Convicted child rapist Steven Van de Velde shares Olympic sob story after facing barrage of boos in Paris

Convicted child rapist Steven Van de Velde shared that he almost decided to leave the Olympics because he was constantly being booed during the event.

In 2016, Van de Velde was given a four-year prison term for raping a 12-year-old girl from the UK.

He only spent one year in a Dutch prison before being freed in 2017. The Dutch authorities then allowed him to return to playing volleyball.

The Dutch Olympic Committee sparked more debate when they chose Van de Velde to join their team for the Paris Olympics, even though he was kept separate from the rest of the team and the Olympic village.

Steven Van de Velde was crying during a media briefing.

The audience reacted with loud boos as he stepped onto the sand for his first beach volleyball match.

The crowd kept shouting insults during the competition until he and his teammate Matthew Immers were eliminated in the quarterfinals.

The child rapist who was found guilty was not allowed to talk to the press during the Olympics because the Dutch team wanted to prevent him from getting attention.

However, Van de Velde has finally spoken up after the Paris Games, where he became emotional and cried during a press conference.

When questioned about the unfriendly welcome he consistently received at each game, he admitted, "I did contemplate it, for sure."

I made a mistake a decade ago. I need to acknowledge that.

However, causing harm to those close to me - be it Matthew, my spouse, my child... that is something I cannot tolerate.

"That was definitely a moment when I wondered, is this really worth it?"

Steven Van de Velde almost gave up on the Olympics.

I am unable to control how others perceive me.

I am willing to take full responsibility for what occurred, and I understand that I may be held accountable for it indefinitely. This is simply the reality of the situation.

"It is within their entitlement, therefore I agree with it."