Paris Olympics 2024: Dutch team with player convicted of rape qualifies for beach volleyball knockout round

The Dutch Olympian who was convicted in 2016 of raping a 12-year-old girl in England advanced to the knockout round of the beach volleyball tournament on Friday, even with a loss in the final match of pool play.

Steven van de Velde and Matthew Immers will play in the round of 16 on Sunday or Monday. An opponent has not been determined.

Van de Velde, 29, served 13 months in prison after his 2016 rape conviction. Although victims advocates, lawmakers and fans have called for him to be banned from the Olympics, the IOC has said it was powerless to stop the Netherlands from sending an athlete who qualified in the usual way.

Van de Velde again did not walk through the mix zone to address the media on Friday, something typically required of all Olympians. Immers said his partner’s mood was good.

“We’re making the best of it, and we’re really happy at the end of the match. So we said to each other, ‘OK, did we enjoy this moment?’” Immers said. “We knew before the match we gave everything and we said to each other, ‘Yes, we gave everything.’ And that’s what we want to do every game, give everything and play our game.”

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The Dutch lost in straight sets to Tokyo gold medalists Anders Mol and Christian Sorum on Friday, with fans again booing and whistling at Van de Velde on every serve. Norway’s 21-16, 21-19 victory was sealed when Van de Velde served long on match point, drawing hoots and whistles from the crowd.

The Dutch finished with a 1-2 record in pool play, winning the three-way tiebreaker because of a higher ratio of sets won and lost.

“We lost the match, but we’re second in the pool,” Immers said. “It was against the Norwegians, so we lost close. But overall, I think we played really good.”

In other action at Eiffel Tower Stadium on Friday, Americans Chase Budinger and Miles Evans lost to Spain in straight sets to finish third in their group. They will need to win a “lucky loser” match to reach the round of 16.

The U.S. women’s team of Kelly Cheng and Sara Hughes beat Germany in the final match of the night, also in straight sets. The reigning world champions won their pool with a 3-0 record; the other U.S. women’s team, Kristen Nuss and Taryn Kloth, also finished 3-0 to advance to the knockout round as a pool-winner.