Post by : Rameen Ariff

Dutch beach volleyball player Steven van de Velde has been denied a visa by the Australian government ahead of the upcoming Beach Volleyball World Championships in Adelaide. The Dutch Olympian Steven van de Velde, who was convicted of raping a 12-year-old girl in 2016, will not be allowed to enter Australia, officials confirmed on Tuesday.

Australian Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said that the visa refusal for Steven van de Velde was linked to his criminal record, emphasizing that the decision was made to protect the safety and well-being of Australians. “The government will continue to use every tool we have to ensure Australians can be safe and feel safe in their communities,” Burke stated.

The Dutch Olympian Steven van de Velde, 31, acknowledged in a statement that his criminal past might cause problems in securing entry into Australia. “This outcome is not only accepted by me, but also by the rest of the team,” van de Velde said, adding that he had anticipated such an issue due to the country’s strict immigration policies.

As a result of the visa denial, his teammate Alexander Brouwer will also be unable to compete in the Beach Volleyball World Championships, as the two were scheduled to participate as a pair. This comes as a setback for the Dutch beach volleyball team, who were hoping to make a strong showing at the global tournament.

The Steven van de Velde visa ban follows growing scrutiny of athletes with criminal backgrounds competing internationally. Despite public backlash last year, the Dutch Olympian was allowed to represent the Netherlands at the Paris Olympics, where he and teammate Matthew Immers won only one of their four matches.

Two weeks after the Olympics, van de Velde and Immers went on to secure a bronze medal at the 2024 European Beach Volleyball Championships in the Netherlands. However, the athlete’s past conviction for sexual assault continues to shadow his sporting career.

Volleyball Australia CEO Andrew Dee said he was informed about the decision only on Tuesday and expressed the organization’s intent to focus on hosting a successful tournament. “It will be the biggest beach volleyball event in the world this year and the first time nine Aussie teams will proudly wear the green and gold,” Dee said.

The Beach Volleyball World Championships in Adelaide, scheduled to begin on November 14, will now proceed without Steven van de Velde, marking another chapter in the ongoing global debate about whether athletes with serious criminal records should represent their countries in international sporting events.

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