MOSCOW, July 18 Dutch beach volleyball player Steven van de Velde , who was convicted and served a sentence on charges of raping a minor, will live separately from other athletes at the Summer Olympics in Paris and will refrain from communicating with journalists, the Dutch Olympic Committee*Netherlands Sports Federation (NOC*NSF) said in a statement.
Van de Velde was convicted in 2016 in the UK of having sex with a 12-year-old girl. As noted in the release, under British law, any sexual contact with a minor, regardless of consent, is considered rape. Dutch law provides for different wording. The athlete was sentenced to four years in prison, after which he served part of his sentence in England, then was extradited to the Netherlands. The sentence was also adjusted in accordance with the laws of the country.
«»NOC*NSF regrets that many have been affected by the renewed attention to the past of beach volleyball player Steven van de Velde. NOC*NSF is taking steps to create a peaceful environment during participation in the Olympic Games in Paris. Van de Velde Velde will take up alternative accommodation of his own free will and will not communicate with the press during his stay in Paris,» the organization said in a statement.
Van de Velde won the Dutch Championship in 2015.