How a convicted rapist competes in the Olympics

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is facing calls for an investigation into why a man convicted of child rape was allowed to compete in the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, which begin on Friday.

Steven Van de Velde, 29, is set to play volleyball for the Netherlands at the Games. This decision has drawn public criticism, with interest groups calling the move “irresponsible” and “deeply worrying.”

Here’s everything you need to know.

Who is Steven Van de Velde?

Van de Velde was a member of the Dutch national volleyball team as a teenager and even won the Dutch U20 championship in 2011.

Then in 2016, Van de Velde was convicted of three counts of child rape of a 12-year-old girl – an act he committed in 2014 when he was 19. He and the victim had spoken online for several months before the rape, before Van de Velde flew to a small town north of London to meet her in person.

He was caught after advising his victim to take the morning-after pill. Staff at a family planning clinic alerted the girl’s family and the police because she was so old.

As the BBC reported, the judge at Van de Velde’s trial said: “You were a potential Olympian. You had the opportunity to have a bright future representing the Netherlands.”

Van de Velde served 13 months of his four-year sentence – part of it in the UK – before being returned to the Netherlands, where his sentence was reduced, and finally returned to volleyball in 2018.

Van de Velde qualified for the Olympics in June with his volleyball partner Matthew Immers. In an interview on the Dutch Volleyball Association website, Van de Velde said: “I can’t undo it, so I will have to face the consequences. It was the biggest mistake of my life.”

public perception

Since Van de Velde qualified for the Olympics and the Netherlands stuck to their decision to accept him, there has been a storm of indignation on the Internet.

Ciara Bergman, CEO of Rape Crisis England & Wales, wrote on X: “It’s not too late for @iocmedia to investigate the decision to allow a convicted child molester to compete in the #Olympic2024 in Paris,” linking to an interview she conducted on the subject with conservative British radio host Nick Ferrari.

In addition, a petition was launched on Change.org, which had almost 90,000 signatures by Friday, calling on the IOC to “exclude” Van de Velde from the Olympic Games.

“This is about more than just one person; it is about the global image of the Olympic Games and the kind of society we want to live in,” the petition’s description reads. “Let us all raise our voices against any approach that undermines justice and the safety of our children.”

On Wednesday, British long-distance runner Paula Radcliffe apologised after facing heavy criticism for her reaction to Van de Velde’s participation. Asked on Andrew Marr’s LBC programme about the decision to let him compete, she replied that Van de Velde was “19 at the time and serving his prison sentence” and that “if he has managed to successfully turn his life around”, she wished him “the best of luck”.

The reaction of the IOC and the Dutch Olympic Committee

The IOC told TIME that responsibility for nominating individual team members lies solely with the Olympic Committee of each country.

Nevertheless, they argue that these Olympic Games will offer “the most comprehensive package of mental health and protection tools, initiatives and services than any other sporting or Olympic event in history.” They point to the two IOC security officers in the Olympic Village, a new “AI-powered monitoring service” to protect athletes from online abuse, the IOC Integrity and Compliance Hotline and the 160 accredited Dutch Olympic Committees (Social Worker (NOC).

The NOC did not respond to TIME’s request for comment, but released a statement on its website amid growing social media response to Van de Velde’s inclusion in its squad.

According to them, Van de Velde has “met all strict risk assessment, control and due diligence requirements” and “experts” have informed them that there is no risk of reoffending.

They also state that they are taking “concrete measures to ensure a safe sports environment”, referring in particular to the separate sleeping facilities for Van de Velde during the Olympic Games outside the Olympic Village.

“Van de Velde has remained transparent throughout the case, which he describes as the biggest misstep of his life,” the statement continued. “NOC*NSF regrets the impact of the unexpected renewed attention, particularly on social media, on those struggling with trauma resulting from sexual offenses and transgressive behavior.”