Dutch child rapist Steven van de Velde will be held under lock and key during Olympics including...

A Dutch athlete who has been convicted of child rape is no longer staying at the Olympic athletes' village due to ongoing controversy surrounding his participation.

Steven van de Velde has been provided with separate housing and instructed not to communicate with the press while the controversy surrounding his inclusion in the Netherlands' Volleyball team continues to escalate.

The athlete, now 29 years old, was sentenced to four years in prison in the United Kingdom for sexually assaulting a 12-year-old girl he met on social media when he was 19. He has since admitted that it was the worst decision he has ever made.

Even though he was in jail and his own lawyer said he wouldn't be able to play volleyball anymore if he was found guilty, van de Velde went back to playing the sport after being let out of prison early in the Netherlands.

After that, he has built a successful career in international volleyball. However, the choice made by Dutch Olympic selectors to include him in the Paris games has caused anger and could lead to protests against his participation.

Steven van de Velde practiced at the Champs de Mars park near the Eiffel Tower. He was imprisoned in the UK in 2014 for assaulting a 12-year-old girl.

The 29-year-old volleyball player from the Netherlands spent a year in prison in England for his crime. He was then sent back to the Netherlands to serve an additional month before being set free.

Van de Velde was photographed during the championship match at the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour in Brazil in May.

The 6'6" tall Dutchman van de Velde (on the right) did a 60-minute workout with his doubles partner Matthew Immers (on the left), who is 23 years old, while keeping his sunglasses on the whole time.

The athlete has been provided with different lodging outside of the athletes' village due to the controversy surrounding him.

Non-profit organizations strongly condemned the choice to permit him to participate, with The Survivors Trust labeling it as an 'additional approval of the alarming acceptance we have towards child sexual abuse', while a petition signed by 81,000 individuals is requesting that convicted sex offenders be prohibited from taking part in the Olympics.

The excitement and commotion over this situation became evident when he arrived in the city this week. He got off a Eurostar train from Rotterdam in the French capital with tight security.

And this might be an aspect of the 6ft 6ins Dutchman's time at the games, as he was instructed not to reside in the athletes' village with his compatriots and fellow competitors.

The Dutch Olympic Committee (DOC) has decided to locate van de Velde, who had denied being a 'paedophile' despite being convicted, new accommodation, according to The Athletic.

He has been advised not to speak to the press because they might inquire about his previous crimes, including three counts of child rape.

The Department of Corrections and the Dutch Volleyball Federation have declined to allow van de Velde to provide any comments, simply stating that he has continuously adhered to their strict standards.

The Netherlands Olympic Committee announced last night that they are taking specific actions to guarantee a secure sports environment for everyone involved.

A spokesperson stated that van De Velde has asked for different living arrangements and no communication with the press while he is in Paris.

Van de Velde arrived in Paris yesterday under heavy security, taking an Eurostar train from Rotterdam.

The athlete without a shirt showed off numerous tattoos on his chest and arms while training on Thursday, despite rumors that he is not allowed to talk to the press.

The man from the Netherlands was training in hot weather, with the sun beating down at 25 degrees, and he was only a few yards away from where the French women's volleyball team was practicing on Thursday.

He stated that the actions were in accordance with normal procedures and were created after a detailed evaluation of risks while considering all impacted parties.

The representative stated that the evaluation had bolstered the committee's belief in the safety of everyone participating.

The Department of Corrections had previously stated that Van de Velde has thoroughly followed all the necessary steps and has passed all the strict risk assessments, checks, and research. Experts have assured that there is no chance of reoffending.

Van de Velde has always been honest about the situation, which he considers to be the biggest mistake of his life. He feels very sorry for the impacts his actions have had on those affected.

Pieter van den Hoogenband, the leader of the Netherlands team, also addressed the issue when he appeared on Dutch television.

"He's not going to minimize or diminish his conviction," Van den Hoogenband remarked.

We must show respect and support to our team member so they can do their best.

He has been involved in global sports and the beach volleyball community for an extended period.

He has taken part in World Cups, European Championships [...], but you can tell that the atmosphere is unique during the Games. The excitement and energy around the Games is on a different level.

We have made positive progress as a team. I value all the athletes and strive to provide them with my support.

The Dutch media has shown understanding towards van de Velde's beliefs, stating that it is unfortunate that he has been prohibited from staying in the athletes' village. They have also minimized the gravity of his offenses.

The sports chief at a major Dutch newspaper, Trouw, wrote a column with the title: 'Let's not ostracize an ex-convict from the Olympics.'

John Graat said that Steven van de Velde will be alone in a hotel in Paris next week, feeling like an outcast who has been rejected by the Olympic community. Graat finds it unfortunate.

He said, "Although his actions were very serious, I struggle to accept it. I realize that his involvement can be upsetting for survivors of sexual crimes. But these organizations claim to advocate for human rights - doesn't everyone deserve a chance to start fresh after serving their sentence? Plus, the likelihood of him repeating his offense is extremely low."

One of the biggest newspapers in the country, tabloid De Telegraaf, published an article with the title: 'International media push for Dutch beach volleyball player's Olympic inclusion despite criminal conviction.'

