Cuba vows to punish volleyball players accused of rape in Finland

Cuba's national volleyball federation on Monday said it will take "measures" against six Cuban volleyball players suspected of rape in Finland, where they are currently detained.

"We will take measures that demand justice for these behaviors that go against the ethics and principles that we hold," the agency said in a statement released to local media, without specifying the transgression.

The players are Osmany Santiago Uriarte Mestre, Abrahan Alfonso Gavilan, Ricardo Norberto Calvo Manzano, Rolando Cepeda Abreu, Luis Tomas Sosa Sierra and Dariel Albo Miranda

Finnish police questioned the players over the weekend about the alleged rape at their hotel during a Volleyball World League event in the southern town of Tampere.

"Preliminary information imputes they are linked to acts totally outside the discipline, honor code and respect that govern our sport and society, which we have defended since January 1959," the Cuban statement said.

The Cuban team, which lost its match against Finland on Saturday, was staying in Tampere at a centrally located hotel, which has a popular nightclub in its basement.

The players would be the first Cuban athletes to stand trial off the island.

The men's volleyball squad is the only Cuban team to qualify for the Rio de Janeiro Olympics in August.

Source: AFP