Dutch beach volleyball player Steven van de Velde, convicted of raping a 12-year-old British girl in 2016, revealed on Tuesday that he contemplated quitting the Paris Olympics due to the controversy surrounding his participation.
Van de Velde and his partner, Matthew Immers, advanced to the quarterfinals in Paris but were defeated by Brazil in straight sets. Throughout the tournament, which saw them play four matches, Van de Velde faced persistent jeers and whistles from the crowd.
In an interview with Dutch national broadcaster NOS, Van de Velde admitted that he considered withdrawing both before and during the Olympics but ultimately chose to compete.
“I thought, ‘I don’t want that. I’m not going to give others the power to decide they can bully me away or get rid of me,’” Van de Velde stated, speaking in Dutch.
During the Olympics, Van de Velde refrained from speaking to the press.
After his 2016 conviction, Van de Velde served 13 months in prison in England. Despite calls from victims’ advocates, lawmakers, and fans for him to be banned from the Olympics, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) stated it lacked the authority to prevent the Netherlands from sending an athlete who had qualified through the standard process.
Before the Olympic Games, Van de Velde addressed his past in a statement on the Netherlands Volleyball Federation’s website, acknowledging, “I cannot reverse it, so I will have to bear the consequences. It has been the biggest mistake of my life.”
Van de Velde and Immers concluded their Olympic run with a 1-2 record in pool play before their loss to Brazil.
Reflecting on their performance, Van de Velde suggested that the hostile crowd reactions might have influenced their game.
“There is certainly a very good chance that it has had an influence on our game,” he told NOS. “If I think about how much I was focused on peripheral matters — with how I want to be on the field instead of with tactics against the opponent — then you can say that that has had an influence, but there is no point in passing the buck.”
He further acknowledged the ethical questions surrounding his participation, stating, “Do you want somebody with a history? Can he stand on the podium? That is a legitimate question to ask.”
Now married and a father, Van de Velde emphasized that he has changed over the past decade, attributing his resilience to the support of his family, friends, and Dutch volleyball and Olympic authorities. Despite the backlash in Paris, he also received support from orange-clad Dutch fans.
“I can’t change what people think of me,” Van de Velde reflected. “Someone can hold me responsible forever for what happened and that’s OK, because that’s what it is. It is their right. So, I accept that.”