SYDNEY, Australia, July 22 – A convicted rapist would not be picked for the Australian Olympics team, says chief Anna Meares after Steven van de Velde was named in the Netherlands beach volleyball squad for Paris 2024.
Van de Velde, now 29, was sentenced to four years in prison in 2016 after pleading guilty to raping a 12-year-old British girl when he was 19.
The Dutchman, who met his victim on Facebook, travelled from Amsterdam to the UK and raped the girl at an address in Milton Keynes.
Van de Velde resumed his volleyball career after serving just 12 months of his four-year sentence and was selected in June for the Dutch Olympic team for Paris.
While unwilling to specifically discuss another team’s selection, Meares says a convicted rapist would not be selected for Australia.
“If an athlete or staff member had that conviction they would not be allowed to be a member of our team,” Meares said.
“We have stringent policies on safeguarding within our team.”
Following his initial selection for Paris, the Dutch Olympic Committee (NOC) told BBC Sport: “After his release, Van de Velde sought and received professional counselling. He demonstrated to those around him – privately and professionally – self-insight and reflection.”
The NOC says Van de Velde’s return to the sport met guidelines set by the Dutch Volleyball Federation (NeVoBo) in the organisation’s “Guidelines Integrity Record”, which sets out conditions for athletes to resume competing after conviction.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) said the selection of athletes for the Games was the responsibility of individual committees.
According to Dutch outlet NL Times,, external Van de Velde will not stay in the athletes’ village and has instead been provided with alternative accommodation in Paris.
Van de Velde’s inclusion in the Games has been criticised by women’s safety groups.
