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Dutch Olympian who raped a 12-year-old girl ‘is not a paedophile’, official says (www.theguardian.com)

submitted 3 months ago by girlfreddy@lemmy.ca to c/world@lemmy.world

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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.

(page 4) 49 comments

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[-] StaySquared@lemmy.world 2 points 3 months ago

Just boycott the Olympics.

That's what I've done /shrug

[-] athairmor@lemmy.world -2 points 3 months ago

Well, now I know why people hate the Dutch.

[-] Etterra@lemmy.world -3 points 3 months ago

So Dutchland... Netherlanders? Whatever, the Dingdongs don't think that it's rape because - oh nevermind, their justifications are total horseshit, they just want the guy able to maybe win a gold medal to participate because they think this Olympics are a way to strike their national ego.

[-] chillhelm@lemmy.world 2 points 3 months ago

Just to be clear: Dutch people agree that rapists of 12 year old girls (such as the convicted child rapist van de Velde, who raped a 12 year old girl) should be punished and not go on to represent their country at the Olympics. There may however be old farts and creeps in positions of power that try to make excuses for convicted child rapist Van de Velde who believe a technicality over an unprovable state of mind matter when it comes to the damage caused by having a convicted child rapist represent your country both to the victim of convicted child rapist Van de Velde and to the reputation of the Netherlands.

TLDR: Convicted child rapist Van de Velde should be kicked off his team and the Member of the committee that thought it was relevant whether he is paedophile or not should resign. Both are a disgrace to the country and should not be used as representatives.

[-] sartalon@reddthat.com -4 points 3 months ago

So if they chose him to represent them, then clearly child rape is endorsed by Denmark. At least that is how the committee seems to be presenting it.

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[-] TheTimeKnife@lemmy.world -5 points 3 months ago

Jeez, don't trust the Dutch to watch your kids I guess.

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this post was submitted on 27 Jul 2024

723 points (97.3% liked)

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