A Dutch beach volleyball player and convicted child rapist was greeted by boos from the crowd on his Olympic debut in Paris.

Steven van de Velde, 29, was sentenced to four years in prison in 2016 for a sex attack on a 12-year-old British girl two years earlier when he was 19.

He served just 12 months of his sentence and some fans at the Eiffel Tower Stadium showed their disapproval of his appearance at the games.

Paris Olympics 2024 latest: Team GB ace pulls out of games

When he arrived alongside teammate Matthew Immers for their match against Italian pair Alex Ranghieri and Adrian Carambula, there were some cheers as well as boos.

But unlike his fellow competitors, there were no cheers when Van de Velde was introduced to the crowd with some boos again clearly heard.

Van de Velde met his victim on Facebook and travelled from Amsterdam to the UK in 2014 and raped the girl at an address in Milton Keynes.

He is understood not to be staying in the Olympic Village at his own request and will not conduct the usual post-match interviews.

Read more:
Olympics triathlon training cancelled due to Seine pollution
Sanctions for Olympic drone spying

Be the first to get Breaking News

Install the Sky News app for free

The Dutch Olympic Committee maintain Van de Velde has been successfully rehabilitated and deserves his place in the squad.

The International Volleyball Federation said it was unable to stop the Netherlands from sending Van de Velde to Paris after he qualified in the usual way.

Keep up with all the latest news from the UK and around the world by following Sky News

But Rape Crisis England & Wales has said his inclusion at the games was “shocking”.

Van de Velde left the arena on his own after Italy’s three-set 22-20 19-21 15-13 victory.

Related posts:

Pope Francis arrives at home of senior Iraqi Shi’ite cleric Performer killed mid-opera at Russia’s prestigious Bolshoi Theatre Saudi Arabia denies ‘fabrications’ that it is trying to derail COP26 negotiations Five miles away from Kyiv, this town is being heavily bombed – and civilians are fleeing however they can Russia faces ‘severe consequences’ if Putin uses nuclear weapons Bindi Irwin was told endometriosis ‘simply something you deal with as a woman’ as she reveals 10-year struggle Murder probe under way after woman found dead in Ireland Police chief says rioters ‘are there to kill us’ in French town where mayor’s home attacked Kyiv hit by ‘biggest drone attack of war so far’ as five injured Netanyahu’s Gaza plan appears to be attempt to delay inevitable removal from office Hiroshima watch with hands stuck at exact time of bombing sells for thousands Mexico ‘closes’ statue of Greek god of sea because it offends indigenous groups