2024 Olympic Games: Dutch volleyball player rapes 12-year-old girl from Milton Keynes

Steven van de Velde, a 29-year-old from The Hague, was sentenced to prison in 2016 after admitting three counts of rape.

He had contacted a British schoolgirl via social media in 2014 and travelled to the UK to meet her a few months later – despite being fully aware that she was only 12 years old.

After giving her alcohol, Van de Velde raped her several times.

When sentencing Van de Welde in 2016 at Aylesbury Crown Court, the judge noted that he was a talented beach volleyball player.

He explained to the defendant that because of his rape conviction, he would never be able to realise his dream of representing the Netherlands in sport.

Although the British judge sentenced him to four years in prison, Van de Welde was able to serve his sentence in the Netherlands, where he spent only one year in prison.

According to media reports, he has now qualified for the Olympic Games in Paris – and will travel to the event in France next month together with another volleyball player.