Convicted Dutch Volleyball Player Denied Entry to Australia for Championships

Adelaide, Australia – Dutch beach volleyball player Steven van de Velde, who was convicted of raping a 12-year-old girl in 2016, has been denied a visa to compete in the Beach Volleyball World Championships in Australia. The championships are scheduled to take place in Adelaide from November 14 to November 23, 2025.

The Australian government informed the Dutch volleyball association on October 27 that van de Velde’s visa application had been rejected. He was selected to represent the Netherlands at the competition, having also participated in the Tokyo Olympics last year.

Heleen Crielaard, technical director of the Dutch volleyball association, stated, “Unfortunately, we have now been informed that the decision has been made not to grant the visa. We regret this, but we have no choice but to accept the decision.”

In response, van de Velde acknowledged the possibility of a visa denial due to his past. He said, “We took into account that the combination of the Australian authorities’ policy and my past might pose a problem for obtaining a visa. This outcome is acceptable to me and to the rest of the team with whom we have been working closely all year.”

Van de Velde, now 31, pled guilty in 2016 to three counts of rape involving a girl he met through social media. He received a four-year prison sentence but served only 13 months due to being transferred back to the Netherlands for a shorter term. He has been active in competitive volleyball again since 2018.

His absence from the competition means his teammate, Alexander Brouwer, will also not compete at the championships. Australia’s Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke highlighted the government’s commitment to ensuring the safety of its citizens. He stated, “The government will continue to use every tool we have available to ensure that Australians can be safe and feel safe in their communities.”

The rejection of van de Velde’s visa reflects Australia’s strict entry policies regarding character, particularly involving violent or sexual offenses.