Dutch volleyball player and convicted child rapist denied visa to compete in Australia
Summary
A Dutch volleyball player, Steven van de Velde, who was convicted of raping a 12-year-old girl, has been denied a visa to compete in a volleyball championship in Australia. Australian authorities refused his entry citing his criminal history as incompatible with the country's standards for visitor acceptance.Key Facts
- Steven van de Velde, a Dutch volleyball player, planned to compete in Australia.
- In 2016, he was convicted of raping a 12-year-old girl in the UK and received a four-year jail sentence.
- He met the victim through Facebook in 2014 and committed the crime in her home in Milton Keynes.
- Australia's Attorney-General and the Home Affairs Minister opposed granting him a visa due to his criminal record.
- Van de Velde served 12 months in jail before resuming his volleyball career in 2018.
- He competed in last year's Paris Olympics where he faced public disapproval.
- An online petition against his Olympic participation gathered 90,000 signatures.
- The BBC reached out to event organizers and the Dutch volleyball association for responses.
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