Volleyball player convicted of raping a 12-year-old qualifies for Paris Olympic Games

Warning: This article contains discussion of rape which some readers may find distressing.

Beach volleyball player Steven van de Velde is set to represent the Netherlands at the Paris Olympics despite his previous conviction.

Van de Velde, now 29, was sentenced to four years in a Dutch prison back in 2016 after he admitted to three counts of rape against a child.

However, the athlete only served 12 months of the sentence before he was released.

The incident took place in 2014, and the athlete, then 19, met the 12-year-old victim on Facebook. He travelled to the UK and raped the child at an address in Milton Keynes.

Initially, the judge had told Van de Velde that his actions had destroyed his Olympic dreams of representing his country.

Van de Velde was sentenced to four years in prison back in 2016. (Pablo Morano/BSR Agency/Getty Images)

During his sentencing, Judge Francis Sheridan told Van de Velde: “Prior to coming to this country you were training as a potential Olympian. Your hopes of representing your country now lie as a shattered dream.

“Your actions have wrecked your life and you could, had you never come to England and committed these offences, have been a leader in your sport."

However, despite these predictions from the judge, this month he sealed his spot in the national pair at the 2024 Paris Olympics alongside Matthew Immers.

The Dutch Olympic Committee (NOC) has addressed the concerns that Van de Velda’s participation has raised.

Speaking to BBC Sport, NOC said: “After his release, Van de Velde sought and received professional counselling. He demonstrated to those around him - privately and professionally - self-insight and reflection."

The NOC says Van de Velde's return to the sport met guidelines set by the Dutch Volleyball Federation (NeVoBo) in the organization's 'Guidelines Integrity Record', which sets out conditions for athletes to resume competing after conviction.

He said it had 'been the biggest mistake of my life'. (Mario Hommes/DeFodi Images via Getty Images)

The athlete has also issued his own statement through the committee and said: “In 2016 and afterwards, several Dutch media also paid attention to the story. I understand that in the run-up to the biggest sporting event in the world, this can attract the attention of international media."

Van de Velde previously told Dutch media: "I can't reverse it, so will have to bear the consequences. It has been the biggest mistake of my life."

However, these comments from the athlete differ from those that he gave in 2017 after serving a quarter of his sentence.

He said: “I do want to correct all the nonsense that has been written about me when I was locked up. I did not read any of it, on purpose, but I understand that it was quite bad, that I have been branded as a sex monster, as a paedophile. That I am not, really not.

“Everyone can have their opinion about me, but it is only fair if they also know my side of the story.”

UNILAD has contacted the Dutch Olympic Committee for comment.

If you've been affected by any of the issues in this article, you can contact The National Sexual Assault Hotline on 800.656.HOPE (4673), available 24/7. Or you can chat online via online.rainn.org.