The Dutch officials believe that van de Velde should be able to participate after completing his punishment. However, British and Australian media have uncovered the story and are creating controversy in order to have him disqualified.

The opening paragraph of the newspaper states as a fact that van de Velde and the 12-year-old girl engaged in 'consensual sex', which is not permitted under British law.

Van de Velde is currently pausing to hydrate with electrolytes during the volleyball practice session on Thursday, when the temperature is 25 degrees at noon.

The Olympic athlete was spotted stretching on the beach before his practice with the Dutch volleyball team on Thursday.

Van de Velde rejoices while playing in the Beach World Champs tournament in 2023.

In his trial nearly ten years ago, the court in Aylesbury heard that van de Velde had come to the UK to meet his victim and engaged in sexual activity with her.

Sandra Beck, the prosecution lawyer, explained in court: "She said that she met Steven van de Velde on Facebook, they talked a lot on there and he made her feel important."

She was definitely not shy about the fact that she was seven years his junior. This virtual connection had been going on for a while on social media.

During the court proceedings, it was revealed that the volleyball player's accuser had sent him a friend request on Facebook after he left a positive comment on one of her photos.

The next day, after spending the night sleeping in cardboard boxes outside of Premier Inn because they couldn't book a room, she brought him to her vacant house where they shared an intimate moment and she lost her virginity.

After he came back to the Netherlands, van de Velde suggested to her that she should take the morning after pill because they didn't use any protection. It was when she went to a family planning clinic that the authorities were notified, due to the girl being underage.

The athlete from Westeinde 46 in Voorburg, the Netherlands, was sent to the UK on January 8, where he was taken into custody for allegedly committing sexual offenses. He later confessed to three charges of raping a minor.

Linda Strudwick, who represents van de Velde, argued that it was a sudden decision to travel to England and emphasized that he is not a predatory individual.

In the blog section, it was reported that the victim of the perpetrator had resorted to self-harm following the distressing incident that she experienced with him.

Judge Francis Sheridan also said to van de Velde at that moment: 'Your dreams of representing your country are now crushed.'

Additionally, Linda Strudwick, the lawyer representing the accused, stated: "He has not only lost a successful career in sports, but he is now being accused of a serious crime. This will likely have a significant impact on his future opportunities."

But van de Velde, who was given a four-year prison sentence, was moved from the United Kingdom to the Netherlands to finish serving his sentence under an agreement between the two countries.

The agreement permitted his charges and punishment to be modified according to Dutch law, resulting in the charge of rape being downgraded to 'fornication'. As a result, he became eligible for release in 2017 after serving only one year of his initial sentence.

After being set free, he mentioned: 'I am determined to set the record straight about the false information that was written about me while I was in prison.'

I intentionally avoided reading any of it, but I have heard that the content was very negative. I have been falsely labeled as a pervert and child predator, which is not true at all.

People are entitled to their own views of me, but it's only right that they understand my perspective as well.

Steven van de Velde is causing controversy after being chosen to compete in the Olympics, even though he has a criminal record for sexually assaulting a minor. He is currently married to Kim Behrens.

Behrens, who is both a police officer and an athlete, adores her 6' 6" tall husband and often shares affectionate posts on social media about their life together.

Behrens, who is a stylish athlete, often shares photos on social platforms of her family, which consists of her little boy.

Van de Velde and Behrens got married in January 2022. He was set free from prison in 2017, five years before their son was born.

Behrens is a cop in her home country of Germany and also a pro volleyball player.

But, his inclusion on the Olympic volleyball team has brought new focus to his crimes and caused outrage among organizations supporting rape survivors.

The Survivors Trust stated that the rape of a child was carefully planned and involved traveling internationally. This horrific act will undoubtedly have a lasting impact on the victim, causing lifelong trauma and altering the course of her life forever.

In our community, we need to begin adopting a strict stance against this awful and expensive crime.

Julie Ann Rivers-Cochran, who serves as the executive director of The Army of Survivors, stated that there are no valid reasons for sexually assaulting a child, even if Van de Velde tries to justify his actions.

Van de Velde's statement shows that he does not feel sorry or truly grasp the impact of what he did.

Sexually assaulting a child is not a slight mistake, it is a serious crime that should disqualify individuals from competing in the Olympic Games.

After being released from prison, van de Velde has managed to completely turn his life around. He is now happily married to a well-known professional volleyball player from Germany.

Kim Behrens and van de Velde got married in 2022 and now have a little boy.

Behrens, who works as a police officer and is also an athlete, adores her husband who stands at a towering height of 6 feet 6 inches. She frequently shares affectionate posts on social media about their life together.

In December 2021, she posted: "It's about time we make it official. Steven and I are going to have a baby in March."

In January 2022, they welcomed the New Year by tying the knot.

Behrens shared some wedding photos with the caption: 'Mr & Mrs van de Velde. 01.01.2022 Starting my year off on a great note!'

When the baby arrived, she once more felt overwhelmed with love for her husband and wrote: 'You, me, and our little one! I truly believe I am witnessing a perfect blend of happiness and love in our lives!'