Entertainment
Child molester Olympic athlete admits he ‘did something wrong years ago’
Convicted child rapist Steven Van de Velde burst into tears after being allowed to participate in the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris despite previous charges.
The volleyball star admitted he knew the weight of his wrongdoing. However, Van de Velde – and his country – insist his past mistakes do not define him as a person, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
Van de Velde was convicted in 2016 of raping a 12-year-old girl when he was 19. The 30-year-old athlete served 13 months in prison – a shorter time than his original four-year sentence.
During an interview with the NOS, Van de Velde said emotionally: “I did something wrong 10 years ago. I have to accept that.”
The father-of-one – who is now married to German volleyball player Kim Behrens – added: ‘But hurting people around me – whether it’s (playing partner) Matthew (Immers), my wife, my child… that goes just too far for me.”
Dutch Volleyball Federation general manager Michel Everaert defended the player’s inclusion on the global court, saying: “He was convicted under English law at the time and has served his sentence. From that moment on we have been in constant contact with Steven, who has now fully reintegrated into the Dutch volleyball community.
“He is proving to be an exemplary professional and human being and there is no reason to doubt him since his return. We fully support him and his participation in Paris, which he and Matthew have earned.”
Van de Velde managed to avoid reporters during his stay in Paris and also chose to stay outside the Olympic Village, where athletes usually stay.
Despite his best efforts, Van de Velde was unable to avoid the distracting “steady stream of shouting and whistling” he received from matchgoers “every time he served the ball,” according to the Associated Press.
Speaking to the outlet, he said: “That’s definitely a moment where I thought, ‘Is this worth it?’
But the athlete exclaimed that he is “not going to give others the power” to “bully (him) away or get rid of (him).”
“I can’t change what people think of me. Someone can forever hold me responsible for what happened and that’s okay, because that’s what it is. It’s their right. So I accept that.”
Van de Velde and his teammate Immers lost to Brazil in their fourth match, ending the Dutch team’s stay at the Summer Games.
