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ADutch beach volleyball player convicted of raping an underage girl in
England has qualified for the upcoming Summer Olympics in Paris.

Steven van de Velde, 29, and his partner, Matthew Immers, secured their
spot in the upcoming Games, topping the Dutch rankings for the country's
two men's beach volleyball spots.

"I understand that in the run-up to the biggest sporting event in the
world, this can attract the attention of international media," Van de
Velde said in a statement posted on the Netherlands Volleyball
Federation's website. "I cannot reverse it, so I will have to bear the consequences. It has been the biggest mistake of my life."

Van de Velde was convicted of raping a 12-year-old girl in Milton Keynes,
a city outside London, in 2014. He was released in 2017 after serving one
year in prison in the Netherlands.

According to court testimony, he had flown from Amsterdam to the UK when
he was 19 to meet his victim, a girl he knew was just 12. The court heard
that he had gone to the home of the victim, with whom he had communicated
on social media before arranging to visit while her mother was out, and
had taken her virginity before flying back home.

Van de Velde was later arrested, extradited to the UK, where he was tried, convicted and sentenced to four years in prison. He was transferred back
to the Netherlands and resentenced under Dutch law.

Van de Velde has been a polarizing figure in the sports community since
his return to professional volleyball. The Dutch Volleyball Federation
(Nevobo) has supported his inclusion in the Games this summer.

"We know Steven's history. Before he expressed his desire to return to
beach volleyball, we spoke extensively with him, as well as with [the
Dutch Sports Federation] and the international volleyball federation
FIVB," said Michel Everaert, general director at Nevobo.

The Dutch Olympic Committee has stood by its decision to nominate Van de
Velde for the national team, despite the backlash. The organization has maintained that the decision lies with the national volleyball federation, which has opted not to impose further sanctions on him.

"Van de Velde now meets all the qualification requirements for the Olympic Games and is therefore part of the team," the committee said.

Since his release, van de Velde has been actively competing. He has participated in several notable tournaments, including Volleyball World
Beach Pro Tour events. In 2023, van de Velde and Immers, his partner,
secured a major victory at the Chiang Mai Challenge in Thailand, earning
them a spot among the top 20 in the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Ranking.

This decision has been met with criticism from various groups and
individuals, including child protection organizations. The National
Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) condemned the volleyball federation's decision, highlighting what they said was Van de Velde's lack of remorse and the potential message it sends about
accountability and rehabilitation.

Newsweek has reached out to the Dutch Volleyball Federation and the International Volleyball Federation for comment.

https://www.newsweek.com/steven-van-de-velde-dutch-beach-volleyball- olympics-1918442

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