Should Dutch child rapist Steven van de Velde be banned from starring in the Olympics or has he been 'punished enough'? Spectators in Paris are divided over controversial decision to let disgraced athlete compete

Olympic spectators are divided about the controversial decision to let Dutch child rapist Steven Van de Velde compete.

The 29-year-old Dutch athlete was sentenced to four years in prison in 2016 after pleading guilty to raping a 12-year-old British girl in August 2014 when he was 19.

Van de Velde had travelled from Amsterdam to the UK and raped the girl at a house in Milton Keynes.

Despite being told by a judge that his conviction was 'career-ending', Van De Velde resumed his volleyball career after serving just 12 months of his four-year sentence.

He was selected for the Netherlands Olympic beach volleyball squad in June this year.

The decision has proved highly controversial as he was booed by the crowd as he took to sand court at the Champs de Mars park today under the Eiffel Tower.

But opinions are divided about whether the 6ft 6ins athlete should have been able to compete in the first place, with some even suggesting that he has been 'punished enough'.

One woman interviewed at the Olympic games said: 'Well, of course, it's weird, especially being a woman, I think.

'I totally don't support that. It's a hard thing because I'm also an athlete.'

'I know it's a big thing for him. But what is the message we are telling to the rest of the world?

'What is the message we are telling to women, especially little girls?

'I think it is a hard thing. But for me, it's not right.'

Another woman, from the Netherlands, said: 'I think they (people who think Van de Velde should not be allowed to play) should consider it as two separate things as well.

'I think he gets enough punishment already.

'But of course, what he did was wrong. I don't deny that.

'But the games are to celebrate sports and we should just all celebrate sports and be happy about the things going on here and enjoy it.'

One woman said: 'Well, I think it is really important to respect his privacy.

'He has had his own experiences and I trust that people have made the right decisions about letting him play.

'And I really hope for him that this fuss is getting a little bit smaller and that he can focus on playing his game.'

But one young French woman said she 'found this quite shocking' and that she didn't know 'he'd be here today'.

She added: 'So, I will find it a bit complicated to watch him play. The choice was made to allow him to play, so I don´t have much of a choice.

'But had I known this before, I might have wondered about being here.'

Van de Velde was in action today against Italy's Alex Ranghieri and Adrian Carambula with doubles partner Matthew Immers, 23. The Dutch side lost 2-1 against their Italian opponents.

The 29-year-old athlete was booed as he was introduced to the crowd for his Olympic debut but he didn't seem to react.

Van de Velde and his teammate Immers were cheered on by the Dutch fans in the crowd, with chants of 'Nederlands' echoing into the air.

Fans clapped as the Netherlands edged the second set to take the match into a deciding set.

But the Italians roared back to take the final set, beating the Dutch 2-1 in their opening match of the tournament.

He is set to play at least two more games in the tournament as the Netherlands face Chile and Norway in Pool B.

The result went down well on social media, with some gloating about van de Velde's defeat.

An Italian supporter wrote: 'What a proud moment for Italy! Alex Ranghieri and Adrian Carambula defeated child rapist Steve Van de Velde and his equally disgusting supportive buddy Matthew Immers. Grazie ragazzi!'

One Dutch fan wrote: 'Friendly reminder that Steven van de Velde should not ever, in any universe, be at the Olympics representing our country after what he did.'

Meanwhile, BBC Sport journalist Laura Scott, who was at the stadium, tweeted: 'When van de Velde was individually introduced to the crowd here there was clear booing.   

'Many people I spoke to outside said they were sad to see him here, saying it goes against Olympic values. But some Dutch fans said they would be supporting him as they feel he's done his time.'

The controversy around van de Velde's selection has rumbled on for weeks and showed no signs of abating as the Olympics gets underway.

Last night it was reported that an email sent by a a senior Dutch Olympic official insisted: 'Steven is NOT a paedophile [sic]; you really don't think that de Dutch NOC would send to Paris who IS a real risk? No, he isn't a risk.'

However, a petition calling on Olympic chiefs to kick van de Velde out the Games has gained more than 94,400 signatures, and the British Olympic Association has expressed its anger about his competing.

Since his release from prison van de Velde has successfully rebuilt his life since leaving prison to the extent that he is now married to a high-profile fellow volleyball pro from Germany.

Kim Behrens and van de Velde married in 2022 and have a young son together.

Behrens, a police officer as well as an athlete, dotes on her 6' 6' tall husband and regularly posts loved-up content on social media about their lives together.