Paris [France], July 29 : Steven van de Velde, the Dutch beach volleyball player who was convicted of raping a child a decade ago, was roundly booed by the crowd during the Netherlands' first match at the Paris Olympics, CNN reported.
Footage posted on social media showed jeers and boos ringing out, as van de Velde and his partner Matthew Immers walked out into the arena at the foot of the Eiffel Tower.
Eventually, the duo was defeated by the Italian duo of Alex Ranghieri and Adrian Carambula.
Van de Velde's participation at these Olympic Games has caused much uproar given that he was sentenced to four years in prison for raping a 12-year-old girl in 2014, CNN reported, citing British media. He was released in 2017 and is now 29 years old.
Despite the torrent of criticism directed towards the Dutch National Olympic Committee for selecting him, the International Olympic Committee defended the decision as "correct," saying that van de Velde has undergone "a great deal of rehabilitation."
Immers defended his teammate from criticism, telling reporters, "What's in the past is in the past. He had his punishment and now he is really kind. For me, it is an example that (he) grew and learned a lot from it."
Ju'Riese Colon, CEO for the US Centre for SafeSport, said in June that the organisation was "deeply concerned that anyone convicted of sexually assaulting a minor could participate in the 2024 Olympic Games."
"With teams from around the world about to convene in Paris, many of which include minor athletes, this sends a dangerous message that medals and money mean more than their safety. Participation in sport is a privilege, not a right," she added.
French Sports Minister Amelie Oudea-Castera said she is "shocked" at Van de Velde's participation.
"As a woman, I am shocked to imagine that someone that has raped a little girl is at the Olympics...What is important to keep in mind is that the decision to select an athlete is taken by the NOC, it's not at all the responsibility of the French state," CNN quoted her as saying.
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