Dutch volleyball player who raped 12 year old British girl qualifies for Olympics

I don't really want to wade in on the Dutch people seen as liberal debate (and I have many Dutch friends after living there for five years) but that's far from universal. I've been spat on, raped, beaten up and a brick put through my window ever single Queen's/ King's day. It's not this liberal haven people assume because of the drug laws etc. (Sorry to any lovely Dutch people on here, but my experience wasn't great!)

It gets worse:

In March 2016, Van de Velde admitted to four counts of rape against a 12-year-old child, and was placed on the violent and sex offender register indefinitely. He was sentenced to serve four years in a British prison by the Aylesbury Crown Court. After serving 1 year of the sentence he was given the chance to resume his career as a beach volleyball player, and continued playing with his partner.

He only served one year before resuming his career.

Sadly agree.

He’ll be a poster boy.

That will be one hell of a dangerous re-brand.

Paedophiles always see themselves as the victim. And also not like the other paedophiles, you know the actually bad people. Its an incredibly common patterna dnt eh problem is if you spoke to some of them they would come across as likeable and convincing, until you look at what they actually did.

He had a 4 year sentence passed in England.

“Except Van de Velde, who was released after serving just 12 months at a Dutch prison”….

This falls far short of what I’d expect from this country.

I live in the Netherlands so I am not anti-Dutch as a rule (its actually a really great country)

However, the only way this can be viewed is that Dutch sports authorities condone child rape. This needs to be repeated and repeated and repeated. It needs to follow the rest of the fucking volleyball team around like a cloud. They are really happy to have a child rapist as their team mate. It needs to follow the entire Dutch Olympic team around like a cloud. everytime they get a medal someone needs to overshadow it with story. Because the only way to make them care is through shame and they SHOULD feel ashamed.

She's tried to kill herself and self harmed apparently. Yet he still appears to see himself as the victim.

If people are there cheering him on I will be disgusted.

It's just one shit thing after another for women and girls these days. Fucking appalling, the short sentence, how early he was released, that he has still been representing his country, and now this. I hope the selectors see reason and decide not to include him.

That poor child.

I actually feel sick that this could be allowed.

To think he actually flew to another country to do this. It was all premeditated.

The Olympics are an official international organisation with a supposed code of ethics. There must be people/men on the committee with the ‘60s and ‘70s mind set who just think, well, this is just normal. Lots of men,have sex with 12/13 year
olds. This man’s career is too important to lose over this.

Someone you know gets jailed for noncing. I take it you would be happy to socialise with him when he gets out, because 'he he served his sentence ' then?

I've had a look at their Safeguarding framework and it doesn't appear to seperate children or cater for them differently to other athletes.

That's pretty bad in this day and age all by itself really let alone when you have known convicted podophile rapists around.

I was thinking more along the lines of this:

A whole lot of athletes were harmed and let down shamefully by the despicable actions of people in power. It is a decades old dirty secret

I've had a look at their Safeguarding framework and it doesn't appear to seperate children or cater for them differently to other athletes.

Hockey in particular is an inherently violent sport where vicious fighting is part of the game. Yet people are surprised when hockey players turn out to be rapists.

He has the sort of looks that will adorn many posters and bedroom walls.
Lots of hormonal teenagers hero worshipping him.
If he wins for his country will he gain advertising contracts?
I can see the foundations of a 'sweet shop' being laid.
H e needs to be banned from the olympics and any memberships.

It brings home the message hopefully that just because someone is good at sport etc doesn't mean they're good humans. We put too many on pedestals and I hate it.
Disgraceful action by the Dutch team/selectors.

ArabellaScott · Today 10:14

Having raped a child, I find it surprising a man would seek publicity.

The Dutch and Scandinavians are ridiculously liberal about rehabilitation, with the view that everyone deserves to have a good life, after their sentence is served. I once worked with an ROV operator, who left a job on a Norwegian oil platform, along with many colleagues.

Two men had been streaming CSA videos on the platform and been jailed. They wanted their jobs back, were refused, sued and given compensation and reinstated. Most of their colleagues refused to go out to the platform, of went elsewhere.

Fucking brazen.

Canada is undergoing a massive scandal of abuse in sports.

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2023/jan/27/abuse-canada-sport-inquiry-hockey-gymnastics-soccer

It's not just regarding children, but demonstrates how endemic it is in sports.

Wtf are the arrangements in the Olympic villages re safeguarding under 18s?

You do wonder.

I'm frequently shocked at how little time is served for some pedophile rapists - but you do have to wonder WTF is going on here and is there more concerning stuff with entire organisation if this hasn't raised red flags and been quietly stopped.

From what I've seen of the Dutch press, this hasn't been mentioned. van de Velde has been back in the game since 2017 when he became a silver medal winner in the national championships in 2018. He has gone on to win gold 3 times and 1 bronze. As far as the Dutch are concerned, he has served his time and is good to go and his team mates are all fine with it. Such a sad state of affairs.

When he left prison, he went back to his old partner until 2018, then he was partners with Christiaan Varenhorst 19-22, then his most recent one, so 3 men that give zero fucks about playing with a paedophile rapist (without getting into coaches etc that support him).

JFC the Dutch Sports Authorities have no shame. How is his poor victim going to feel seeing him paraded around and glorified as some sort of super star. Every other sportsperson should turn their back on him, refuse to be in his presence, refuse to compete with him, protest at him being allowed into the Olympic Village. He's a paedophile, a danger. Disgusting he can just do what he likes while his victim will be living a life sentence.

4 years for grooming a child he knew was 12, and raping her? Ridiculously lenient.

Absolutely disgusting. There will be many young women and girls in the athletes' village.

I thought the Dutch were enlightened and progressive. Clearly not. Winning is more important than safeguarding girls & women.