July 27, (THEWILL) – The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has confirmed that Steven van de Velde, a Dutch beach volleyball player convicted of rape, will be allowed to participate in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Van de Velde, who was sentenced to four years in prison in 2016 for raping a 12-year-old girl in Britain, has been competing since 2017 after serving part of his sentence.
IOC spokesperson, Mark Adams, stated that they were satisfied with the explanations provided by the Dutch National Olympic Committee regarding Van de Velde’s inclusion. The Dutch team has implemented measures to mitigate the impact of his participation, including housing him separately from other athletes and prohibiting media interactions.
The decision has sparked controversy, with women’s and sports rights groups criticising the move as sending the wrong message. However, the IOC maintains that significant rehabilitation has occurred since the crime, which took place 10 years ago, and that strong safeguarding measures are in place.
Van de Velde is set to compete in the men’s preliminary phase of beach volleyball on Sunday. While the selection of athletes for the Olympics is primarily the responsibility of national Olympic committees, the IOC retains the right to revoke accreditations if necessary.
The case highlights the complex issues surrounding athlete participation in major sporting events and the balance between rehabilitation and public concerns.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
