Steven van de Velde, a Dutch volleyball player, has sparked controversy after being nominated to compete at the 2024 Olympics in Paris.
The 6’6″ athlete was convicted of raping a 12-year-old girl in 2016 after pleading guilty to three counts of child rape.
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Velde met the teenager on Facebook and came to the UK in August 2014 to sexually abuse her at her home in Buckinghamshire. He also raped her in the neighboring Furzton Lake.
According to court documents, he only stopped after she complained of pain.
In order to control the situation, his own national committee opted not to include him in any post-match media responsibilities. Instead, it will be up to teammate Matthew Immers.