How a Convicted Rapist Is Competing at the Olympics

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is facing calls for an investigation into why a man convicted of child rape has been allowed to compete at the Paris 2024 Olympics, which are set to begin Friday. 

Steven Van de Velde, 29, is set to play volleyball for the Netherlands at the Games, and the decision has drawn criticism from the public. Advocacy groups have called the move “irresponsible” and “deeply disturbing.”

Here is all you need to know. 

Who is Steven Van de Velde?

Van de Velde was a member of the Netherlands national volleyball team as a teenager, even winning the Under-20 Dutch National Championships in 2011.

Then, in 2016, Van de Velde was convicted of three counts of child rape of a 12-year old— an act he committed in 2014, when he was 19-years-old. He and the victim talked online for several months prior to the rape beforeVan de Velde flew to a small town north of London to meet with her in person. 

He was caught after he advised his victim to get a morning-after pill. Staff at a family planning clinic alerted the girl’s family and the police because of her age.

At Van de Velde’s trial, BBC reported that the judge said: “You were a potential Olympian. You had the possibility of a stellar future representing the Netherlands.”

Van de Velde served 13 months of his four-year prison sentence—some of which was served in Britain before he was transferred back to the Netherlands, where his sentence was reduced. Eventually, he returned to volleyball in 2018.

Van de Velde qualified for the Olympics in June with his volleyball partner Matthew Immers. In an interview posted to the Netherlands Volleyball Federation website, Van de Velde said, “I cannot reverse it, so I will have to bear the consequences. It has been the biggest mistake of my life.” 

Public perception

Since Van de Velde’s qualification for the Olympics, and the Netherlands standing by their choice to include him, there has been outrage online.

Ciara Bergman, the CEO of Rape Crisis England & Wales, wrote on X: “It’s not too late for the @iocmedia  to investigate the decision to allow a convicted child rapist to compete in the Paris #Olympic2024,” linking to an interview she did with conservative British radio host Nick Ferrari on the matter.

A Change.org petition was started as well, which has nearly 90,000 signatures as of Friday, calling for the IOC to “exclude” Van de Velde from the Olympics.

“This is about more than just one person; it’s about the worldwide image of the Olympics and the kind of society we want to live in,” the description of the petition reads. “Let us all raise our voices against any approach that undermines justice and the safety of our children.”

On Wednesday, British long-distance runner Paula Radcliffe apologized after receiving backlash for her response to Van de Velde’s inclusion. She was asked on Andrew Marr’s LBC program about the decision to allow him to compete and responded by saying Van de Velde was “19 at the time and he’s served his jail time” and “ if he’s managed to successfully turn his life around,” she “wishes him luck.”

How the IOC and the Netherlands Olympic Committee Responded

The IOC tells TIME that the responsibility of nominating individual team members falls solely with each respective country’s Olympic committee. 

Still, they argue that these Olympic Games will have the “the most comprehensive package of mental health and safeguarding tools, initiatives and services than any other sporting or Olympic event in history.” They point to the two IOC Safeguarding Officers in the Olympic village, a new “AI-powered monitoring service” to protect athletes from online abuse, the IOC Integrity and Compliance Hotline, and the 160 Accredited Netherlands Olympic Committee (NOC) Welfare Officers.

The NOC did not respond to TIME’s request for comment, but amid the growing social media response to Van de Velde’s inclusion in their roster, they have posted a statement on their website.

According to their statement, Van de Velde has “met all the stringent risk assessment thresholds, checks and due diligence” and that “experts” have told them that there is no risk of reoffense. 

They also state that they are “implementing concrete measures to ensure a safe sporting environment,” specifically pointing to the separate sleeping accommodations for Van de Velde during the Olympic games outside of Olympic Village.

“Van de Velde has consistently remained transparent about the case which he refers to as the most significant misstep of his life,” the statement continued. “NOC*NSF regrets the impact of the unforeseen renewed attention, on social media in particular, for those struggling with trauma from sexual offences and transgressive behaviour.”