Dutch volleyballer and convicted child rapist denied World Championship slot

He has not been granted a visa.

Dutch volleyball player, Steven van de Velde, 31, has been denied a visa by the Australian authorities, ahead of the Beach Volleyball World Championships in Adelaide, South Australia, next month.

The then 21-year-old was convicted in 2016 on three counts of raping a 12-year-old girl in the UK.

In 2014, Van De Velde travelled to Milton Keynes after meeting the girl on Facebook, and raped her in her home.

He returned to the Netherlands but was extradited back to the UK, receiving a four-year jail term, but was released after 12 months and resumed his volleyball career in 2018.

His participation at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris was met with much scrutiny, and the athlete was booed by crowds.

A petition on Change.org for the sportsman not to be allowed entry to Australia had received over 4,000 signatures.

South Austrlia Attorney-General, Kyam Maher, urged the Australian government last month, not to let Van de Velde into the country.

She said: "It is my view, and that of the South Australian government, that Mr Van de Velde should not be granted a visa," Attorney-General Kyam Maher said in the letter.

"This individual's offending is utterly abhorrent, and we do not believe that foreign child sex offenders should be granted entry to this country."

In a statement, the Dutch Volleyball Association's technical director, Heleen Crielaard, expressed regret over the decision.

She said: "For this application, we have attached all the documents requested by the Australian authorities and substantiated why we think he should be able to play the World Cup in Australia.

"Unfortunately, we have now been told that it has been decided not to issue the visa. We think that's a shame, but we have no choice but to accept the decision."

Van de Velde also commented on the situation.

He added: "We took into account that the combination of the policies of the Australian authorities and my past might pose a problem for obtaining a visa," he said.

"This outcome is accepted not only by me, but also by the rest of the team with whom we have been working closely throughout the year."