Crazy stuff, I just heard in the interview with one of his team managers that they can keep the passport for six weeks until they resolve the issue. I don’t think it will come to that but that’s a horrendous scenario. Van der Poel should be given a warning, his passport back and then allowed to return home. He has suffered enough damage already - this is getting ridiculous!
A little too convenient that the Australian police arrested MVP after being harassed for over an hour by these girls when their own Michael "Bling" Matthews was a second tier favorite (Wout, Pogacar, and MVP were clear favorites - didn't see Remco soloing to victory after the Vuelta but chapeau). Clearing out the competition by arresting them. Way to go Australia.
A little too convenient that the Australian police arrested MVP after being harassed for over an hour by these girls when their own Michael "Bling" Matthews was a second tier favorite (Wout, Pogacar, and MVP were clear favorites - didn't see Remco soloing to victory after the Vuelta but chapeau). Clearing out the competition by arresting them. Way to go Australia.
Seriously? Somehow you think that the cycling and Police have come up with this ruse in order to arrest him. No wonder you guys still adore Trump, the stupid rubbish you come up with? ...and I'm the one getting down voted?
You know, one of great things about Australia is that you know the Police and legal system will act without fear or favour. You can see patrolling cops without fear that they will harass you or even shoot you because you are black, instead a 'how you doing mate' from them. We put corrupt and criminal politicians and former politicians behind bars. Yours can act with impunity.
Our police act totally outside the political framework. Just recently, the immediate former deputy State Premier was charged to spend his day in court for pushing over a cameraman. Not teenage girls, a grown adult. No one is entitled to take the law into their own hands.
This is what van der Poel admits to , as quoted to Belgian Website Sporza:
"I went to bed early and many children in the hallway of my room found it necessary to knock on the door continuously. After a few times I was done with it. I didn't ask so nicely to stop. Then the police were called and I was taken."
In his own words: "After a few times I was done with it. I didn't ask so nicely to stop. Then the police were called and I was taken. "After a few times I was done with it. I didn't ask so nicely to stop. Then the police were called and I was taken. "I didn't ask so nicely to stop" , instead, he pushes them both to ground and injures one.
What should van der Poel have done? As I said, dialling 9 to ask reception to call security would have been a good start, but that doesn't fit with your conspiracy. A few years ago, teenagers hooning past our home whilst we were working outside, screamed obscenities and racial slurs at us. I walked towards where they had stopped, the driver got out and thought I was stirring for a fight, and I just made him aware I took his number. I reported it to Police, an hour later they rocked up, asked me what outcome I wanted, and I said "he has to apologise to us, and I'll have a chat to him" 15min later they were back, asked me to come to the car, they had the 17 yo sheepishly in back seat. The dad had been furious and was happy at thealternate I offerred, and was going to ground him as well. He apologised profusely , and I told him about how he shouldn't let his parents down, don't let a police record and actions of friend ruin the rest of his life etc etc, usual 'uncle' stuff, and a bit about tolerance of cause. I have seen this bloke recently in area, he is now a mid 20's post university starting a professional career.
Van der Poel will get a non conviction fine and able to return, but he has to face the law, just like any person who may even lose his job over such publicity.
As for Cycling, thye so called working class codes such as Rugby League have higher standards and do not tolerate any off the field incidents such as these and all I hear from cycling and commentators are excuses.
A little too convenient that the Australian police arrested MVP after being harassed for over an hour by these girls when their own Michael "Bling" Matthews was a second tier favorite (Wout, Pogacar, and MVP were clear favorites - didn't see Remco soloing to victory after the Vuelta but chapeau). Clearing out the competition by arresting them. Way to go Australia.
Australians don't care enough about road cycling for such a conspiracy to exist.
He's been fined and is allowed to leave the country.
Cyclist Mathieu van der Poel has been convicted in Australia for the confrontation with two girls in a hotel in Sydney. The judge fined him $1,000 for pushing one girl and $500 for the other girl. Converted into a total of just over a thousand euros.
The judge counted it heavily on Van der Poel that he took the law into his own hands. According to the judge, he should not have done that, but should have called the hotel security.
Van der Poel spent the night from Saturday to Sunday in jail for pushing the girls aged 13 and 14. He did that because they were making noise and knocking repeatedly on his door. He became frustrated because he couldn't sleep just before his participation in the World Cup.
One girl he pushed against a wall and the other girl he pushed down causing her arm to hurt. The fact that Van der Poel had an important race ahead of him as a professional cyclist was not a mitigating circumstance for the court.
Appeal against decision The lawsuit against the cyclist was supposed to take place on Tuesday, but because he is flying back home today, the court's agenda was adjusted. Van der Poel's lawyer had requested this.
Van der Poel flies back home at 10 a.m. Dutch time. His lawyer says he will appeal against the ruling and hopes that the rider will be acquitted. Van der Poel did not want to comment after the lawsuit.
You know, one of great things about Australia is that you know the Police and legal system will act without fear or favour. You can see patrolling cops without fear that they will harass you or even shoot you because you are black, instead a 'how you doing mate' from them. We put corrupt and criminal politicians and former politicians behind bars. Yours can act with impunity.
