TMZ Sports - Page 48

Dutch volleyball star Steven van de Velde, a convicted child rapist, is slated to compete in the Paris Olympics this week ... and the IOC is now facing serious pressure to investigate how he was able to be included in the Games despite his disgraced past.

Van de Velde allegedly raped a 12-year-old back in 2014 -- when he was 19. Authorities claimed he initially met the girl online -- and then flew from Amsterdam to London a short time later to have sexual relations with her -- this despite him being aware of her age. In 2016, he was convicted of rape and sentenced to four years in prison.

However, after serving 12 months behind bars in Britain, he was transferred to the Netherlands, where he was resentenced. Roughly a month later, he was released. Following his time served, he told a local media outlet he was not a pedophile.

Charles Barkley is finally speaking out on the NBA's breakup with TNT ... and it's clear as day, he's pissed over the split.

The former Phoenix Suns superstar unloaded on the Association in a statement on Friday morning ... nearly two days after Adam Silver's league decided to move on from Turner Sports in favor of a new media rights deal with Amazon Prime Video.

Barkley -- who's been a part of TNT's wildly popular "Inside the NBA" program for decades -- called the league's decision greedy ... while accusing its officials of never really giving TNT a fair shake in the negotiation process.

Getting drunk and bragging about causing chaos at the 2024 Paris Olympics is a pretty dumb move for an alleged Russian spy -- but French cops say that's exactly what happened before they arrested the guy!

Police in the French capital hauled away 40-year-old Kirill Gryaznov from his apartment after he popped up on the radar of European intel officers who were keeping a close eye on him for months, according to French outlet Le Monde.

Gryaznov had been kicked off a flight from Istanbul to Paris back in May, reportedly because he was totally wasted.

Swifties are flocking to the internet to commemorate the anniversary of Travis Kelce first trying to make a move on Taylor Swift ... which ultimately resulted in their love story.

For those not following the Swelce saga ... last year, the NFL star admitted on his "New Heights" podcast that he fumbled the chance to shoot his shot at the pop star.

As he told brother and cohost Jason Kelce, he put his phone number on a friendship bracelet for Taylor and planned to give it to her at her Kansas City concert ... but didn't get a chance to meet with her.

Celine Dion certainly knows the power of love ...reveling in the adoration she's getting from fans as she returns to the spotlight -- people were eating it up ahead of her Olympics gig.

The singer, who's set to perform with Lady Gaga at the opening ceremony for the 2024 Paris Olympics, received the warmest of welcomes from fans Thursday night in the City of Lights.

CD was decked out in full Dior ... and greeted with screams and chants as she left her hotel. The singer blew kisses to the crowd and took a few photos.

Thousands of travelers looking to get to Paris ahead of the start of the Olympics have been stranded ... after French officials say railways in the country have been hit by a series of coordinated arson attacks.

According to the SNCF -- the organizer of France’s high-speed train network -- the "malicious acts" took place overnight Thursday ... and appeared to be a planned "massive attack" by people who had the goal of crippling public transportation just hours before the Games' Opening Ceremony goes down in Paris later Friday.

So far, authorities don't seem to have any leads on suspects ... although the public prosecutor's office said it's launched an investigation.

Snoop Dogg's blazin' in Paris ... or, at least his left hand was -- 'cause the dude carried the Olympic flame Thursday marking a huge moment for himself and hip hop culture.

The rapper carried the torch through the northern Parisian suburb Saint-Denis ... and check out the pics 'cause Snoop looks like one proud pup while doing his part to get the flame to its final destination.

Snoop -- clad in an all-white tracksuit with "Paris 2024" and the Olympic rings splayed across the back -- waves to the crowd during his portion of the jaunt, staring at the torch in awe.

Looks like Adele and her boo Rich Paul are finally heading down the aisle -- 'cause if the latest buzz is anything to go by, the engagement bells are ringing!

The singer's sports agent BF, Rich Paul, finally popped the question last Thursday after months of keeping us all guessing, The Sun reports ... adding she said yes to a jaw-dropping four-carat diamond ring, which appeared to be on her hand during an outing last week.

Word on the street is that Rich planned the whole proposal in Adele’s hometown of Tottenham, London. Everything went off without a hitch, and the happy couple celebrated by FaceTiming friends and family to share the big news.

