Over the weekend Steven van de Velde was booed by spectators in his first appearance at the Paris Olympic Games.
Representing Netherlands as part of the beach volleyball squad in the French capital,
the 29-year-old was sentenced to four years in prison in 2016 after pleading guilty to raping a 12-year-old British girl when he was 19.
He resumed his volleyball career after serving 12 months of a four-year sentence and was named in the Netherlands’ Olympic squad in June.
However, discussing his appearance at the sporting event on This Morning on Monday, Gyles spoke about the idea that van de Velde had served his time.
Incensed by the idea the convicted rapist had been able to represent his country,
host Dermot O’Leary said the sentence was ‘lenient’ while panellist Camilla Tominey also expressed her disgust.
‘Should he have been able to compete? No. He was 19 and he groomed this girl and knew she was 12. He admitted to the offences,’ she said.
But, sharing his thoughts, Gyles said: ‘Put that aside for a moment. The sentence was so lenient because it was reduced by a court. Serious people like judges assess this and come to a conclusion so unless you think “oh abandon courts”, let’s assume that was right.
‘He served his sentence. When people serve their sentence, do we say “you are coming out, this is your chance to rebuild your life” or do we not.’
Jumping in Camilla said: ‘If it’s fraud maybe but if it’s a violent crime or one against a woman or a child, I draw the line. It feels too soon to me.’
Co-host Rochelle Humes said that while chasing reform for prisoners was right, celebrating van de Velde in a sporting arena didn’t sit right with her.
Continuing his point, Gyles said: ‘I’m just giving the general principle that you go to prison to serve. Otherwise, you should still be in prison if you are still a danger.’
After Camilla questioned how the young girl and her family were feeling seeing him selected to represent his country, Dermot then shared his thoughts in more detail.
‘The principle of what you are saying Gyles, I completely agree with. You have to have reform otherwise what is the point of prison. You rightly say it’s not up to me to say what a court or judge should do because I’m not the expert,’ he began.
‘But it seems to me four years is a shocking amount of time for such a heinous crime and how much rehabilitation can take place in a four-year sentence then computed to 13 months. It doesn’t seem fair or reasonable.’
As the discussion came to an end, Gyles said he was ‘not forgiving the crime’ and that the Dutch team organisers who should have rethought selecting him for the Olympics.
Watching the exchange play out on their screens, many viewers slammed what Gyles said.
‘Gyles needs to stop talking,’ Kelly posted on X.
‘Gyles!! No no no !! A child rapist ??!!! He should NOT be there!’ Dan commented.
When competing against Italy on Sunday, van de Velde was greeted by boos upon his arrival as his name was called out by the stadium announcer at Champs de Mars park, in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower in the French capital.
After losing the first set, the Dutch pair drew level but lost the decider 15-13, after which Van de Velde broke Olympic protocol by skipping the post-match media duties.
Van de Velde’s inclusion in the Dutch squad was widely criticised in the weeks leading up to the Games but he has retained the full backing of Dutch selectors.
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Source: New York Post
