So you're watching an Olympic volleyball match between Norway and the Netherlands, and there's something you can't quite put your finger on. Amid the smiles and celebration, when one particular member of the Dutch team walks out, boos and jeers erupt.

You think to yourself, maybe he's had his reputation tarnished by using performance enhancing drugs, after all the World Anti Doping Authority has the power to strip athletes of medals or issue up to a lifetime ban for such egregious activity. Then you get caught up and you find out exactly why many people aren't celebrating Steven van de Velde and his inclusion on the largest sporting stage: he's a convicted child rapist.

When he was convicted in 2016, the judge in their closing remarks offered a sobering statement to Steven van de Velde that, ‘Your hopes of representing your country now lie as a shattered dream.’ It seems that dream was quickly rebuilt, as he was back playing internationally by 2017.

An English court imposed an initial sentence of four years in prison, but that too was short lived as he was released after only 13 months following a transfer to a Dutch prison, and a swift adjustment to his sentence.

The Olympics should be a place for the best of human endeavour (Image: free)

I've heard so much about van de Velde’s right to a career, to rehabilitation, to happiness and nothing about the survivor who, at 12 years old was raped by a then-19-year-old Steven van de Velde, who admitted to being fully aware of her age at the time he flew to her from Amsterdam. Sporting pundits and media coverage seldom make reference to the emotional devastation she suffered, not to mention the self harm she dealt with, the overdose she thankfully survived, or the trauma she is no doubt healing from........

© Herald Scotland