By Kristine Pascual, Sept. 3, 2024
The youngest athlete at the 2024 Paris Olympics was 11 years old. Steven van de Velde’s victim was 12.
Despite a petition with more than 150,000 signatures, the Dutch Olympic Committee defended a convicted child rapist, allowing him to qualify and compete at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
As a Dutch beach volleyball player, Van de Velde was able to compete in the Paris Olympics despite being convicted of raping a 12-year-old child in England in 2014. The two originally connected online via social media apps like Skype, Facebook and Snapchat, speaking almost every day over the course of a few months. The child originally claimed to be 16 years old, which is the age of consent in the U.K., but even after alerting Van de Velde of her true age, he continued to chat with her over social media, leading to the two meeting up in London, where the girl lived.
The Dutch Olympic Committee’s decision to include Van de Velde, despite his past, was an act of betrayal. They argue that Van de Velde has “paid his time” and completed his rehabilitation, but this is arguably a gross misjudgment. Rehabilitation does not erase the horrific impact of his crimes, especially on his victim who was only 12. The Dutch Olympic Committee’s stance is deeply troubling. The emotional scars left on the young girl, now 22 years old, cannot be undone; it’s irreversible.
Van de Velde advised the child to take a morning after pill. There, the family planning clinic alerted the child’ family and the police. Christie Joines, the associate athletics director and deputy Title IX coordinator at Cal Poly Pomona, assured that CPP runs a “tight ship” with their student-athletes. Each year, student-athletes have to sign an attestation form, attesting they have not been involved in any allegations or violations.
“I’m completely shocked that it’s not already a policy to permit convicted people in the Olympics,” Joines said. “There’s no room for that. This is a place where athletes should be able to perform at their best. How can one perform at their best when they’re concerned about something like that?”
Joines was affected by the news and heightened her senses, especially as she wants to make the athletes feel as safe as possible.
“It sickens me not just as an administrator, former coach, former student athlete, but also as a mother of a 12-year-old daughter myself,” she said. “It makes me sick to my stomach.”
Van de Velde was sentenced to four years in prison for three counts of rape of a minor, yet only served 12 months in Britain before being transferred to a prison in the Netherlands. When he transferred to the Netherlands prison, Dutch authorities reduced Van de Velde’s sentence, releasing him after one month. In the Netherlands, the law revolving around rape is much less strict than in the U.K. Until July 1, 2024, Dutch law only recognized rape if physical force was involved.
Seeking professional help and counseling does not and cannot erase what happened in the past. Van de Velde deserves to be sentenced back to prison, especially after he did not even complete his original four-year sentence, which felt like a slap on the wrist more than an actual punishment. Rape — in any circumstance — is unforgivable, but to a child is sickening and disgusting. I can’t even begin to imagine the family of that girl and herself. She is 22 years old now, but the emotional repercussions are irreparable and traumatizing at any age, let alone a 12-year-old.
Van de Velde persisted and continued to try and keep in contact with the child.
When Van de Velde was sentenced, it was revealed in court that the victim began self-harming out of extreme guilt over his arrest. The emotional harm and damage for the victim is irreversible and will be difficult to overcome as she grows older. Child rape is unforgivable — but the Dutch Olympic Committee says otherwise.
Following his release from prison, the Dutch Olympic Committee deemed Van de Velde met all requirements to compete, resuming his volleyball career in 2017.Van de Velde qualified for the Paris Olympics— representing the Netherlands — but the Dutch Olympic Committee agreed he should reside outside of the Olympic Village. The Dutch Olympic Committee felt Van de Velde deserved a second chance because he’d served his time in prison and completed his rehabilitation program.
“Van de Velde now meets all the qualification requirements for the Olympic Games and is therefore part of the team,” the committee’s statement said.
At the Paris Olympics, Van de Velde competed in beach volleyball with his playing partner, Matthew Immers. The two lost their opening match where Van de Velde was rightfully booed by the crowd.
Immers went on to defend Van de Velde’s character, seeing the 29-year-old rapist as a father figure, a disturbing feeling brought to my stomach as I read his defense.
The Olympics failed victims of sexual assault. The Dutch government argued Van de Velde paid his time, but that’s exactly my point — he didn’t. Van de Velde avoided his sentence and was able to train, qualify and compete in the Olympics. If Van de Velde were a person of color, he would have never been welcomed with open arms. In 2009, South African runner Caster Semanya was scrutinized for her hormone levels. Despite identifying as female at birth, being raised as a girl and identifying as female her whole life, Semanya spent years fighting against requirements for her to lower her natural testosterone levels in order to compete. Indian sprinter Dutee Chand faced similar discrimination after she was tested and had high testosterone levels.
I can’t understand how people can defend a convicted child rapist like Van de Velde. The International Olympic Committee needs to tighten their rules and ban convicted rapists from qualifying and competing in the Olympics. All while Van de Velde was competing in beach volleyball, the rest of the world was taunting Algerian boxer Imane Khelif, accusing the 25-year-old of being a man. Even before the Olympics officially took place, the opening ceremony caused a stir among religious conservatives. In previous Olympic games, athletes were kicked off of their country’s team for being caught with marijuana, a drug that would more likely slow an athlete down rather than enhance them.
Australian Olympic team chief Anna Meares stated Australia would have never picked a convicted rapist to compete on their team. Ciara Bergman, the CEO of Rape Crisis England and Wales, called it “irresponsible” to allow someone like Van de Velde to compete in the Olympics.
Today, Van de Velde lives freely as an athlete, husband and father to a 2-year-old.
The Olympics are meant to promote unity through sport and foster connections between countries, rather than giving a platform to a convicted predator.
Van de Velde’s presence at the Paris Olympics is a disgrace. I’m appalled with the committee’s decision to allow a disgusting excuse of a human to be allowed to compete, let alone train and qualify for the Olympics. It is time for the Olympic Committee to implement stricter policies to prevent convicted criminals and to prioritize the safety and respect of victims above all else.
Graphic by Ruthie Johns