Former marathon world champion Paula Radcliffe has said she is “very sorry” after wishing a convicted rapist competing at the Olympics the “best of luck”.
Steven van de Velde, who was named in the Netherlands beach volleyball squad for Paris 2024, was sentenced to four years in prison in 2016 after pleading guilty to raping a 12-year-old British girl when he was 19.
The 29-year-old resumed his volleyball career after serving just 12 months of his four-year sentence and was selected in June for the Dutch Olympic team for the Games.
“I am mortified that I expressed it so badly and didn’t condemn the rape out loud,” said Radcliffe.
Earlier in an interview with radio station LBC on Wednesday she said: “I know that he is married now and has settled down.
“I think it’s a tough thing to do to punish him twice and if he’s managed to successfully turn his life around after being sent to…
