Dutch beach volleyball player denied Australian visa

Dutch beach volleyball player and convicted rapist Steven van de Velde has been denied entry to Australia.

Van de Velde sought to enter the country for next month’s World Championships in Adelaide.

Here’s what to know.

Context

In 2014, Van de Velde (then 19) travelled from the Netherlands to England, where he raped a 12-year-old British girl he had met online. He pleaded guilty to three charges of child rape and was convicted in 2016.

Van de Velde served almost a year of a four-year sentence before being extradited to the Netherlands. He was released a month later due to less stringent laws in the Netherlands and returned to professional sport.

Van de Velde’s attempt to enter Australia for this year’s Beach Volleyball World Championships sparked outrage earlier this month.

South Australian Attorney-General Kyam Maher wrote to federal Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke, urging him to deny Van de Velde’s visa.

Maher said: “This individual’s offending is utterly abhorrent and we do not believe that foreign sex offenders should be granted entry to this country.”

The Federal Government agreed, blocking van de Velde’s visa this week. Australia’s Migration Act allows authorities to deny visas to people convicted of child sexual abuse.

Response

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The Dutch Volleyball Association confirmed the decision, saying it “regrets” the outcome but accepts it.

Van de Velde also issued a statement saying he understood the ruling, acknowledging that his criminal conviction made approval “a problem.”

The Netherlands have withdrawn from the Adelaide event, as van de Velde’s teammate, Alexander Brouwer, cannot compete without him.

Volleyball Australia said it was awaiting a ruling from the sport’s international governing body on a “replacement team.”

Olympics backlash

Last year, Van de Velde’s inclusion in the Paris Olympics prompted global backlash. He was booed by crowds and stayed outside the athletes’ village.

During the Games, the Dutch Olympic Committee defended the decision to include van de Velde on the team, saying: "After his release, Van de Velde sought and received professional counselling. He demonstrated to those around him - privately and professionally - self-insight and reflection."

At the time, the head of Australia’s Olympic team, Anna Meares, said: “If an athlete or a staff member had that conviction, they wouldn’t be allowed to be a member of our team.”