Cuban volleyball players questioned in Finland in rape case

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

Three of the unnamed players were picked up by police 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.

Inspector Joni Länsipuro of the Central Finland Police Department, told Yle that there is one alleged victim in the case.

"I have not made this decision yet," said Länsipuro.

"When the prosecutor comes to work on Monday, we'll discuss this. It is quite natural that they most likely will not be able to leave Finland on Monday as planned."

The police would 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.