On Friday evening, Norwegian opposition awaits in the form of Anders Mol and Christian Sørum. The Norwegian duo has had a dream start to the championship.
– I know that many in the community didn’t know about this. It came as a shock to most that this had happened, says former Olympic participant and beach volleyball expert Iver Horrem.
He follows the championship through rights holder Eurosport.
Blast from the past
Van de Velde was sentenced to four years in prison in 2016 after raping a 12-year-old British girl but was released after just 12 months. The assaults reportedly took place in 2014, before he turned 20.
A British judge said in 2016 that “the hope of representing your country now lies as a shattered dream.”
It drew strong reactions when the Dutchman was nonetheless selected for the Olympics.
Read more here.
Sky Sports has labeled him the “most controversial athlete” of the Games.
In Paris, van de Velde and partner Matthew Immers have faced boos from the audience. In both matches, the Dutch duo has been met with jeers from the crowd.
– It is what it is. I was disappointed with the fans. We talked to each other on the court and asked ourselves, “What do we need from each other?” It was worse than in the first match. We need each other on the court, the hugs and cheers, said Immers to Bild after Wednesday’s victory against the Grimalt duo from Chile.
Horrem, who reveals that he has trained with the Dutch players at some training camps, describes the debate around Olympic participation as a “tough discussion.”
– The whole community probably condemns what he has done, but no one is boycotting him. There aren’t many who have a close relationship with them. They haven’t exactly dominated the World Tour.
The 47-year-old admits that he struggles to feel sympathy for the volleyball profile.
– I have a five-year-old daughter myself. It’s hard to feel sympathy that he is being booed. What he has done, even if it was many years ago, is not easy to overlook.
Not staying in the athletes’ village
Van de Velde has not yet spoken with the media during the Olympics. Additionally, the Dutch Olympic committee has ensured that he does not stay in the athletes’ village, but in another location.
– I don’t want to say much about it. It’s the past. I cannot change his past. I am here to play with him. We want to achieve some good results here, and there are many who support us. We do it for them, said partner Immers in the press zone.
– It’s a terrible story, and we understand that there are reactions surrounding his participation when it’s so brutal, said Anders Mol to NRK after the draw was announced.
Van de Velde has not yet spoken with the media during the Olympics. Additionally, the Dutch Olympic committee has ensured that he does not stay in the athletes’ village, but in another location.
He has previously issued a statement:
– I cannot change it, so I must bear the consequences. It has been the biggest mistake of my life.
The controversial beach volleyball player is now married to German volleyball player and policewoman Kim Behrens. They have a two-year-old son together.
The match starts at 8:00 PM on Friday evening. You can watch the match – and the rest of the Olympics – on Max