The country’s volleyball federation is still finalizing the selection of athletes.