A Dutch beach volleyball player convicted of raping a 12-year-old boy has been refused entry to Australia ahead of a coveted world competition.
Steven van de VeldeThe 31-year-old was scheduled to represent his country at the upcoming Beach Volleyball World Championships in Adelaide, South Australia from November 14-23.
The BBC reported On October 27, Moved was denied entry.
“We took into account that the combination of the policy of the Australian authorities and my past could pose a problem for obtaining a visa,” van de Velde said in reaction to the authorities denying him entry, for The Athletic. “This result is not only unacceptable for me, but also for the rest of the team with whom we have been working closely throughout the year.”
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In 2016, van de Velde was sentenced to four years in prison after pleading guilty to three counts of raping a 12-year-old girl in 2014, when he was 19. The athlete spent a total of 13 months in prison, 12 of which were served in the UK before being transferred to Holland. He was released from prison in 2017.
Helen Crielaardthe technical director of the Dutch volleyball association, said the organization was “aware that this could happen” and had ensured that “all documents requested by the Australian authorities” were submitted in advance. The Athletic reported on October 27.
“Unfortunately, we have now been informed that the decision has been taken not to grant the visa,” he added. “We regret it, but we have no choice but to accept the decision.”
Steven van de Velde
Pim Waslander/Soccrates/Getty ImagesThe volleyball player’s teammate Alexander Brouwer nor will he be able to compete in the international test.
Van de Velde rose to beach volleyball stardom in 2011 when she won the Dutch Under-20 National Championship. He also represented the Netherlands at the 2015 European Games.
The athlete’s entry into the country was opposed by the attorney general of South Australia Kyam Maherd, who wrote in a letter to the Australian government that his crimes were “utterly abhorrent” and that “we do not believe foreign child sex offenders should be allowed into this country”.
Minister of Internal Affairs of Australia Tony Burke He also told the BBC that the country “will continue to use all the tools we have available to us to ensure that Australians can be safe and feel safe in their communities”.
Van de Velde previously represented the Dutch team at the 2024 Paris Olympics, his inclusion sparking anger among many sports fans.
“I definitely had a moment of abandonment, both before the tournament and during it,” van de Velde told Dutch broadcaster NOS in August 2024 of the fervent reaction. “But I thought, ‘I’m not going to give other people the power to intimidate me or push me away.’
The volleyball player was booed by some in the crowd during competitive play, a response she said she understood to a degree.
“You want someone with a background? Can they get on the podium? That’s a legitimate question to ask … (but) I’m not the person I was 10 years ago. I can’t change what people think of me,” he said at the time. “Someone can forever hold me responsible for what happened and that’s okay because that’s what it is. It’s their right, so I accept that.”
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Van de Velde and his then teammate Matthew Immers reached the sixteenth round of the Olympic competition before being defeated by Brazil.
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, contact them National sexual assault hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).