Dutch volleyball player Steven van de Velde’s checkered past sparked a media firestorm ahead of the 2024 Olympics — and his first foray onto the court was met with mixed reactions.
Van de Velde, who in 2016 was convicted of raping a 12-year-old girl, was audibly booed on Sunday, July 28, as he was introduced to the crowds at the Eiffel Tower Stadium, according to multiple reports.
Though there was some applause mixed in amid the boos for the athlete, 29, his teammate, Matthew Immers, received cheers as he walked in. The pair ultimately lost their match to Italy.
Van de Velde was sentenced to four years in prison after admitting to three counts of rape, and was released in 2017 after serving just over a year of the sentence, according to The New York Times.
His inclusion on the Netherlands’ Olympic team garnered serious backlash from various organizations, including a Change.org petition that saw more than 95,000 people calling for his disqualification.
In response, the Dutch Olympic Committee released a statement saying van de Velde changed his life in the years since his prison sentence.
“We are deeply aware that the renewed publicity about Steven van de Velde is causing a lot of emotion, which we fully understand, as the events at that time were very serious,” they said in a statement, according to the Times. “A lot has happened since then. Steven served his sentence and has completed an extensive rehabilitation program with specialized professionals, including the probation service. Experts have concluded there is no risk of recidivism.”
Still, van de Velde is being housed outside of the Olympic Village and will not participate in media interviews, as to avoid further scrutiny, the Times reported.
Following Sunday’s match, van de Velde’s playing partner Immers told the BBC that he was glad he was able to compete alongside him at the Olympics.
“We talked about it one time and we want to enjoy every moment on this stage because we gave everything together for the past three years to qualify,” he said. “Steven is a really nice guy and for me, I played two years with him, there was nothing and now there [are] some people that don’t like it because it is a big tournament.”
The BBC also reported that van de Velde has previously told Dutch media that he considers his conviction “the biggest mistake of my life.”
“I can’t reverse it, so I will have to bear the consequences,” he reportedly said.
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, please contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or go to rainn.org.
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