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Convicted Child Rapist Steven Van de Velde Breaks Down in First Interview Since Getting Booed at Paris Olympics
Steven van de Velde, who was convicted for raping a 12-year-old child in 2014, was allowed to compete in the Paris Olympics and has now spoken out on the controversy
Trigger Warning: This article contains mentions of sexual abuse.
Dutch beach volleyball Olympian Steven van de Velde, who was convicted in 2016 for raping a minor, broke down in tears during his first public comments after facing boos for his controversial participation in the Paris Games.
Van de Velde, 30, avoided speaking to reporters during the Olympics and later admitted to the Dutch outlet NOS that he seriously considered quitting both before and during the Games due to the intense backlash.
Now married with children, Van de Velde can't escape his past, especially as the crowd's boos and jeers followed him throughout the Games. The backlash was so strong that Dutch Olympic officials kept him away from media interviews and public engagements.
Steven Van de Velde, a child rapist, breaks down during his post-Olympic interview
Once back home after the Games, Van de Velde shared with Dutch publication NOS that while he anticipated some controversy, the magnitude of it caught him off guard. "I definitely had a moment of breaking down, both before the tournament and during it. But I thought, 'I'm not going to give others the power to bully me away or get me away,'" he stated.
"It's certainly not nothing that's been fired at you. I think it's a shame; it's been 10 years; I've played more than 100 tournaments. I understand that it's an issue; should someone with such a past be allowed to stand on such a podium? That's a legitimate question."
During the interview, Van de Velde, visibly emotional, criticized both the media and the public for their reactions. “I did something wrong ten years ago. I have to accept that. But hurting people around me—whether it's Matthew (Immers—his Paris 2024 teammate), my wife, my child—that just goes too far for me. That's definitely a moment where I thought, Is this worth it?"
He further said, "Someone can hold me responsible for what happened forever. That's okay; someone has the right to do that, but I try to focus on what I can influence. I know this will play a role for the rest of my life. I have to accept that, because I made a mistake."
Van de Velde's teammate, Immers, previously commented on his past during the Games, saying: "He had his punishment. And now, he’s really kind. For me, that’s a big example that you can grow. What happened in the past, is not good, of course.”
Read More: Partner of Dutch Rapist Steven van de Velde Firmly Defends His Olympic Selection
A bit of background on Van de Velde's criminal past for the unversed
Van de Velde pleaded guilty to three counts of raping a child, related to incidents that took place in 2014. He traveled from Amsterdam to London in 2014 to meet a 12-year-old girl he had met online, according to The Athletic. After having sex with her, he advised her to get a morning after pill. It was the staff at a family planning clinic who then alerted her family and the authorities. In 2016, he was sentenced in England to four years in prison. He served one year in the UK before being transferred to the Netherlands, where he was released just a month later.
Steven Van de Velde qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympics as part of the Dutch duo with Immers, sparking global controversy and prompting the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to comment on his inclusion. IOC spokesperson Mark Adams mentioned that while the committee was not necessarily "comfortable and happy" with the decision, they respect national Olympic committees' autonomy in choosing their athletes and noted that the Dutch committee had thoroughly considered Van de Velde's participation.
Key critics of Steven Van de Velde’s inclusion in the 2024 Paris Olympics
A petition, garnering over 135,000 signatures, circulated before the Games, demanding that the IOC ban him from participating. "This is about more than just one person; it's about the worldwide image of the Olympics and the kind of society we want to live in," petition author Lauren Muir wrote.
Advocacy groups for rape victims have strongly opposed Van de Velde's participation, with the U.K.-based Survivors Trust calling it an "endorsement of the shocking toleration we have of child sexual abuse.” Gentry Estes, a USA Today reporter, labeled Van de Velde's situation as the "nastiest storyline" of the Olympics.
