Steven van de Velde Faces Harsh Reactions at Olympics
Steven van de Velde faced harsh reactions at the Paris Olympics 2024, including boos and shouts, deeply affecting him.
The 28-year-old Dutch athlete Steven van de Velde had a tough time at the Paris Olympic Games in 2024. The public, which included many video cameras, met his performance with boos and shouts. The athlete covered his face, knelt and could not hold back tears – he was very upset.
Convicted in 2016 for raping a 12-year-old girl in the UK, he only served 12 months, even though the term was four years. This has deprived the volleyball player of an extremely bright career. At the same time, to his credit, van de Velde – at the time of the offense he was 19 – married and had a child of about the same age. The offender himself describes the crime as ‘a very big mistake.’
His performance at the Olympics was accompanied by rather harsh outside attention; the volleyball player did not like the fact that his family was affected, in particular he had to bring his wife not to the public, but to the services of TVs. The Netherlands Olympic Committee is keen to minimize interaction with the media or other athletes. It refers to the volleyball player who maintains the desired level of openness after reforming. Matthew Immers, his 27-year-old teammate, refrained from any loud words, pointing out that van de Velde was punished and completely changed. It seems, however, that the shadows of the volleyball player’s past still overshadow his triumphs on the court.
