At one point in time, Paula Radcliffe was a British athlete best known for being a long-distance runner who had to poop on the side of the road during the 2005 London Marathon. Now, however, she’ll be known as the woman who wished rapist and volleyball player Steven van de Velde the “best of luck” ahead of the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics.

Despite public outrage, Van de Velde, who was jailed in 2016 for raping a 12-year-old girl, is still set to represent the Netherlands at the upcoming games, which will kick off tomorrow, Friday 26 July. Radcliffe, who is an Olympian herself, was recently asked about the decision to let the 29-year-old compete, and this is what she had to say: “I think that it is a very dangerous line to go down given that we allow people who cheat in sport and take drugs in sport to then come back and compete.”

Speaking with Andrew Marr on LBC, Radcliffe continued: “He was 19 at the time and he’s served his jail time and it’s a long time to carry on paying for that mistake for the rest of your life. He may well have turned it around and completely repented. You certainly hope.”

'If he's managed to turn his life around...then I actually wish him the best of luck.'

Olympian Paula Radcliffe says that a Dutch athlete who raped a 12-year-old girl should be allowed to compete in the Olympics, telling @AndrewMarr9, 'it's a tough thing to punish him twice'. pic.twitter.com/jgsvj1eZig

— LBC (@LBC) July 24, 2024

Shockingly, the former long-distance runner went on, stating that it was a “tough thing” to “punish him twice” and that she wished the athlete “the best of luck.”

Naturally, a number of netizens took to X to share their disgust and disbelief that someone could be so nonchalant and dismissive of the incredibly heinous crime Van de Velde committed:

Paula Radcliffe has defended Dutch child rapist Steven van de Velde being allowed to enter the Olympics and has wished him 'the best of luck'.
She said he shouldn't 'be punished twice'.
I'll remind you that man RAPED a 12-year-old girl who is undoubtedly serving a life sentence.

— Lorraine King (@lorrainemking) July 25, 2024

A ‘mistake’ is when you accidentally do something, he didn’t take a banned substance before a game, he knowingly RAPED a 12-year old CHILD. He should never be allowed to partake in any sporting event again, let alone be near children.

This is an appalling take Paula Radcliffe. https://t.co/V4WiqHeHs9

— Lina (@LinaAnjum) July 25, 2024

How can you wish a convicted nonce who raped a 12 year old child luck in the Olympics. He turned his life around eh. I'm sure the 12 year old and her family are still living with his disgusting actions. Paula Radcliffe you should hang your head in shame. https://t.co/E1IOSYh2B0

— David Coates (@coatesy1976) July 24, 2024

Radcliffe, who evidently saw the massive backlash to her comments online, began replying to a number of users, expressing her regret at her words. In one reply, the former runner wrote: “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.”

The 50-year-old continued: “I really apologise for the way I phrased this. The utter condemnation of the crime in my head went without saying but I should have clarified that. Instead, I poorly jumped to explaining why it would be great to exclude all who betray ideals but legally not possible.”

While some netizens appreciated the clarification, it’s likely that this incident will have forever changed many people’s opinion of Radcliffe, and it’s more than understandable why.