Steven van de Velde breaks down after his controversial inclusion in Olympics
Dutch beach volleyball player Steven Van de Velde recently spoke to the Dutch public broadcaster NOS about his time at the Paris Olympics. The experience was a mix of emotions for Van de Velde, as he faced harsh criticism following revelations that he had sexually assaulted a 12-year-old girl when he was 19 years old.
Van de Velde shared the difficulties he faced leading up to and during the Games, stating that the experience continues to affect him. "I was in a lot of pain before the Olympics, but I refused to be pushed around or give up on competing. The situation was unfortunate. It's been a decade since then and I've participated in more than 100 tournaments. However, I realize that some people still question whether someone with a history like mine should be allowed to compete," he explained in an interview with Dutch TV Channel 'NOC'.
Van de Velde acknowledges that he made a significant mistake that he will have to live with. He understands that some people will always blame him for what happened, but he tries not to let it affect him. He acknowledges that the mistake will haunt him for the rest of his life, but he accepts it. He also mentioned that he chose to sleep outside the Olympic Village for peace, both for himself and the other athletes.
The Dutch beach volleyball player mentioned that he feels more grown up now, and believes that dealing with the situation would have been much harder if he was ten years younger. He explained that he is no longer a teenager but a 30-year-old man who is married, has a child, and a happy life. He mentioned that he does not let other people's opinions or social media affect him. However, he acknowledged that if he had faced this situation at the age of 20, it would have been a different story. During the games, it did have an impact on him, and he spoke to his wife about it, asking her not to share any negative messages with him. Nonetheless, he also received a lot of supportive messages from others.
Van de Velde had to deal with lots of negative reactions from the crowd at each game he played, and he feels sorry that his loved ones had to experience this too. "Every game, the boos got louder and it bothered me more. I even considered giving up altogether. I questioned why I was even playing. This tough situation made me stronger and more focused. But I know it was tough for Matthew, my family, my friends... I was shielded from some of it, but they were affected too, and that wasn't enjoyable," he laments.
At last, the man from the Netherlands expressed his gratitude towards his nation's Olympic Committee for their support. However, he is now considering whether it is worthwhile to participate in the Los Angeles Games in 2028. He mentioned that the Dutch Olympic Committee was very helpful and took a risk by shielding him from the media. They provided him with great support during these challenging Games. Despite their efforts, he admitted that the experience had been tough and he is still struggling to come to terms with it. As a result, he is questioning if it would be beneficial for him to compete in future games.
