The Dutch Olympic committee has defended its choice to select a convicted rapist for its volleyball team, insisting that the player has shown “self-insight and reflection”.
Steven van de Velde was jailed in 2016 four four years after he admitted to three counts of rape against a British child, which took place in August 2014.
Van de Velde, who was 19 at the time, met his victim on Facebook. He then flew from Amsterdam to the UK to meet the girl and raped her at an address in Milton Keynes.
The judge who sentenced van de Velde said that his Olympic prospects were a “shattered dream”.
Steven van de Velde was jailed in 2016 four four years after he admitted to three counts of rape against a British childGettyHowever, after being released just 12 months into his sentence, he resumed his volleyball career and has competed in international tournaments since 2018, “following an intensive, professionally supervised trajectory” the Dutch Olympic Committee (NOC) said.
Now, the 29-year-old will compete in the upcoming Paris Olympic games with his partner Matthew Immers.
The NOC said in a statement: “Since 2018, Steven van de Velde has been participating in international beach volleyball tournaments again following an intensive, professionally-supervised trajectory.
“After his release, he sought and received professional counselling. He demonstrated to those around him – privately and professionally – self-insight and reflection.”
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The 29-year-old will compete in the upcoming Paris Olympic games with his partner Matthew Immers
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The committee said that his return into the sport met guidelines set by the Dutch Volleyball Federation (NeVoBo) in the organisation's “Guidelines Integrity Record”, which sets out rules for convicted athletes to adhere to in order to be allowed to compete again.
The British Olympic Association is understood to have grave concerns about his inclusion in the Olympics, however, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) said it would not intervene.
The IOC said in a statement: “The nomination of individual team members, following qualification on the field of play, is the sole responsibility of each respective National Olympic Committee.”
Van de Velde, who is now married and a father, released a statement: “I can’t reverse it, so will have to bear the consequences. It has been the biggest mistake of my life.”
The Olympics are set to be held in Paris this SummerGettyBack in 2017, the athlete appeared to show no remorse: “I do want to correct all the nonsense that has been written about me when I was locked up. I did not read any of it, on purpose, but I understand that it was quite bad, that I have been branded as a sex monster, as a paedophile. That I am not, really not.
“Everyone can have their opinion about me, but it is only fair if they also know my side of the story.”
De Telegraaf newspaper played down the conviction, insisting that “they had consensual sex” and that “sex with a 12-year-old girl is labelled as rape” in Britain, while in the Netherlands “punishment in this area is much milder”.
The local newspaper asked: “Can Van de Velde, who was convicted long ago in Great Britain for having sex with a 12-year-old girl, participate in the Olympic Games?”
“In the Netherlands, the responsible authorities think so, because the now 29-year-old sportsman has served his sentence and qualified for Paris.”
