The Dutch Olympic committee has implemented measures to lessen the repercussions of having a convicted rapist on their team, according to the chef de mission, a decision that has dismayed some women's advocacy groups. Steven van de Velde was sentenced to four years in prison in the UK in 2016 for raping a 12-year-old girl in 2014 when he was 19. After serving part of his sentence, he was transferred to the Netherlands where his sentence was adjusted to Dutch law. Van de Velde has been competing in beach volleyball since 2017 and was recently named to the Dutch Olympic team.
In response to the controversy, the Dutch Olympic committee, in collaboration with van de Velde and his partner Matthew Immers, has taken steps to mitigate the impact of his inclusion by relocating him to different accommodations in Paris and prohibiting him from speaking to the media, as stated by chef de mission Pieter van den Hoogenband on Dutch television. Van den Hoogenband emphasized that van de Velde will not downplay his conviction and that the committee must respect this while supporting him to perform as a team member.
Van den Hoogenband also mentioned that van de Velde is concentrating on his performance at the Games, where he and Immers will face Italian competitors next Sunday. Kate Seary, co-founder and director of Kyniska Advocacy, which advocates for the protection and respect of women in sports, criticized van de Velde's participation, stating it sends a message that sporting ability outweighs criminal behavior. Van den Hoogenband was surprised by the backlash, noting van de Velde's long-standing involvement in international sports, including participation in world cups and European championships.
The International Olympic Committee's spokesman, Mark Adams, clarified on Saturday that the IOC has no role in the selection of athletes for the Games, which is the responsibility of each national committee. Adams mentioned that the Dutch committee has emphasized the extensive safeguarding measures in place for the Games.
