Australia denies visa to Dutch Olympian convicted of child rape

Netherlands' Steven Van De Velde hits the ball during the men's Pool B beach volleyball match between Norway and the Netherlands at Eiffel Tower Stadium at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Aug. 2, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte, File)

MELBOURNE, Australia — Dutch Olympian Steven van de Velde, who was convicted in 2016 of raping a 12-year-old girl in Britain, has been refused a visa to compete in the Beach Volleyball World Championships in Australia, the government said on Tuesday.

Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke suggested the 31-year-old’s criminal record was the reason he had been refused a visa to compete at the tournament, which starts in Adelaide on Nov. 14.

“The government will continue to use every tool we have available to ensure that Australians can be safe and feel safe in their communities,” Burke said in a statement.

Van de Velde said in a statement he had anticipated that Australian government policy and his criminal past could pose a problem in obtaining a visa.

“This outcome is not only accepted by me, but also by the rest of the team,” van de Velde said in Dutch.

Van de Velde’s ban means his teammate Alexander Brouwer also won’t compete.

Van de Velde made his Olympic debut in Paris last year despite sex crime victims’ advocates, lawmakers and fans calling for him to be banned. The International Olympic Committee said it was powerless to stop the Netherlands from sending an athlete who qualified in the usual way.

He and his Olympic teammate Matthew Immers won only one of their four matches during the games.

Two weeks after the Olympics, van de Velde and Immers won a bronze medal at the 2024 European Beach Volleyball Championships in the Netherlands.

Volleyball Australia chief executive Andrew Dee said he was only told on Tuesday of the government’s decision to ban van de Velde.

“As the local organizing committee, our focus remains on ensuring we deliver a spectacular world championships,” Dee said.

“It will be the biggest beach volleyball event in the world this year and the first time we will have nine Aussie teams proudly wearing the green and gold. That is what we all should now focus on and celebrate,” he added.

Van de Velde was 19 years old in 2014 when he contacted his victim on social media and traveled to Britain to rape her.

He was convicted on three charges of rape and spent 13 months of a four-year sentence in prison before resuming his sporting career in 2018.

Australia has long used wide discretion to refuse foreigners temporary visas under what is known as the “character test.”

Two weeks ago, Australia’s high court rejected U.S. conservative commentator Candace Owens ’ bid to overturn her visa ban last year when she planning a speaking tour of the country.

Burke barred because of the risk she would “incite discord in the Australian community.”

Burke stripped the U.S. rapper Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, of an Australian visa after he released his single “Heil Hitler” in May this year. Ye had been traveling for years to Australia, where his wife of three years, Bianca Censori, was born.

Rod Mcguirk, The Associated Press