Paris 2024: Convicted rapist Steven Van de Velde booed in beach volleyball
Even as the sun finally came out in Paris, a darkness hovered over the Games in the form of convicted rapist Steven Van de Velde, as the Dutchman was showered in boos.
The sun came out for the Paris Olympics on the day darkness enveloped the Olympic movement.
Convicted Dutch rapist Steven Van de Velde, aesthetically tanned and athletic and hiding his shady past under designer sunglasses, was loudly booed by the sold out crowd watching the beach volleyball competition under the Eiffel Tower on Sunday morning.
Then incredibly after the match had finished, Van de Velde was given extraordinary protection by the International Olympic Committee, with three guards whisking him to and from the venue away so that he didn’t have to face any scrutiny. It has emerged that Van de Velde, despite so called “safeguarding” is visiting the Olympic athletes village for “team meetings” but that he didn’t want to face any questioning about his past.
When Dutch team official John Van Vliet was asked if he could understand the terrible optics that the team was protecting a child rapist as well as a coward, he replied: “We are protecting a convicted child rapist. Yes. Yeah so he can do his sports as best as possible, he qualified for this tournament.” He added: “definitely a different situation for Steven has been created’.
The morning rays shining upon the Games after a very sodden start wasn’t enough antiseptic to rid Paris one of the most unsavoury moments in Olympic history.
The crowd of more than 12,000 knew it: the high energy vibe of the prime Olympic event, given pride of place under the world’s most iconic monument, dissipated the second the 29 year old rapist of a 12 year old girl was introduced.
Somehow those in authority on the watch of IOC president Thomas Bach, whose words of gender parity ring hollow and self-serving, have been complicit in their silence and buck passing.
Olympic bosses who authorised Van de Velde’s participation have brought upon their own disgrace; those who sat in the VIP “Olympic Family” comfy seats politely clapping him just as much.
Cheers and enthusiastic clapping rang out when Van de Velde, with playing partner Matthew Immers, 23, who described Van de Velde as being like a “second father” to him, lost five set points in the first set to the Italian pair Alex Ranghieri and Raurich Carambula. Van de Velde ignored the heckles to help his team win the second set, but they then lost the decider in the round robin format.
”Viva Italia”, said most.
Incredibly Van de Velde’s notoriety meant he was afforded privileges here at the Olympics afforded to no one else, like security, hotel accommodation outside of the Olympic village and not having to talk to the media.
The IOC spokesman said: “it’s the (Dutch) national Olympic committee which chooses an athlete. They have put out a statement, they’ve made it very clear there’s a lot of safeguarding going on, special extra safeguarding. We have our own safeguarding as well. I believe the offence was ten years ago, which is not to excuse it in any way whatsoever, but there is some pretty heavy duty safeguarding going on.”
Its unclear the motives of the this Olympic protection of Van de Velde. A mistaken belief the story will go away? Or that the honour of being an Olympian, and signing an athletes oath to be a role model is somehow subservient to ‘rehabilitation”?
Van de Velde was 19 when he raped a British 12 year old girl three times back in 2014.
He knew her age, and he booked a flight from the Netherlands to Britain to meet her.
The judge in his trial described his crime as “career ending”. After serving the first 12 months of a four year sentence in a British prison, the Dutch released him just four weeks after he had been extradited back to his home country.
The Dutch beach volleyball association welcomed him back and months later he returned to competition.
Australian chef de mission Anna Meares said Van de Velde wouldn’t have been selected for Australia under various rules; the British also had “grave” concerns.
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