A convicted child rapist who was selected to represent the Netherlands beach volleyball team has chosen not to stay in the Olympic village in Paris.
Steven van de Velde was jailed for four years in 2016 after he flew to the UK to meet a 12-year-old girl he’d started chatting with on Facebook.
The athlete, who was 19 at the time and knew how old his victim was, admitted to three counts of rape against the child in Milton Keynes in 2014.
Judge Francis Sheridan told Van de Velde at the time: ‘Your hopes of representing your country now lie as a shattered dream.’
However, he was released in 2017 even though he had only served one year of his sentence and continued his volleyball career.
And despite his conviction, the 29-year-old was still picked for the upcoming Olympic games this summer alongside teammate Matthew Immers.
But Van de Velde will not be staying with other athletes in the Olympic Village, as is the tradition with every other competitor, according to NL Times.
He requested to seek his own alternative accommodation and will also avoid any media duties after matches, leaving those solely to Immers, 23.
Van de Velde will reportedly speak to journalists before the games begin, though, to explain his decision to stay away from the village, reports BILD.
After he was released, Van de Velde said in 2018: ‘I cannot reverse it, so I will have to bear the consequences. It has been the biggest mistake of my life.’
Last month, the Dutch Olympic committee, known as NOC*NSF, and the volleyball association Nevobo gave Van de Velde their backing and said there was ‘no reason’ to exclude him from taking part.
But following backlash over his inclusion, including from the British Olympic Association which has ‘grave concerns’ over it, the Dutch association were forced to take extra measures.
A spokesman for the Dutch committee said: ‘NOC*NSF have come to these measures after discussions with the beach volleyballer and his teammates.
‘Several other measures relate to, among other things, the supervision of beach volleyball players. In the interests of the people involved, no further announcements will be made about this.
‘With this, the NOC*NSF hopes to contribute to a sense of calm for the participants at the Games. NOC*NSF regrets the impact of the unforeseen renewed attention for everyone who suffers from trauma due to sexual offences and inappropriate behaviour.’
Michel Everaert, general director at Nevobo, previously said of Van de Velde: ‘He was convicted at the time according to English law and he has served his sentence. From then on, we have been in constant contact with Steven, who has now been fully reintegrated into the Dutch volleyball community.
‘He is proving to be an exemplary professional and human being and there has been no reason to doubt him since his return. We fully support him and his participation in Paris, which he and Matthew have earned.’
.
.