this post was submitted on 27 Jul 2024
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A senior official with the Dutch Olympic committee has insisted that a convicted child rapist in its beach volleyball team is not a paedophile, in an email seen by the Guardian.

A concerned British man who has lived in the Netherlands for more than a decade, wrote to the Dutch Olympic committee and called the inclusion of Steven van de Velde in the team “a stain on the Dutch national side”. In a reply the Dutch Olympic committee spokesperson wrote: “Steven is NOT a peadophile [sic]; you really don’t think that de Dutch NOC would send someone to Paris who IS a real risk? No, he isn’t a risk.”

There has been mounting public anger at the presence of the beach volleyball player Van de Velde, who was convicted of raping a 12-year-old British girl in 2016. Earlier this week the International Olympic Committee faced calls for an investigation into how a convicted child rapist has been allowed to compete at Paris 2024. The IOC has said the selection of athletes for the Games was the responsibility of individual committees.

There has been mounting public anger at the presence of the beach volleyball player Van de Velde, who was convicted of raping a 12-year-old British girl in 2016. Earlier this week the International Olympic Committee faced calls for an investigation into how a convicted child rapist has been allowed to compete at Paris 2024. The IOC has said the selection of athletes for the Games was the responsibility of individual committees.

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[–] Clbull 18 points 4 months ago (5 children)

On one hand, the Olympic Games are a sporting event and past criminal convictions should not automatically disqualify someone from competing

But on the other hand, he raped a twelve year old girl. That's irredeemable.

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[–] [email protected] 16 points 5 months ago (3 children)

Well, if they won't send him home, we should all just start calling the team "the Dutch Rapists".

Maybe if enough people do it, they might find a conscience?

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[–] [email protected] 13 points 4 months ago

Looking at the Dutch IOC website it looks like "[email protected]" is their email address if you had anything you might like to say to them

[–] slingstone 12 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (1 children)

If there's a reason why he's "not a pedophile" as they claim, let's hear their reasoning. Miscarriages of justice do occur, but there's no outcry that this dude got a raw deal. In the absence of any evidence to the contrary, I'll trust the verdict of the court, indicating that Steve van de Velde is a pedophile.

[–] [email protected] 15 points 5 months ago

Be prepared for the "ephebophile" argument, which, if Wikipedia is to be believed anyway, is actually for ages 15-19, but it won't stop those who have twisted their minds into a knot to explain this away.

Or the "if there's grass on the field, play ball" argument (which is kind of ironic given the popularity of shaving it all off again.) which covers anyone who shows any sign of adolescent hair growth.

Or "she was asking for it / totally wanted it / shouldn't have been acting that way / shouldn't have been dressed like that".

Because those are all the soundest of arguments.

But the unspoken reason will be: "He's rich and famous and therefore he can do what the hell he wants with no consequences. F--k you."

[–] ScruffyDucky 10 points 5 months ago

How Roman Polanski of him

[–] [email protected] 10 points 4 months ago (3 children)

Please explain why he raped a CHILD if he's not a pedophile then

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[–] [email protected] 9 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

And the Donner Party weren't cannibals!

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