Fans booed Dutch beach volleyball player Steven Van der Velde, who was convicted of raping an underage girl, during his first match at the Paris Olympics, drawing attention to the controversy surrounding his selection.
Van der Velde, now 29, was sentenced to four years in prison in 2016 for the assault. On Sunday morning, he took the court with teammate Matthew Immers to cheers and applause from many Dutch fans dressed in orange. However, when he was individually introduced over the loudspeaker, the crowd responded with a loud chorus of boos.
Despite the support from his country’s national Olympic committee and a warm hug from Immers before the game, Van der Velde’s inclusion on the national team has sparked outrage among women’s and sports safety groups.
Officials announced that Van der Velde would be isolated from his teammates, would not stay in the athletes’ village, and would be barred from speaking to the media.
Ju’Riese Colon, CEO of the US-based Center for SafeSport, expressed deep concern, stating, “Allowing someone convicted of sexually assaulting a minor to participate in the Olympics sends a dangerous message that medals and money are prioritized over the safety of minor athletes.”
Van der Velde served part of his sentence in Britain before being transferred back to the Netherlands, where he was released and resumed volleyball in 2017. His selection for the Paris Games has put pressure on the sport.
Sara Alaoui, founder of The Safe Space Club, a Netherlands-based NGO, criticized the Dutch volleyball association, saying, “There is a significant difference between receiving a second chance and being chosen to represent your country at the Olympics. The contrast between resuming one’s career and becoming an internationally celebrated figure while past transgressions are overlooked is stark.”
Van der Velde and Immers are set to compete against the Italian team of Alex Ranghieri and Adrian Ignacio Carambula Raurich in the group stages.
