The convicted child rapist who was allowed to compete in the Olympics shed tears at his first interview since his appearance at the prestigious event.
Steven van de Velde received quite the reception each time he appeared on the volleyball court, but considering he served time for raping a child less than a decade ago, we're not surprised.
The 29-year-old was sentenced to four years in a Dutch prison in 2016 after admitting to befriending a 12-year-old girl from Milton Keyes in the United Kingdom on Facebook, before traveling to her location to have sex with her.
He was 19 at the time.
The athlete had initially been told that his actions had destroyed his dream of ever representing his country at the Olympics, with Judge Francis Sheridan, telling van de Velde that he could have been a "leader" in his sport, had it not been for his crimes.
"Prior to coming to this country you were training as a potential Olympian. Your hopes of representing your country now lie as a shattered dream," he told the criminal. "Your actions have wrecked your life and you could, had you never come to England and committed these offenses, have been a leader in your sport."
However, in a dramatic U-turn decision supported by both the Dutch volleyball federation and the National Olympic Committee, he was given the opportunity to represent his home nation this year at the 2024 Paris Games, much to the dismay of sports fans.
Thankfully, they didn't have to see him for too long after van de Velde and his partner Immers lost their round of 16 match against Brazil on August 4 and were booted out of the competition.
Now, just over a week on the volleyball player has given his first interview following his loss at the Games.
"I definitely thought about it, yes. I did something wrong, ten years ago. I have to accept that," he told Dutch newspaper NOS Sports. "But hurting people around me - whether it's Matthew, my wife, my child... that just goes too far for me. That's definitely a moment where I thought, is this worth it?"
Van de Velde is currently married to volleyball pro Kim Behrens from Germany and the pair share a little boy together.
The 29-year-old was visibly emotional during the interview as he continued: "Someone can hold me responsible for what happened forever. That's okay, someone has the right to do that, but I try to focus on what I can influence. I know this will play a role for the rest of my life. I have to accept that, because I made a mistake."
Reflecting on his colleague's controversial history during the competition, Immers also previously doubled down on this sentiment, stating that "He had his punishment."
"And now, he's really kind. For me, that's a big example that you can grow. What happened in the past, is not good, of course," he added.
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