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

I wonder how that multiply raped little girl is coping with life now and what impact this has on her, as he is show cased in representing his country as the best of the best, and tells everyone he's a good guy?

"Everyone can have their opinion about me, but it is only fair if they also know my side of the story.”

He was convicted of grooming and raping a child. What is he talking about?

4 years is a joke. And I agree, he should not be on the team. There's enough abuse is sports.

This is another very important point - the authorities owe a duty of care to underage athletes.

But should he be allowed to compete in the light of this clause?

Every Paris Olympian is required to sign an Athletes’ Rights and Responsibilities Declaration, with point seven demanding: “Act as a role model.”

As other posters have pointed out, he has not acknowledged his crime and has claimed he should not be referred to as a paedophile. Does that sound like he has learned anything from his punishment, or could be considered a role model in any way?

That might be an argument if he had been rehabilitated. But he seems to have no remorse for what he did and he only has pity for himself. He groomed a child, his crime was premeditated and history shows he will do it again. This is not someone who has had his slate wiped clean. This is a predator.

I bet he bloody doesn’t! Pity he never thought about that before sleeping with a 12 year-old!

What an absolute turd. Shame on him, and all who have allowed him to get to the Olympics.

Disgusting
if he had one ounce of remorse, he’d do the decent thing and resign.
With a grovelling apology-
but there’s more chance of a porcine aeronautical display than that happening

OMG, I was hoping it was going to be a case of two children, still far from OK with her so young, but maybe an excuse for some of the leniency.

But no, that's text book grooming, by an adult of a child

How is he allowed to be around underage athletes?

I don't think that a parenting forum is the place for you.

And you are ok with that?
Thats fucked up that is.

I have no words.

This is absolutely horrifying.

Oh well,nothing to see here then eh?

I can't imagine any of his team mates being happy with this. I would feel shame just for standing next to him.
A lot of countries won't allow foreigners with serious criminals to even enter their country. Are the rules being bent because it's the olympics? I guess it's EU free movement, but I can't imagine the French would be at all happy with any publicity around this tarnishing their national pride over the Olympics.

Perhaps this is one of those rare occasions where writing a very disappointed letter/email might help. The French Embassy or Olympic social media might be stirred into the beaucratic panic officials have of bad publicity.
I know for the Rio Olympics they had to put in an enormous amount of effort into sanitising some problems with the venue, but that was known about in advance and planned for. This could well be one of those blips of negative publicity you have to squash before it becomes a big problem by moving quickly.

I'm not surprised someone who committed a crime of this nature behaves with utter impunity and contempt for basic decency.

I am surprised the Dutch authorities have selected him, and that his teammates are prepared to play with him. Have they not anticipated the reaction, it's going to overshadow the presence of the whole delegation never mind this team??

Yes it’s the fact his sentence was probably reduced because they thought it was sufficient punishment for him to have destroyed his promising career. Well that worked out well for him didn’t it? The Olympics is a sham now. An utter fucking sham.

No one convicted of rape especially of a child should be allowed to be a professional athlete of any sport. Ever.

Its lucky (for him) its just over the border to France... would he be able to get a Visa if the Olympics had been in the US for example?

This is beyond depressing. When will girls matter more than sport?

His sentence will never be over.

'Having travelled from Amsterdam to Milton Keynes to have sex with a girl he knew was just 12, Van de Velde was condemned in the strongest terms in 2016 by the judge at Aylesbury Crown Court. The court heard that he had gone to the home of the victim, with whom he had communicated on social networks before arranging to visit, while her mother was out and had taken her virginity raped her.'

Italics my edit.

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

12 months for multiply raping a child? But he doesn't identify as a pedophile?

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

Just appalling as was that sentence. What does it say about this world that even his lawyer said it was career ending but the sporting authorities decided Nah, no biggie he can come back.