Olympic child rapist Steven van de Velde bawls in first interview after furious public backlash

Steven van de Velde, the beach volleyball player who served time in prison for raping a British girl when she was 12 , broke down in tears during his first interview since competing at the Olympics, characterising his crime, which saw him travel internationally at the age of 19 to have sex with a 12-year-old girl while being fully aware of her age.

The 30-year-old's selection to represent the Netherlands sparked outrage before and during the Games .

Van de Velde was met with boos and jeers from spectators during matches , while the Dutch Olympic Committee took steps to shield him from media attention.

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They ensured he did not participate in any media interactions during the Games and arranged for him to stay in private accommodation away from the Olympic Village .

The athlete was handed a four-year prison sentence in 2016 after admitting to raping a 12-year-old girl two years prior. The crime came to light when his victim sought the morning-after pill at a family planning clinic.

Van de Velde, who only served 12 months of his four-year sentence before being released, gave his first interview since the Olympics to NOS. He broke down in tears as he remembered the public backlash he faced.

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"I definitely had a moment of breaking down, both before the tournament and during it," he confessed. "But I thought: 'I'm not going to give others the power to bully me away or get me away'. It's certainly not nothing that's been fired at you. I think it's a shame. It's been 10 years.

"I've played more than 100 tournaments. I understand that it's an issue, should someone with such a past be allowed to stand on such a podium?

"That's a legitimate question. I did something wrong 10 years ago and I have to accept that. Hurting people around me, whether it's Matthew [Immers, his team-mate], my wife or my child, that just goes too far for me.

"That's definitely a moment where I thought: 'Is this worth it?'. 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."

Meanwhile, Immers was asked about Van de Velde's situation and said during the Games: "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."