Who is Olympian Steven Van de Velde and did he really molest a 12-year-old girl?

Warning: This article contains mentions of child abuse, please proceed with caution.

The Dutch Olympic Committee*Dutch Sports Federation (NOC*NSF) has caused a stir in the sports world after announcing that a convicted child rapist will compete in the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.

29 years old Steven van de Velde will represent Team NL alongside Matthew Immers as one of two Dutch beach volleyball teams at this year’s event. The Dutch Olympic Committee stands by its nomination despite strong opposition (petitions have been filed to disqualify van de Velde from the games).

In 2011, he won the Dutch U-20 Championship. In 2015, he partnered Michiel van Dorsten at the European Games. And in 2018, he finished third in the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour alongside Dirk Boehlé. So it turns out that being a good volleyball player is enough for NOC*NSF to ignore his criminal past.

But did he really commit the heinous crimes we just described? NOC*NSF wouldn’t let a *real child rapist* represent them internationally, would they?

Is Steven van de Velde really a child rapist?

Yes, unfortunately, Steven van de Velde really is a convicted child rapist.

In 2014, when he was 19, the beach volleyball player was convicted of having sex with a minor – a girl just 12 – and sentenced to four years in prison. He was released in 2017 and resumed his career.

After contacting her, van de Velde traveled from his home country to Milton Keynes in the UK to rape the girl. A local newspaper, Citizen MKdescribed how the victim had been harming himself and overdosing since the terrible incident.

In a statement published by NOC*NSF we read:

“He was convicted under English law at the time and served his sentence. Since then we have been in regular contact with Steven, who has been fully reintegrated into the Dutch volleyball community. He is proving to be an exemplary professional and person, and since his return there has been no reason to doubt him. We fully support him and his participation in Paris, which he and Matthew deserve.”

It’s probably best not to say what we really think, because this is an absolutely stunning viewpoint from the Dutch Olympic Committee. Suffice it to say, let’s hope these petitions work.

If you know someone who is suffering from sexual violence, please contact us Rain or call the National Sexual Harassment Hotline at 1-800-656-4673.

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