Ten years ago, Steven van de Velde abused a girl and was convicted for it. His participation in the Olympics caused a great outcry. Now, the beach volleyball player is contemplating the end of his career.
The Dutch beach volleyball player Steven van de Velde has left his sports future open after the outrage over his Olympic participation in Paris. He had expected protests, but the extent surprised him, the sex offender said in his first interview since the games.
Van de Velde, who is participating in the European Championships in the Netherlands this week, was booed and whistled at during his matches in Paris. “It’s no small thing what is being fired at you,” Van de Velde told the Dutch television station NOS.
Olympic beach volleyball player in tears
Nevertheless, van de Velde remained in the competition: “I thought I won’t give others the power to bully me away.” He made a mistake when he was 19, explained the now 30-year-old father of a two-year-old son. However, he is no longer the same person he was back then.
The fact that some protests did not spare his family went too far, said Van de Velde: “Take me, but please leave my family alone. That’s too much.” He will now think carefully about his sporting future. “My son’s future is more important to me than my career,” said the athlete.
Conviction for sexual abuse
Van de Velde was sentenced to four years in prison eight years ago in England for sexually abusing a girl. He spent 13 months in prison – one year in the UK and one month in the Netherlands.
Under Dutch law, his offense was classified as a minor offense, and his sentence was reduced. At the major event in Paris, he and his partner were eliminated in the quarter-finals.