You know, one of great things about Australia is that you know the Police and legal system will act without fear or favour. You can see patrolling cops without fear that they will harass you or even shoot you because you are black, instead a 'how you doing mate' from them. We put corrupt and criminal politicians and former politicians behind bars. Yours can act with impunity.
Are you a paid shill for Australia?
Just saying it as it is, if you don't agree with any of those facts, please enlighten me.
For the record, and making fools of you lot, van der Poel pleaded guilty to common assault, but will appeal the conviction recorded. He said himself: "I should have called reception".
Do you guys think an immediate former deputy Premier should face the court, but not a flippin cyclist? This is not a place where leaders dispute elections and organise uprisings against Parliament, without legal worries.
And now, I am out to walk/run the dog in the dark, with nary a chance of a mugging or shooting. Luv it.
Pushing anybody is not an "assault" unless done (and proved) with the intent to injure. It is a misdemeanor (administrative delict) in most civilized countries. One of the teenagers "claimed" and injury though. I would like to see that injury...
Australia is a police country, just like USA. Both teenagers should have been spanked by their parents (oops, another criminal act, I presume), grounded, and deprived of cell phones and access to Internet for a month (would that be classified as torture in Australia?), not pushed by MVDP. That was a mistake on his part, but understandable. He had apologized. Thus he should pay 50 AUD as a fine, not be criminally liable. I would have screamed at those punks, found their parents and later - if my performance suffered the next day, sue them for 5 million AUD - as a loss in earnings and in endorsement money. For a good measure, MVDP should sue also hotel management for letting those punks roam the corridors and harras the guests. About 2 millions would be appropriate.
Pushing anybody is not an "assault" unless done (and proved) with the intent to injure. It is a misdemeanor (administrative delict) in most civilized countries. One of the teenagers "claimed" and injury though. I would like to see that injury...
Australia is a police country, just like USA. Both teenagers should have been spanked by their parents (oops, another criminal act, I presume), grounded, and deprived of cell phones and access to Internet for a month (would that be classified as torture in Australia?), not pushed by MVDP. That was a mistake on his part, but understandable. He had apologized. Thus he should pay 50 AUD as a fine, not be criminally liable. I would have screamed at those punks, found their parents and later - if my performance suffered the next day, sue them for 5 million AUD - as a loss in earnings and in endorsement money. For a good measure, MVDP should sue also hotel management for letting those punks roam the corridors and harras the guests. About 2 millions would be appropriate.
You are correct and MVDP had his world championship plans sabotaged - whether intentional or not on the part of the teenagers is a moot point. Unfortunately, that is not the way the Australian legal authorities see this and he has had to go through the tiresome process with the authorities in Australia before being allowed to travel home.
The collateral damage that he missed this world championship race not only for himself but also his country, the Netherlands, is huge and potentially he could ask for damages, and in the US I think he would get a lot of lawyers ready to battle his case, but Australia may be somewhat different in that regard. The parents of those two teenagers appear to be shameless.
Just saying it as it is, if you don't agree with any of those facts, please enlighten me.
For the record, and making fools of you lot, van der Poel pleaded guilty to common assault, but will appeal the conviction recorded. He said himself: "I should have called reception".
It's called extortion by the Australians so they can get van der Poel to pay money. Van der Poel didn't want to stay a moment long in gawd-foresaken Australia so just paid up and left.
And now the Dutch public are leaving scathing reviews about that hotel:
Australia has just caused an international incident at the world cycling championships in Wollongong by arresting the Dutch Mathieu van der Poel the night before the main race, spending most of the night in jail. Van der Poel is the biggest sports star in Dutchland if not one of the biggest. And today we learned the police have now seized his passport until van der Poel faces trial before a judge. And this has forced van der Poel to abandon the world championships wearing the Dutch uniform.
The whole reason Australia arrested van def Poel and sezied his passport? They alleged can der Poel pushed two teenaged girls, 13 and 14 years old, that were endlessly playing ding dong ditch in his hotel and on his door while he was trying to sleep the night before the big race. WTF? Australia caused an international incident and seizure for this?
I had no idea what ding dong ditch meant so I looked it up and this is what I got: “ding-dong ditch (uncountable) (US, Canada) A children's prank in which a doorbell of a home is rung, and then the pranksters run away before the occupants of the home open the door.”
You can imagine Van der Poel’s frustration faced with that game because it could’ve gone on for hours. The Dutch cyclist should’ve gone down to reception and explained what was going on and in that case he should’ve been given another room in a quieter part of the hotel if that were possible. I don’t think the Netherlands and Australia have the same culture with regard to physically touching or pushing people with Australia having a similar mindset to the USA possibly where that type of behavior is strictly out of bounds but possibly tolerated in the Netherlands? Bringing the frustrated world class Dutch cyclist back to court on Tuesday is overkill and he should’ve gotten off with a warning. What is Australia trying to prove? this reminds me of the Novak Djokovic debacle last year at the Australian open.
How sheltered are you that you didn’t know what ding dong ditch was?