Dutch Volleyballer Steven van de Velde Denied Visa to Compete in Australia
Sydney, Australia – Dutch beach volleyball player Steven van de Velde has been denied a visa to compete in the upcoming Beach Volleyball World Championships in Perth, australia, due to his prior conviction for child sexual assault. The decision,confirmed Tuesday by the Australian government,prevents van de Velde from participating in the event scheduled to begin February 13th.
Van de Velde, 31, pleaded guilty in 2015 to three counts of raping a 12-year-old British girl he met online. The offences occurred in August 2014, when he was 19 years old. He served 13 months of his sentence and returned to professional volleyball in 2018.
Volleyball australia chief executive Andrew dee acknowledged the government’s decision, stating, ”As local organising committee, our focus remains on ensuring we deliver a breathtaking world championships… that is what we all should now focus on and celebrate.”
The championships are set to be the largest beach volleyball event of the year, featuring nine Australian teams. Van de Velde competed in the 2024 Paris Olympics, where he and teammate Matthew Immers lost in the quarter-finals and were met with jeers from spectators.
