Dutch beach volleyball player who was convicted of rape is booed before losing first Olympic match

FILE - Steven van de Velde of the Netherlands competes during the CEV Beach Volley Nations Cup Vienna 2022 men's semifinal game against Austria at the Red Bull Beach Arena in Vienna, Austria, Aug. 7, 2022.

FILE - Steven van de Velde of the Netherlands competes during the CEV Beach Volley Nations Cup Vienna 2022 men's semifinal game against Austria at the Red Bull Beach Arena in Vienna, Austria, Aug. 7, 2022. (AP Photo/Florian Schroetter, File)


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PARIS — The Dutch beach volleyball player who served time in prison for rape received a mixture of boos and applause when he was introduced before his opening match at the Paris Olympics. Steven van de Velde was convicted in 2016 of having sex with a 12-year-old girl in England. His record resurfaced last month when he qualified for the Olympics as one of the top two Dutch teams on the international tour. Van de Velde was greeted with a handful of boos when he first took the sand for warmups. The hooting was louder for the more formal prematch introduction. His teammate, Matthew Immers, received nothing but cheers.

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