Steven van de Velde: Convicted child rapist booed on Olympic debut in beach volleyball

Convicted offender Steven van de Velde, who committed a crime against a child, participated in his first Olympic beach volleyball game in Paris. The crowd's response was a mixture of cheers and boos.

Van de Velde was given a four-year prison sentence in 2016 for confessing to committing three acts of rape against a 12-year-old girl from Britain.

He and his volleyball partner Matthew Immers hold the 10th place in the global rankings, however they were defeated by Italy's Alex Ranghieri and Adrian Carambula, who are ranked 25th, in a 2-1 match at the Eiffel Tower Stadium.

The duo was presented to the audience at the same time, receiving both applause and jeers as they made their entrance.

Some people in the audience made noise of disapproval, while others clapped, as Van de Velde was introduced to the crowd before the game started.

Every player exchanged handshakes both before and after the game.

The Dutch duo's next game will be on July 31st against Chile's Marco and Esteban Grimalt at 3:00 PM BST.

A petition circulating online, asking for 29-year-old Van de Velde to be prohibited from participating in the Olympics, garnered 90,000 signatures prior to his debut in the games.

Many women's and safety organizations have condemned his selection for the Dutch team.

Supporters who spoke to BBC Sport ahead of the game also believed that he should not be taking part.

One fan from Britain expressed their opinion by saying: "He has been upfront and truthful about his actions and has faced the consequences, but in my perspective, I believe they could have selected another option.

They had the option to pick a different person, steer clear of the disagreement, and if it had been a British individual, I wouldn't be pleased to see them on our team.

One person commented that having Van de Velde in the Olympics does not align with the essence of the games, and a German supporter expressed surprise and disapproval, stating that he believes Van de Velde should be disqualified.

Still, a Dutch supporter expressed approval of Van de Velde participating in the competition, emphasizing that he has served his punishment and should be able to move on with his life just like anyone else.

His golf buddy Immers, talking after the game, also mentioned he believed it was fair that Van de Velde was able to participate.

"We discussed it once and we are excited to savor every moment on this stage because we have worked hard together for the last three years to earn this opportunity," he stated.

Steven is a very kind person. I have known him for two years, and we have always had a good relationship. However, some individuals are now expressing dislike towards him because of his participation in a major tournament.

Van de Velde will not be residing in the Olympic village and will not be participating in any interviews after the match.

Additional security measures were in place when he landed in Paris with the rest of the team.

In past conversations with journalists from the Netherlands, Van de Velde admitted: "I can't change what happened, so I will have to deal with the results. It was the worst decision I've ever made."

The IOC has stated that it is up to each individual committee to choose which athletes will compete in the Games.

Van de Velde made a comeback to the sport in 2017. The NOC of the Netherlands confirmed that he had satisfied the requirements outlined by the NeVoBo for athletes to be able to return to competition following their conviction.

The NOC mentioned that Van de Velde had come back to the field after completing a specialized treatment program.

Van de Velde has completed all the necessary tasks and met the strict risk assessment criteria. Professionals have confirmed that there is no chance of repeat offending.

Van de Velde has always been honest about the situation which he considers the biggest mistake he has ever made. He is truly sorry for the impact his actions have had on others.

In a message to BBC Sport, the statement also mentioned: "Following his release, Van de Velde decided to get therapy from a professional. He showed those close to him, both personally and at work, that he had gained a better understanding of himself and had taken time to think about his actions."

Mark Adams, who speaks for the IOC, was questioned on Saturday about whether the organization was okay with Van de Velde being included.

He said it wouldn't be accurate to describe it as cozy and joyful.

We believe that the NOC has provided a clear explanation for their decision.

Feeling at ease and content, call it what you will, but the message they've provided is accurate and we'll proceed as is.

BBC Sports News Reporter Laura Scott at the Eiffel Tower Arena

It is not often that an athlete's participation in the Olympics or their presence at the Games sparks as much debate as Van de Velde's.

Many people may have been uneasy about it, but in the end, he is competing because his National Olympic Committee chose him and the International Olympic Committee, despite facing pressure from advocacy groups, stated that the selection of athletes was the prerogative of the NOCs.

On my way in, I approached several spectators to hear their opinions.

There were some people who didn't know about the situation, but we talked to fans from Germany, the UK, and Ireland who were adamant that he should not be present and expressed that they would not be showing their support for him.

I found it intriguing that every Dutch supporter I chatted with either didn't want to discuss the topic or showed their backing for Van de Velde.