Steve van de Velde - He raped a 12-year-old girl and served time in prison for it - now he's competing at the Olympics
Controversies exist at the Olympic Games frequently – most often they are political in nature. Currently, the Dutch representatives in Beach volleyball are embroiled in a moral dilemma: Should a country really represent a convicted rapist?
The Netherlands has answered with a "Yes." Beach volleyball players Steve van de Velde and his teammate Matthew Immers will compete for the country in pursuit of medals. Internationally, this causes much backlash: He is a confessed and convicted rapist.
Steven van de Velde: Convicted Rapist
The incident occurred in the summer of 2014. The then 19-year-old van de Velde had flown to England specifically to meet the girl. They had met on Facebook, and she had presented herself as 16 years old. However, upon meeting, she admitted her true age. Van de Velde initially cut off contact but visited her again when her mother was not present. They drank alcohol together. Afterward, there were three instances of sexual intercourse, which in English law – and likely in the moral consciousness of most people – is considered rape. The fact that the girl, according to van de Velde, willingly participated meant little in the face of her extremely young age and alcohol consumption. He eventually confessed to the crime. However, he was not sentenced until two years later by an English court to four years in prison. The reason he served only a fraction of this sentence in his home country is due to a legal difference in his native land: In the Netherlands, sex between an adult and a twelve-year-old is not automatically considered rape. When van de Velde was transferred from England to his homeland, he did not remain in custody for long: He was released after approximately 13 months.
Petition against Olympic Participation
During the sentencing, the judge took van de Velde's athletic ambitions into account – and called the conviction the end of his Olympic dreams. His participation now is therefore controversial. "No pedophile and rapist should represent a nation at the Olympic Games," wrote lawyer Charlotte Proudman on X. "It's a slap in the face for all survivors that a rapist is cheered on as if nothing had happened."
An online petition now demands his exclusion from the competition. Nearly 13,000 people have signed it.
Federation Shows Understanding
His federation defends the decision: "We support Steven van de Velde, who has understood that the past cannot be erased," reads a statement from the two Dutch Volleyball Federations. Van de Velde has served his sentence, and he regrets the act. "We rely on the assessment of experts that the likelihood of recidivism is almost non-existent," so the statement reads. Van de Velde himself also speaks out in the statement. It was "the biggest mistake of my life," he said there. "I can't undo it, so I have to live with the consequences." He cannot explain today how it happened then. Today, he is married to former Beach volleyball player Kim Behrens and they have a child together.
In light of the controversy, many people on social media, including on platforms like Facebook, have expressed their disapproval of Steven van de Velde's participation in the Olympics. After being convicted of rape in England, van de Velde's mother stood by him, supporting his dreams of competing at the Olympic Games. Despite his conviction and the public outcry, Van de Velde was found guilty of sexual intercourse with a girl who was underage and intoxicated, a act that is widely considered rape in England and many other countries.
