Dutch volleyball player violates protocol at first Olympic game

Steven van de Velde, who was in prison for rape, violated Olympic protocol after the Netherlands’ loss to Italy.

The 29-year-old was convicted in England in 2016 for having sex with a 12-year-old girl.

His record was renewed last month when he qualified for the Olympics as one of the top two Dutch teams on the international tour.

When Van de Velde entered the stands for the warm-up, he was greeted with boos, but the cheers were even louder during the formal introduction before the match.

After levelling the match at 1-1, the Dutch pair seemed to lose their composure in the deciding set, losing 15-13.

The International Volleyball Federation said it could not stop the Netherlands from sending Van de Velde to Paris after he qualified through conventional means.

Van de Velde, who does not live in the athletes’ village, was not available to the media, a violation of Olympic protocol.

The International Olympic Committee insists it has no influence on the matter, which arose again on Sunday after Van de Velde was escorted away following his defeat and relieved of his traditional media duties.

An IOC spokesman said in response to the controversy sparked by the participation of a convicted child rapist in the Games that “additional security measures had been taken.”

Van de Velde’s participation in the Games had caused concern and consternation in the run-up to the world’s biggest sporting event.

In an email exchange seen by the Guardian, a “concerned Brit” who has lived in the Netherlands for over a decade expressed his unease with the Dutch Olympic Committee and described Van de Velde’s inclusion as a “stain on the Dutch national team”.

A spokesman for the Dutch Olympic Committee then stated: “Steven is NOT a paedophile (sic); do you really not believe that the Dutch NOC would send someone to Paris who IS a real risk? No, he does not pose a risk.”

As the email chain continued, the concerned Brit was urged “not to believe all the headlines” he read in the news.

A separate message from the Dutch official said: “We are taking measures to ensure that everyone can focus on the sport and the Games.”

“This is not the past story of this beach volleyball player who has participated in all international tournaments since 2018.”

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