Dutch child rapist Steven van de Velde has been booed by the crowd as he kicks off his first Olympics beach volleyball match.
Jeers rang out at the packed stadium as the 29-year-old convicted attacker took to sand court at the Champs de Mars park under the Eiffel Tower.
The 6ft 6ins Dutchman is in action against Italy’s Alex Ranghieri and Adrian Carambula with doubles partner Matthew Simmers, 23.
Van de Velde was again booed as he was introduced to the crowd for his Olympic debut.
Wearing the number ‘one’ in Netherlands blue and orange colours, the 29-year-old took off his dark, white rimmed sun-glasses, only to wipe sweat off his forehead.
Van de Velde was sentenced to four years in prison in 2016 after pleading guilty to raping a 12-year year-old British girl.
He was sentenced to four years in prison in 2016 after pleading guilty to raping a 12-year-old British schoolgirl when he was 19, back in August 2014.
Steven van de Velde waves to the crowd as he enters the court at the Eiffel Tower Stadium this morning
The Dutch athlete was jeered by the crowd as he entered the field of play for the Netherlands’ match against Italy
The Dutchman travelled from Amsterdam to the UK and raped the girl at a house in Milton Keynes.
Despite being told by a judge that his conviction was ‘career ending’, van De Velde resumed his volleyball career after serving just 12 months of his four year sentence.
But he was selected for the Netherlands Olympic beach volley squad in June this year.
And last night it was reported that an email sent by a a senior Dutch Olympic official insisted: ‘Steven is NOT a peadophile [sic]; you really don’t think that de Dutch NOC would send to Paris who IS a real risk? No, he isn’t a risk.’
However, a petition calling on Olympic chiefs to kick van de Velde out the Games has gained more than 94,400 signatures, and the British Olympic Association has expressed its anger about his competing.
Set up by Lauren Muir, it states: ‘The tarnished record of van de Velde should not be swept under the rug, nor should it stand as a symbol of achievement at an event as prestigious as the Olympics.
‘This is about more than just one person; it’s about the worldwide image of the Olympics and the kind of society we want to live in.’
In a statement, the Netherlands Olympic Committee last week it said it was ‘implementing concrete measures to ensure a safe sporting environment’ for all participants.’
‘These measures include, at the request of van De Velde, alternative accommodation for van De Velde and no media contact during his stay in Paris,’ a spokesman said.
He claimed that the measures were in line with ‘standard practice’ and had been developed following a ‘thorough risk assessment taking into account all affected groups’.
The spokesman said the assessment had reinforced the committee’s ‘confidence in the safety of all parties involved’.
Van de Velde had returned to the international elite sport level following a previous conviction for a sexual offence in 2014 in the UK’.
‘His return was possible following a specialist treatment programme,’ the spokesman said.
More to follow…
