Dutch beach volleyball player who raped child breaks silence over Olympics

• Steven van de Velde spent 13 months in prison for rape
• Netherlands pair reached quarter-finals at Paris Games

The Dutch beach volleyball player Steven van de Velde, who was convicted of raping a 12-year-old British girl in 2016, has said that he considered quitting the Paris Olympics amid the controversy surrounding his participation.

Van de Velde and his beach volleyball partner Matthew Immers reached the quarter-finals in Paris, where they lost to Brazil in straight sets. The pair played four matches in the tournament and Van de Velde was subjected to a stream of boos and whistles.