Allowing Dutch volleyball player to compete in Olympics after he raped girl, 12, sends 'damaging message', says charity

29 June 2024, 08:45 | Updated: 3 July 2024, 18:42

A number of charities have reacted to the choice to allow a convicted child rapist to compete in the upcoming Olympics - describing it as "deeply disturbing" and a decision that sends a "damaging message".

Dutch Volleyball player Steven Van de Velde was jailed back in 2016 after raping a 12-year-old British schoolgirl.

Van de Velde, who was 19 at the time of the assault, travelled to the UK from Amsterdam to meet the girl whom he had met on the internet.

The girl was raped at an address in Milton Keynes. Van de Velde advised her to get the morning after pill as they had not used contraception.

It was her visit to a family planning clinic that alerted authorities, who stepped in because of the girl's age.

Van de Velde returned to the Netherlands, but was extradited and arrested in January 2016.

He appeared at Aylesbury Crown Court the following month via a video link and sentenced to four years in prison.

However, the sportsman was allowed to return to the Netherlands to complete his sentence and was released after a year.

Read more: Dutch volleyball player jailed for raping British schoolgirl, 12, to compete in Paris Olympics

'Fundamental failure'

In response to this decision, Ciara Bergman, CEO of Rape Crisis England & Wales, said: "That convicted rapists are able to serve a sentence or complete a course of psychotherapy and then return to their chosen career path demonstrates a fundamental failure to centre survivors in our societal response to rape.

"Sexual violence and abuse are devastating; survivors must live and find ways to cope with a broad array of (usually) lifelong impacts, including trauma, flashbacks, poor physical and mental health, and a lack of access to timely or proportionate justice.

"Indeed, many spend longer on waiting lists for Rape Crisis centres than perpetrators will ever serve in prison, even if they are convicted – which is rare.

"Movements such as #MeToo have consistently highlighted the prevalence and impact of rape and sexual abuse, and yet, time and time again, convicted rapists who also happen to have high profile careers in the worlds of sports, politics and celebrity are allowed to resume their careers having committed appalling acts of sexual violence and abuse – often with their status and career prospects framed as somehow mitigating their crimes.

"Rape is a crime against individuals and an offence to our broader culture and society, too.

"Allowing someone who has been convicted of rape to return to public competition and to receive and enjoy all of the accompanying praise and attention that goes with it sends a damaging message to us all – that competing in sports matters more than raping a child, and that so long as a perpetrator of sexual violence has ‘moved on’ from their behaviour, the victim and the rest of us can or should, too."

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) said the nomination of individual team members is "the sole responsibility of each respective National Olympic Committee".

'Deeply disturbing'

The Survivors Trust have also commented on the situation.

"The fact the Van de Velde is allowed to continue his career after admitting ‘the biggest mistake of his life’ is further endorsement of the shocking toleration we have of child sexual abuse.

"The rape of a child was planned, calculated involving international travel and will undoubtedly cause his victim lifelong trauma, irreversibly changing the course of her life.

"As a society we have to start embracing a zero tolerance approach to this heinous and costly crime.

"His lack of remorse and empathy for his victim is chilling and the allowance of his colleagues and the Olympic committee to promote him to a young audience as a sports person to look up to and therefore by implication is deeply disturbing."

Following van de Velde's early release in 2017, Van De Velde said: "I do want to correct all the nonsense that has been written about me when I was locked up. 

"I did not read any of it, on purpose, but I understand that it was quite bad, that I have been branded as a sex monster, as a paedophile. That I am not, really not."

"Everyone can have their opinion about me, but it is only fair if they also know my side of the story."

In response, the NSPCC said: "Van de Velde's lack of remorse and self-pity is breathtaking and we can only begin to imagine how distressed his victim must feel if she sees his comments.

"Grooming can leave a child feeling ashamed or even guilty because they believe they have somehow willingly participated when, in fact, an adult has preyed upon them in order to sexually exploit them."

Recently, van de Velde joined up with a new partner, Matthew Immers, and they are the second ranked Dutch team for the Olympics.

They secured one of their country’s two men’s spots at Paris 2024 and are ranked 11th on the overall rankings heading into the Games.

A petition to disqualify Van de Velde from the 2024 Paris Olympics has already gathered over 1,000 signatures.