With an influx of visitors heading to Paris for the 2024 Olympics, French police are cracking down on prostitution ... and we've learned an anti-pimping brigade is even leading the charge.

The Press Office for the Police Prefecture tells TMZ ... authorities are doing what they can to combat illegal sex work in the City of Lights. We're told checkpoints and other road operations are targeted to try and put a stop to pimping in the Bois de Vincennes, Bois de Boulogne and Belleville sectors.

A formal brigade -- known as the BRP -- has even formed ... and we're told they will make their presence seriously known in the area. There is also a group in charge of surveilling night establishments, such as cabarets ... where anti-sex work laws will be reinforced.

Flavor Flav says as soon as Snoop Dogg emerges in Paris with the Olympic torch in hand on Friday -- no one in the hip hop community will ever forget it ... explaining this week it'll be "a very, very big moment for rap music history."

Flav, of course, will get to see it all go down in person ... as he made the trip to France this month as part of his role as the official sponsor of the USA women's water polo team.

He told Charlie Neff and Towanda Robinson on "The TMZ Podcast" that watching Snoop with the flame is actually the "main thing" he's "really, really" looking forward to in the buildup to the Paris Games -- because he thinks people will be talking about it decades from now.

Celine Dion is in France for her big comeback, Jennifer Aniston is beefing with J.D. Vance and Tom Brady is NOT dating a swimsuit model ... all this on today's TMZ TV Hot Takes.

First up on "TMZ Live," Harvey and Charles look at Celine's warm welcome in Paris, where she is set to perform for the first time in years ... kicking off the opening ceremonies for the Paris Olympics.

Romanian gymnast Nadia Comaneci was only 14 years old when she skyrocketed to stardom after becoming the first gymnast to score a perfect 10.0 at the 1976 Montreal Olympic Games.

In addition to her perfect-scoring status, the gymnastics icon scored six MORE perfect 10s and grabbed 3 gold medals. To no surprise -- but extremely difficult to do so -- she qualified for her 2nd games in 1980, taking 2 more gold medals and two 10.0s back to Romania.

Today, she's still recognized and respected as a gymnastics legend and continues to use her platform for leadership roles.

The Las Vegas Raiders are really poking the bear at training camp ... electing to take a playful shot at their division rival's best player, Patrick Mahomes ... with a Kermit The Frog puppet dressed up as the Kansas City Chiefs superstar!!

A Raiders spectator brought the troll job out on Thursday ... showing the puppet rockin' Mahomes' No. 15 jersey and a wig that's similar to his signature hair.

Everyone in attendance thought it was hilarious ... including Raiders rookie safety Trey Taylor who started imitating the "Sesame Street" character's voice (which Pat's famously resembles).

The Olympics red carpet in Paris is glittering, and it ain't the shine off the metals 'cause those haven't been won yet ... it's all the superstars twinkling at a pre-Olympics event.

Some of the biggest athletes and entertainers in the world -- from LeBron James to Serena Williams to Snoop Dogg and everyone in between -- pulled up to the Prelude to the Olympics ... a star-studded party open cohosted by some of the world's most powerful people before Olympic Opening Ceremonies kick off tomorrow.

Two blonde Hollywood bombshells -- Charlize Theron and Elizabeth Banks -- hit the red carpet in a couple fabulous dresses ... CT looked angelic in all white while EB pulled off a black cocktail dress with a blue accessory draping down from her hip.

"Hawk Tuah" girl Haliey Welch is swinging back at Nick Kyrgios ... she says she doesn't wake up in the morning and hate on other people, unlike the tennis star!!!

We got the viral sensation at Beverly Hot Springs in L.A. and our photog asked her about Nick saying there's no longer a correlation between fame and talent.

Haliey -- who went viral for her street interview response, referencing fellatio in her unique way -- tells us she's not going to let Nick get under her skin.

Ronda Rousey is ready for round 2!!!

The former UFC champion and WWE Superstar announced Thursday she's pregnant with her second child ... sharing the big news while speaking at a San Diego Comic-Con panel to promote her new graphic novel, "Expecting the Unexpected."

"Did anyone notice that I'm very pregnant right now? Yeah, I'm just as pregnant as 'Mom' is in the majority of the comic," Rousey jokingly said to the crowd in attendance.