Convicted of child rape - will not live in the Olympic Village

The 29-year-old Dutch Olympic beach volleyball player Steven van de Velde was convicted in 2016 for three counts of rape of a 12-year-old girl. It is now announced that van de Velde will not live in the Olympic Village in Paris with the other active athletes and he will not be allowed to speak to journalists.

» Updated: October 04 2024

» Published: July 22 2024

Convicted of child rape - will not live in the Olympic Village
Photo: Florian Schroetter/AP/TT

The 29-year-old Dutch Olympic beach volleyball player Steven van de Velde was convicted in 2016 for three counts of raping a 12-year-old girl.

It has now been announced that van de Velde will not live in the Olympic Village in Paris with the other athletes and will not be allowed to speak to journalists.

According to the German newspaper Bild, it was the player himself who requested not to live in the Olympic Village. His teammate Matthew Immers will, however, live with the other athletes.

The decision not to allow van de Velde to live in the Olympic Village or speak to the media was made by the Dutch Olympic Committee to "create calm".

It was in 2014 that the then 19-year-old Steven van de Velde came into contact with the 12-year-old girl on Facebook, according to The Telegraph. He flew to the UK to meet the girl and confessed to three counts of rape in 2016. The Dutchman was sentenced to four years in prison for child rape.

I can't undo what's been done, so I have to take the consequences. It's the biggest mistake of my life, he said in an interview with the Dutch TV channel NOS in 2018.

After a short time in prison in the UK, van de Velde served his sentence in his home country, but was released in 2017 as his sentence was adjusted according to Dutch law. The same year, he resumed his sports career.

The Swedish world top players David Åhman and Jonatan Hellvig are medal favorites in Paris and have played matches against the Dutch duo during the spring – most recently in the World Tour tournament in Portugal in May – but in the Olympics, the teams will not be in the same group.

Tags

TTT
By TTThis article has been altered and translated by Sweden Herald

More news

Min Woo Lee Claims First
1 MIN READ

Min Woo Lee Claims First PGA Tour Victory as Svensson Stumbles

Speedway Champion Tai Woffinden Hospitalized
1 MIN READ

Speedway Champion Tai Woffinden Hospitalized After Serious Crash

Haaland Injured in City's FA
1 MIN READ

Haaland Injured in City's FA Cup Win Over Bournemouth

Omar Faraj Scores Five as
2 MIN READ

Omar Faraj Scores Five as Degerfors Triumphs Over Halmstad

Hammarby's Ellen Wangerheim Joins National
1 MIN READ

Hammarby's Ellen Wangerheim Joins National Team for Nations League

Paulos Abraham Shines as Hammarby
2 MIN READ

Paulos Abraham Shines as Hammarby Dominates IFK Göteborg 4-0

Sweden Triumphs Over Finland to
2 MIN READ

Sweden Triumphs Over Finland to Secure World Championship Gold

Brynäs Advances to Semifinals but
2 MIN READ

Brynäs Advances to Semifinals but Goalkeeper Injury Raises Concerns

Hammarby Dominates Göteborg 4-0 in
2 MIN READ

Hammarby Dominates Göteborg 4-0 in Allsvenskan Opener

Vesna Milivojevic Stuns Malmö FF
1 MIN READ

Vesna Milivojevic Stuns Malmö FF with Two Goals in Home Opener

Elfsborg Eyes Revenge Against Malmö
2 MIN READ

Elfsborg Eyes Revenge Against Malmö FF After Dramatic Comeback

Sweden Claims Sixth Straight Bandy
2 MIN READ

Sweden Claims Sixth Straight Bandy World Championship Gold

Police Mobilize for Hammarby March
1 MIN READ

Police Mobilize for Hammarby March in Stockholm

Spaniard López-Chacarra Triumphs in India
1 MIN READ

Spaniard López-Chacarra Triumphs in India as Dantorp Falls Short

Ebba Andersson Triumphs with Double
2 MIN READ

Ebba Andersson Triumphs with Double Wins in Ski Classics Finale

Swede Max Novak's Ski Pole
1 MIN READ

Swede Max Novak's Ski Pole Breaks, Ending Race Hopes in Norway

Sweden's Curling Champs Stumble in
1 MIN READ

Sweden's Curling Champs Stumble in World Championship Opener

Swedish NBA Rookie Pelle Larsson
1 MIN READ

Swedish NBA Rookie Pelle Larsson Shines with 14 Points in Miami Win

Lucas Raymond Sets New Career
1 MIN READ

Lucas Raymond Sets New Career High in Detroit's Win Over Boston

Andreas Nordebäck Achieves Season's Best
1 MIN READ

Andreas Nordebäck Achieves Season's Best with 17th Place Finish in Boston

Aryna Sabalenka Triumphs Over Pegula
1 MIN READ

Aryna Sabalenka Triumphs Over Pegula to Win Miami WTA Title

Jesper Svensson Shines in Tight
1 MIN READ

Jesper Svensson Shines in Tight PGA Tour Battle in Houston

AIK Keeps SHL Hopes Alive,
2 MIN READ

AIK Keeps SHL Hopes Alive, Set to Face Karlskoga in Semifinals

Viktor Gyökeres Shines with Two
1 MIN READ

Viktor Gyökeres Shines with Two Goals in Sporting Lisbon Victory

Layouni Leads Häcken to Victory
2 MIN READ

Layouni Leads Häcken to Victory with Double Strike in Allsvenskan Opener

Genre image
1 MIN READ

Newcastle Celebrates League Cup Victory with Heroic Isak

Swedish Olympic Champs Hellvig and
1 MIN READ

Swedish Olympic Champs Hellvig and Åhman Fall in World Quarterfinals

Djurgården's Stensson and Malmö's Jansson
2 MIN READ

Djurgården's Stensson and Malmö's Jansson Clash Over Injury Claims

Johan Lövgren Triumphs in Grueling
1 MIN READ

Johan Lövgren Triumphs in Grueling 22-Mile Nordenskiöldsloppet Ski Race

Timrå Falls to Frölunda as
1 MIN READ

Timrå Falls to Frölunda as Star Jonathan Dahlén Suffers Injury

Kristoffer Olsson Returns to Sweden
1 MIN READ

Kristoffer Olsson Returns to Sweden After Leaving Midtjylland

Sweden Dominates USA 22-0 to
1 MIN READ

Sweden Dominates USA 22-0 to Reach Bandy World Championship Final

Färjestad Keeps Playoff Hopes Alive
2 MIN READ

Färjestad Keeps Playoff Hopes Alive with Crucial Win Over Skellefteå

Malmö FF Triumphs Over Djurgården
2 MIN READ

Malmö FF Triumphs Over Djurgården in Allsvenskan Opener

Häcken Faces Second Straight Loss
2 MIN READ

Häcken Faces Second Straight Loss in Women's League Struggles

Mateta Returns from Injury as
1 MIN READ

Mateta Returns from Injury as Crystal Palace Triumphs in FA Cup Derby

Linköping Sports Manager Waives Salary
2 MIN READ

Linköping Sports Manager Waives Salary to Sign Midfielder Talia Gabarra

Kinhult Slips to 45th After
1 MIN READ

Kinhult Slips to 45th After Tough Round in New Delhi Golf Event

Four Arrested After Football Fan
1 MIN READ

Four Arrested After Football Fan Clash in Stockholm

Ebba Andersson Triumphs in Reistadløpet,
2 MIN READ

Ebba Andersson Triumphs in Reistadløpet, Leaving Nilsson Behind