Dutch child rapist booed by crowd before first beach volleyball match

A convicted child rapist competing for the Netherlands at the Paris 2024 Olympics was met with boos - and some applause - as he walked out for his first beach volleyball match yesterday.

- Alexandra

Steven van de Velde, who was convicted for raping a 12-year-old girl in 2016, lost his first game with partner Matthew Immers. The athlete has been at the centre of a storm in Paris after victims' groups said his inclusion sent a dangerous message to rapists and would cause "collateral damage" to victims of sexual abuse.

Boos were audible when Van de Velde was introduced to the crowds at the Eiffel Tower Stadium in central Paris but were replaced with cheers when his Dutch teammate Immers took to the field of play before the pair's match against Italy.

There had been a mixture of boos and cheers as the players had entered the arena together, but when Van de Velde was introduced on his own, the jeers were more pronounced. While there was some muted applause for the player, there were no cheers.

The Italians Alex Ranghieri and Adrian Ignacio Carambula Raurich took the first set 22-20, the Dutch won the second 21-19 and the deciding third set was 15-13 to the Italians.

Van de Velde, 29, was sentenced to four years in prison in 2016 after pleading guilty to raping a British girl.