Dutch Olympic beach volleyball player, who was convicted of raping young girl, faces boos before match

A Dutch men’s volleyball player, who was convicted of raping a 12-year-old girl in 2016, was booed during his team’s opening match at the Paris Olympics on Sunday.

Steven van de Velde’s record resurfaced when he qualified as one of the top two Dutch teams on the international tour. He faced several boos when he took the sand for warmups, but the reaction from the crowd in Paris got louder during pre-match introductions.

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Steven van de Velde competes against Italy at Eiffel Tower Stadium at the Summer Olympics in Paris, Sunday, July 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)

Van de Velde served 13 months in prison for having sex with a 12-year-old and his participation faced criticism from others at the Olympics.

"If an athlete or a staff member had that conviction, they wouldn’t be allowed to be a member of our team," Anna Mears, the head of the Australian delegation, said earlier in the week. "We do have a number of athletes under 18 and under 16 and so those policies are well in action for safeguarding of our team."

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Steven van de Velde goes up against Italy at Eiffel Tower Stadium in Paris, Sunday, July 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)

The Dutch Olympic committee said he was able to return to competition after his release. He called the incident the "biggest mistake" of his life.

"I understand that in the run-up to the biggest sporting event in the world, this can attract the attention of international media," he said in a statement on the Netherlands Volleyball Federation website. "I cannot reverse it, so I will have to bear the consequences."

Steven van de Velde hits the ball in the match against Italy at the Summer Olympics in Paris, Sunday, July 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)

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Italy defeated the Netherlands in their opening beach volleyball match, 2-1.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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