Lucca Van der Woude banned from US Olympic-sanctioned competitions

The son of a Hollywood director, who was as soon as a promising Olympic water polo participant, has been banned from U.S. Olympic-sanctioned competitions for 3 years after admitting to sexual assault with a international object — particularly digital penetration towards a minor.

Lucca Van der Woude additionally admitted below oath he used the N-word to racially berate a teammate at college and water polo practices. Van der Woude is the son of director Thomas ‘Basti’ van der Woude, who’s credited with engaged on Battleship, Star Trek: Nemesis and HNO’s Westworld.

In the meantime, the distinguished non-public college he attended — Harvard-Westlake College, which fees $54,900 a 12 months in tuition — continues to dispute allegations that it failed to guard college students.

Van der Woude, a former standout on the U.S. nationwide youth water polo crew, was suspended by the U.S. Heart for SafeSport for “sexual misconduct, emotional and bodily misconduct; felony disposition,” in accordance with SafeSport paperwork reported by the Orange County Register.

An arbitrator confirmed the suspension on Aug. 26 following an attraction by Van der Woude, who was completely suspended by SafeSport in March 2025.

The ruling got here greater than two years after complaints had been filed with SafeSport alleging Van der Woude sexually assaulted two Harvard-Westlake College and LA Premier membership teammates on a number of events.

Van der Woude admitted in Los Angeles County Juvenile Division Court docket on Nov. 7, 2024, to sexual penetration with a international object towards a minor, in accordance with court docket, probation and SafeSport data.

Orange County lawyer John Manly, who has represented many survivors of former U.S. Olympic gymnastics crew physician Larry Nassar, stated that whereas youngsters could make errors, some conditions want extra transparency.

“There are some people who current a transparent and current hazard,” Manly stated whereas discussing SafeSport’s coverage surrounding violations dedicated by minors, slightly than van der Woude’s case particularly.

Van der Woude doesn’t seem in SafeSport’s public disciplinary database as a result of his violations occurred whereas he was a minor, the Register reported.

Meaning potential teammates, athletes he may probably coach and their households can’t entry his suspension by looking the database, which was created partly to alert athletes and oldsters to folks disciplined for abuse and misconduct.

SafeSport informed SCNG that its confidentiality insurance policies surrounding minors largely mirror these used within the juvenile justice system and different youth-serving organizations.

The controversy has additionally renewed scrutiny of Harvard-Westlake — the ritzy Los Angeles non-public college Van der Woude attended earlier than he was banned from campus following his Feb. 2024 arrest.

Attorneys for former teammate Aidan Romain allege in a lawsuit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court docket in March that Harvard-Westlake officers did not contact legislation enforcement or youngster protecting companies after Romain and one other scholar reported that Van der Woude had digitally penetrated them.

The lawsuit, which additionally names Van der Woude, water polo coach Jack Grover and faculty president Richard B. Commons, alleges a sample of repeated sexual assault and accuses the college of failing to behave when confronted with stories {that a} scholar was being sexually assaulted on campus.

It additionally alleges Van der Woude directed racial slurs at Romain.

Harvard-Westlake has rejected the characterization of its conduct, saying it “unequivocally disputes many of those allegations that mischaracterize information and the college’s actions.”

Daniel Watkins, an lawyer for Romain, stated the SafeSport choice ought to make the college handle the allegations.

“First, the LAPD believed Aidan. Then Los Angeles County Deputy District Legal professional Brian Hettinger. Then a decide. Now SafeSport, after its personal unbiased course of, has discovered Lucca van der Woude answerable for sexually assaulting a minor and banned him for 3 years,” Watkins informed SCNG.

“Harvard-Westlake ought to hear now.”

Van der Woude lately admitted below oath that he transferred from Harvard-Westlake solely after the college barred him from its campus and water polo program following his arrest, in accordance with a deposition transcript.

“Sooner or later, denial is just not skepticism,” Watkins stated. “It’s a selection.

“Harvard-Westlake knew sufficient after Lucca’s arrest to ban him from campus and from its water polo program. But years later, the college nonetheless denies what occurred to Aidan—and in some way denies what its personal actions already made plain.”

Van der Woude transferred to Newport Harbor Excessive College in Orange County earlier than the 2024-25 educational 12 months and helped its water polo crew win a CIF Southern Part title.

He later performed for Golden West School after UCLA rescinded his provisional provide following a March 2025 Orange County Register report detailing his arrest and the allegations towards him.

Regardless of his SafeSport suspension, Van der Woude stays eligible to compete in California junior faculty athletics as a result of the 3C2A, which governs these sports activities, has no coverage routinely barring athletes suspended by SafeSport.

“The truth that Golden West let him play,” Manly stated, “simply exhibits that it’s nonetheless all about wins, cash and medals and it doesn’t appear that these (colleges) have realized something from the Larry Nassar case.”

Van der Woude was briefly suspended by SafeSport in January 2025 whereas the middle investigated the complaints and was initially completely suspended on March 27, 2025.

After his attraction, an arbitrator as an alternative upheld a three-year suspension this month. SafeSport additionally positioned him on probation for 3 years and issued a no-contact directive.

With credit score for time already served, van der Woude shall be eligible to take part in occasions sanctioned by the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee and its nationwide governing our bodies once more in March 2028.

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