British broadcaster and writer Emma Woolf has caused a storm on social media over her comments about a Dutch volleyball player Steven van de Velde, who was convicted of raping a child.
Speaking on GB News’ “Britain’s Newsroom” show on July 29, Woolf called the incident in which Van de Velde raped a 12-year-old girl an “inappropriate holiday romance.”
During a discussion about the athlete competing at the Olympic Games, Woolf said, “It’s really hard when you make a mistake and you are never allowed to be forgiven.”
She continued to say it must be “deeply uncomfortable experience for him,” as he was not given accommodation in the Olympic village but instead is staying elsewhere with his wife and child.
Van de Velde was 19 years old when he reportedly met a 12-year-old girl on Facebook after she sent him a friend request. He then traveled to the U.K. to meet her while her mother was out. The pair had sexual relations before he flew back to Netherlands.
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Van de Velde was convicted in the U.K. and sentenced to four years in prison. He served 13 months in total, and was released in 2017.
Discussing the topic on the talk show, the hosts were divided on whether he should be allowed to compete. Woolf, a writer and commentator, and great-niece of Virginia Woolf, appeared to side with Van de Velde.
“I know 12-year-olds who are sassy and act like they’re 16-year-old girls,” Woolf said, before acknowledging that he “did know her age” when they met.
She also said the Olympian had “turned his life around” since the conviction and felt that labeling him a child rapist was “a bit strong.”
When the other guest argued that “serious rape” is different from normal things kids between the ages of 12-16 do, Woolf agreed.
Newsweek has contacted Woolf and GB News via email for a comment.
Ofcom, the U.K. broadcast regulator, is now looking into complaints they have received on GB News after the discussion aired. The agency’s spokesperson told Newsweek: “We are assessing complaints against our broadcasting rules, before deciding whether or not to investigate.”
Last week, former marathon world champion Paula Radcliffe faced backslash after wishing Van de Velde “the best of luck.” The British athlete and BBC pundit made the comment in an interview with radio station LBC on July 24.
“I myself am shocked and disappointed at how I expressed this so badly. I am very sorry and should have done much better. I by no means meant to overlook the crime and meant to say those who don’t uphold ideals should be excluded but can’t be,” she wrote on social media where she shared an apology.
The Dutch Olympic Committee (NOC) stated that Van de Velde’s return to the sport met guidelines set by the Netherlands Volleyball Federation (NeVoBo) in their Guidelines Integrity Record, which outlines conditions for athletes to resume competing after conviction.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) previously told Newsweek: “The nomination of individual team members, following qualification on the field of play, is the sole responsibility of each respective National Olympic Committee.”
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.