Another athlete whose career was destroyed by a (second degree) sex scandal. Steven van de Veldea beach volleyball player, will represent the Netherlands well at the Olympic Games, while the man was sentenced in 2014 to four years in prison for raping a 12-year-old girl in the United Kingdom. Released from prison in 2017, he is now selected for the Summer Olympics in Paris (along with Matthew Immers). The Dutch Volleyball Federation and the Dutch Olympic organizers have stood by their decision despite protests.
“We know Steven’s story,” said General Manager Michel Everaert in a statement on the federation’s website. We spoke extensively with the National Olympic Committee, the FIVB and Van de Velde himself before he returned to the sport. Experts have judged the player’s risk of recidivism to be very low. But what message is being sent to victims? And it is clear that the presence of an athlete convicted of rape contravenes Olympic values.
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Source: Madmoizelle
Mary Crossley is an author at “The Fashion Vibes”. She is a seasoned journalist who is dedicated to delivering the latest news to her readers. With a keen sense of what’s important, Mary covers a wide range of topics, from politics to lifestyle and everything in between.
