Cuban volleyball players questioned over alleged rape case in Finland

Eight members of Cuba's national volleyball team, playing a tournament in Finland, were questioned on Sunday in connection with an aggravated rape case, local police said.

Three of the unnamed players were picked up by police on early Saturday, after a complaint was made, and questioned with the aid of an interpreter.

The other five, including the national team captain, were brought in for questioning on Sunday after a match in the Volleyball World League taking place in the southern Finnish town of Tampere.

The police did not divulge the circumstances of the alleged rape attack.

According to local press, the alleged crime took place in the Tampere hotel where the Cuban team are staying.

The first three players questioned on Saturday will appear before a judge on Monday or Tuesday who will free them or place them under provisional detention.

Three Cuban players were notable by their absence from the match on Saturday when they lost to the Finnish team. 

Their no-show led some media outlets to suspect that they had defected. "That's not the case," said police commissioner Joni Lansipuro.

(AFP)