Dutch Olympic child rapist Steven van de Velde CRASHES OUT of volleyball in last-16 to delight of jeering crowds
Velde was sentenced to four years in prison in 2016 after pleading guilty to raping a 12-year-old British girl when he was 19
CHILD rapist Steven van de Velde was eliminated from the Paris Olympics as crowds booed and jeered from the stands.
The Dutch volleyball player lost in his fourth match against Brazil’s undefeated Evandro after a controversial run of games.
Velde, 29, was sentenced to four years in prison in 2016 after pleading guilty to raping a 12-year-old British girl when he was 19.
He ultimately served fewer than 19 weeks in prison for each of the three child rapes he confessed to.
A judge at the time said his then-promising career was a “shattered dream” after the grim conviction.
But the Netherlands, despite wide international outcry, sent Velde to the Olympics anyway.
At match point in the tense game on Sunday evening, Velde served as bystanders yelled from the sidelines.
Undefeated Evandro Gonçalves de Oliveira, thought to be the best server in the world, delivered a crushing defeat.
The pair shook hands before Velde and his teammate Matthew Immers, 23, walked off waving to the crowds.
Velde’s inclusion in the Games has been highly controversial and a source of fury for many sexual violence advocacy groups, lawmakers and other countries.
Ciara Bergman, CEO of Rape Crisis England & Wales, has said: “It sends a damaging message that competing in sports matters more than raping a child.”
Throughout the tournament he has been exempted from speaking to reporters post-match, something most Olympians are expected to do.
The Dutch have previously defended his special treatment over exclusion from interviews at the tournament.
His aide John van Vliet said: “We are protecting a convicted child rapist to do his sport as best as possible.”
Immers, speaking for Velde as well, said on Sunday: “It was an emotional roller coaster. I see it that way.
“If I can speak for him, after the match we lost, we were disappointed.
“But we said to each other: “Look what we did together. Look how hard we fought with all the attention.”
