Steven van de Velde Booed at Olympics Debut

Steven van de Velde, a Dutch beach volleyball player and convicted child rapist, faced significant public backlash during his Olympic debut at the Paris 2024 Games, where he was met with boos from the crowd. Van de Velde, who was sentenced to four years in prison for raping a 12-year-old girl in 2014 but served just 12 months, competed alongside teammate Matthew Immers against Italian opponents. Despite some cheers, the overwhelming response during his introduction was negative, reflecting the ongoing controversy surrounding his inclusion in the Netherlands Olympic team. The Dutch Olympic Committee has defended his participation, citing successful rehabilitation, while public and organizational criticism continues, including calls for inquiries into his selection. Van de Velde has opted to stay outside the Olympic Village and refrain from media interactions. The International Olympic Committee maintains that individual committees are responsible for athlete eligibility decisions.