Steven Van de Velde ‘isn’t a risk’, a Dutch Olympic official said in an email, as abuse survivors urged the team to withdraw the volleyball player

A senior official with the Dutch Olympic committee has insisted that a convicted child rapist in its beach volleyball team is not a paedophile, in an email seen by the Guardian.

A concerned British man who has lived in the Netherlands for more than a decade, wrote to the Dutch Olympic committee and called the inclusion of Steven van de Velde in the team “a stain on the Dutch national side”. In a reply the Dutch Olympic committee spokesperson wrote: “Steven is NOT a peadophile [sic]; you really don’t think that de Dutch NOC would send someone to Paris who IS a real risk? No, he isn’t a risk.”

There has been mounting public anger at the presence of the beach volleyball player Van de Velde, who was convicted of raping a 12-year-old British girl in 2016. Earlier this week the International Olympic Committee faced calls for an investigation into how a convicted child rapist has been allowed to compete at Paris 2024. The IOC has said the selection of athletes for the Games was the responsibility of individual committees.

There has been mounting public anger at the presence of the beach volleyball player Van de Velde, who was convicted of raping a 12-year-old British girl in 2016. Earlier this week the International Olympic Committee faced calls for an investigation into how a convicted child rapist has been allowed to compete at Paris 2024. The IOC has said the selection of athletes for the Games was the responsibility of individual committees.

  • lepinkainen@lemmy.worldEnglish
    635·
    5 months ago

    Meanwhile a female equestrian was banned for hitting a horse.

    Maybe she should’ve fucked it, that would be fine it seems? 🤣

    • angrystego@lemmy.worldEnglish
      22·
      5 months ago

      Let’s not compare that, I’m happy she was banned. I know you don’t want to say it was ok, but the comparison could be used to pardon her behaviour.

    • Blackmist@feddit.ukEnglish
      195·
      5 months ago

      I suspect if it was a man hitting the horse, it would have been brushed away as “part of the sport”.

    • 14th_cylon@lemm.eeEnglish
      1·
      5 months ago

      cruelty to animals have no place in 21st century and she should have been banned - for her, that is her punishment.

      for him, some would argue that he already went through his punishment. he is probably still piece of shit, i don’t know the details of the case.