The participation of Dutch beach volleyball player Steven van de Velde in the Paris Olympics has ignited widespread controversy due to his past conviction for raping an underage girl. Van de Velde, now 29, was sentenced to four years in prison in 2016 for the crime.
During his first match at the Olympics, van de Velde was met with mixed reactions. While some orange-clad Dutch fans cheered as he entered the court with his teammate Matthew Immers, a significant portion of the crowd expressed their disapproval through boos when his name was announced.
Despite the backlash, van de Velde has received support from his country’s national Olympic committee. This backing was visibly demonstrated by a warm embrace shared with his teammate Immers before the game commenced. However, this support has not been without its critics.
The decision to include van de Velde in the Olympic team has been met with outrage from various women’s and sports safety organizations. Officials have responded by imposing restrictions on van de Velde, including separation from his teammates, accommodation outside the athletes’ village, and a ban on speaking to the media.
Ju’Riese Colon, CEO of the US-based Center for SafeSport, voiced strong concerns over van de Velde’s participation, especially given the presence of minor athletes from around the world at the Games. She remarked,
“With teams from around the world convening in Paris, many of which include minor athletes, this sends a dangerous message that medals and money mean more than their safety.”
Van de Velde served part of his sentence in Britain before being transferred to the Netherlands, where he was released and resumed his volleyball career in 2017. His selection for the national team has cast a spotlight on the ethics of allowing athletes with criminal convictions to represent their countries on an international stage.
Sara Alaoui, founder of The Safe Space Club, a Netherlands-based NGO, emphasized the gravity of the situation, stating,
“There is a significant difference between receiving a second chance and being selected to represent your country at the Olympics.”
She further expressed disappointment with the Dutch volleyball association’s decision to support van de Velde, suggesting that it downplays his past actions.
Van de Velde and his teammate Immers are scheduled to compete against Italian duo Alex Ranghieri and Adrian Ignacio Carambula Raurich in the group stages of the tournament. The controversy surrounding his inclusion in the team continues to raise questions about the values and responsibilities of sports organizations when dealing with athletes’ past misconduct.
