Steven van de Velde was apprehended and found guilty of raping a 12 year old girl when he was 19
The Dutch Olympics team confessed to 'shielding a child rapist' with Steven van de Velde representing his country in the men's beach volleyball event in Paris.
His entrance onto the court was met with a wave of boos from the Parisian crowd. His inclusion in the team has been defended by the Dutch Olympic team, with press officer John van Vliet stating: "We are protecting a convicted child rapist, yes. To do his sport as best as possible, at a tournament he qualified for."
"We are very much aware that if we bring Steven out here, it won't be about sport or his performance. There was a time before this, at least 100 tournaments in beach volleyball, where this never came up. He never had to do anything about it. In lieu of Van de Velde's media absence, his teammate Matthew Immers will be handling all post-match responsibilities.Speaking about his partner's history, Immers stated: "He had his punishment.
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