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The Dutch athlete's presence at the Olympics has sparked widespread controversy due to his conviction for raping a 12-year-old British girl in 2014. Van de Velde was sentenced to four years in prison but served only 13 months before being released.

The decision to allow Van de Velde to compete in the Olympics has been met with outrage from many, who argue that he should not be allowed to participate in the Games due to his conviction. Others have questioned why he was released from prison after serving only a fraction of his sentence.

On social media, many users have expressed their disgust and disappointment at Van de Velde's participation in the Olympics. Some have called for him to be banned from competing, while others have criticized the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for allowing him to participate.

"This is a travesty," wrote one user on Weibo. "A convicted child rapist should not be allowed to compete in the Olympics."

Another user wrote, "I don't care if he's a good player or not. He's a convicted felon and should not be allowed to participate in the Games."

The Dutch Olympic Committee has defended its decision to allow Van de Velde to compete, stating that he has served his sentence and is eligible to participate in the Games.

However, many are not convinced by this argument. "Just because he's served his sentence doesn't mean he should be allowed to compete in the Olympics," wrote one user. "There are plenty of other athletes who don't have a history of child rape."

The IOC has also come under fire for its handling of the situation. "The IOC should be ashamed of themselves for allowing this convicted felon to compete," wrote one user.

Van de Velde has attempted to justify his participation in the Olympics, stating that he has "done everything he can" to rehabilitate himself and should be allowed to compete.

However, many are not buying it. "He's trying to justify his participation by saying he's 'done everything he can' to rehabilitate himself," wrote one user. "But the fact remains that he's a convicted child rapist and should not be allowed to compete in the Olympics."

As the controversy continues to grow, it remains to be seen how Van de Velde's participation in the Olympics will be received by the public and the media.

The Dutch athlete's next match is scheduled to take place on August 1, and it will be interesting to see how he is received by the crowd.

Meanwhile, the IOC and the Dutch Olympic Committee are under pressure to justify their decision to allow Van de Velde to compete.

In a statement, the IOC said that it had "taken all necessary measures" to ensure that Van de Velde was eligible to compete in the Olympics.

However, many are not convinced by this argument. "The IOC needs to do more to ensure that convicted felons like Van de Velde are not allowed to compete in the Olympics," wrote one user.

As the debate continues, one thing is clear: the participation of convicted child rapist Steven van de Velde in the Olympics has sparked a firestorm of controversy that is unlikely to go away anytime soon.