New Delhi, July 25
Paula Radcliffe, the former marathon world record-holder has apologised after defending the decision to allow Steven van de Velde, a convicted child rapist, to compete in the Paris Olympics.
Radcliffe's initial remarks, which appeared to extend support to van de Velde, have drawn widespread condemnation, prompting her to issue an apology and clarify her stance.
Steven van de Velde, a 29-year-old Dutch beach volleyball player, is set to represent the Netherlands at the Paris Olympics. His inclusion in the team has sparked outrage due to his criminal past. In 2016, van de Velde was sentenced to four years in prison for raping a 12-year-old British girl when he was 19. Despite his conviction, the Dutch Olympic Committee and volleyball federation have allowed him to rehabilitate his career, leading to his current ranking of 11th in the world alongside his playing partner, Matthew Immers.
In an interview with Andrew Marr on LBC, Radcliffe expressed her belief that van de Velde should be given a second chance, comparing his situation to athletes who return to competition after serving bans for doping. "He was 19 at the time and he has served his jail time. It’s a long time to carry on paying for that mistake for the rest of your life," she said. Radcliffe argued that if van de Velde had managed to turn his life around and qualify for the Olympics, he deserved support.
Radcliffe's comments were met with swift backlash from victims’ advocacy groups, fellow athletes, and the public. Many criticized her for seemingly downplaying the severity of van de Velde's crime. Recognizing the widespread disapproval, Radcliffe took to social media to apologize. She clarified that her remarks were not intended to excuse van de Velde's actions and expressed regret for any confusion caused. "I can only apologise, that isn’t what I intended to say. I stress that it isn’t something that can be excused in any way," she posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.
The Dutch Olympic Committee and the volleyball federation have defended their decision to include van de Velde in the team. Pieter van den Hoogenband, the Olympic champion swimmer and head of the Dutch delegation, expressed surprise at the intensity of the backlash. "He has been active in international sports, the beach volleyball world, for a long time. He has played in World Cups, European Championships, but then you see that things are different around the Games," van den Hoogenband remarked.
However, not all nations share this leniency. Australian chef de mission Anna Meares stated unequivocally that athletes or staff members with such convictions would not be part of their team. "We have stringent policies on safeguarding," Meares emphasized, reflecting a stance shared by several other national Olympic committees.
