The Dutch Olympic committee hasn't yet ratified the selection and still has veto power should they choose to use it. He plays beach volleyball, is somehow still allowed to compete, and he and his partner are ranked 11th in the world which is what qualifies them for the slot, assuming normally rubber stamp approval by the Dutch federation.
I just don’t think it’s going to be a good look for the Netherlands if he and his partner medal in volleyball, because they’ll be in the press for medaling and expected to give interviews. His conviction will be front and centre in any press that they receive and no credible reporter would exclude questions about his rape conviction and sentence. In the internet age, that’s not something that will go away anytime soon, that the Netherlands’ Olympic selection committee allowed a convicted rapist to represent the nation in the Games. Is he really who the Dutch want representing the Netherlands on the international stage? I seriously doubt that. Even if he’s not currently famous in the Netherlands, according to the Dutch people commenting on this post, that won’t be the case if he’s allowed to compete. I’m all for a great redemption story but I’m not sure how to spin a child rapist Olympian who doesn’t show any remorse and doesn’t view what he did as being totally wrong, into a 60-second packaged montage complete with sound bites and a Dutch flag waving over fields of tulips that could distract viewers from his fundamental crime. Pick another guy.
I never even heard of this disgusting pile of shit before this post, and I bet that's the same for most people in the Netherlands. It's not football where we have 17 million coaches.
He won't medal, there are much better teams - not that that makes anything better. But the Dutch committee is tankinghard right now, the women also qualified with two teams for the Olympic and they decided that the second team isn't allowed to compete in Paris. As a Dutch female player I would be furious if the resources instead go to Van de Velde and I would be robbed of the chance of competing.
Except the Netherlands is going all right wing politically lately. This rapist thing is a typical right-wing attitude. And why we had better vote blue.
Beach volleyball? The sport where women are forced to compete with perma-wedgies because the committee won't let them wear uniforms that don't show their whole entire ass, but men can wear board shorts if they like? THAT beach volleyball?
Truly, 'tis a mystery how such an egregiously sexist blunder could happen here!
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.
Considering he's Dutch, and the Olympics are in France, the answer is presumably Shengen. Going from one country to another has pretty much as few limitations as going from one town to another.
156
u/so_many_changes 5d ago
The Dutch Olympic committee hasn't yet ratified the selection and still has veto power should they choose to use it. He plays beach volleyball, is somehow still allowed to compete, and he and his partner are ranked 11th in the world which is what qualifies them for the slot, assuming normally rubber stamp approval by the Dutch federation.