Dutch Beach Volleyball Player Convicted of Rape Faces Louder Boos in Second Olympic Match

Van de Velde, 29, served 13 months in prison after his 2016 conviction for raping a 12-year-old girl in England.

PARIS, France — Dutch beach volleyball player Steven van de Velde faced loud jeers from the crowd during his second match at the Paris Olympics. Van de Velde, who previously served time for raping a 12-year-old girl, continues to generate controversy both on and off the court.

Despite the hostile reception, Van de Velde and his teammate Matthew Immers emerged victorious with a 21-19, 21-16 win over Chile. The negative reaction from the audience was even stronger than in their Olympic debut three days earlier, which also featured a mix of boos and cheers.

“I was disappointed with the crowd, for sure,” said Immers. “I cannot do anything about his past anymore. I’m here to play with him. … So, yeah, I’m disappointed with it. But I think mentally we’re really strong, and I’m really strong to get through this, together. And we’re going to do that.”

While calls for Van de Velde to be banned from the Olympics have been vocal among victims advocates, lawmakers, and fans, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has stated it lacks the authority to prevent his participation as he qualified according to standard procedures.

Once again, Van de Velde avoided the media mix zone, a space where athletes are typically required to speak to reporters. Dutch press attaché Hans Nieuwenburg instructed that Immers would only field “sport questions” during the post-match interaction.

“He said everything on (Sunday),” Nieuwenburg commented, referring to the duo’s earlier loss to Italy.

Immers acknowledged that they had to be extra supportive of each other amidst the backlash. When asked about the negative reception, he declined to delve into the reasons, stating, “I don’t want to talk about that, if it’s OK.”

“I think what’s in the past is in the past, and we’re here to go for a good result together,” Immers added, emphasizing the support from Dutch fans. “And I want to say there was also a lot of people supporting us, and we’re doing it for them. I really like this sport and I still love the crowd and the people who support us.”