AFLW 2024: Richmond set to wear Pride jumper again in show of support to Kate Dempsey

The AFL has apologised to Tigers AFLW player Kate Dempsey for an unmonitored social media post that attracted a barrage of disgusting abuse.

The AFL has issued a formal apology to Richmond AFL Women’s player Kate Dempsey and her family after a social media post that attracted a barrage of personal and “disturbing” abuse was left online unmonitored.

The post – which featured Dempsey and her two-year-old daughter Pippa during the AFLW pride round – was left open to comments on Facebook for more than two days and attracted more than 400 written interactions, many of which were personal attacks on both Dempsey and her family.

The league told the Herald Sun on Friday that it should not have occurred and that the post should have been removed sooner. It is also considering disabling comments on certain social media posts in response to the barrage of abuse.

Kate Dempsey with daughter Pippa. Picture: Getty Images

“The AFL would like to apologise formally to Kate and her family for the significant distress caused by these comments,” an AFL spokesperson said.

“We have processes in place to monitor and moderate comments on the AFL’s social media pages, and we have staff members engaged both during the week and over the weekend to review and remove comments where required. We acknowledge on this occasion that the comments were not removed quickly enough and we are looking at ways to improve the process in the future, including disabling comments on posts.

“Vilification of any nature towards players and their families is completely unacceptable and the AFL is committed to providing a safe environment that protects players and their families.”

Both Richmond and opponent Melbourne will wear their pride jumper for a second week in their clash at Casey Fields on Sunday on Saturday in support of the Dempsey family.

TIGERS’ PRIDE ON SHOW AFTER ‘DISTURBING’ ABUSE AGAINST STAR

Richmond AFL Women’s players will wear their Pride jumper again this weekend in a show of support for teammate Kate Dempsey after “abhorrent” online attacks that have been described as “deeply disturbing”.

A raft of homophobic and disgusting comments – which the Herald Sun has chosen not to detail due to their graphic nature – remained published for two days on an AFL social media post that featured a photo of Dempsey and her two-year-old daughter Pippa.

Richmond hit out on Thursday at what it described as “unacceptable” comments relating to the Dempsey family on a post on the AFL Women’s Facebook page during last weekend’s Pride Round that was staged in the AFLW competition.

The Herald Sun understands that club and AFL Players’ Association representatives have sought more detail from the league to determine how the post – which garnered more than 400 written interactions – and “deeply disturbing comments” remained online for so long without moderation. It has since been removed.

Kate Dempsey of the Tigers. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

“Richmond Football Club condemns the recent abhorrent and homophobic remarks directed at AFLW player Kate Dempsey and her family online,” the club said in a statement on Thursday afternoon.

“Kate recently shared her story as part of Pride Round and celebrations for her 50th AFLW game. It is a story that deserves to be celebrated. Instead, some individuals chose to make deeply disturbing and unacceptable comments. Richmond Football Club accepts diversity in all its forms. There is zero tolerance for homophobia, discrimination or any form of hate in our game. In short, everyone has the right to feel safe.”

New Richmond chief executive Shane Dunne said on Thursday that “Kate’s story is one to be celebrated”.

“Enough,” he wrote on X in relation to the abuse.

One industry figure told this masthead that “players are sick of being abused” on social media.

“They’re fed up,” they said.

“They’re sick of being abused and being spoken about in a sexual nature. It has to stop.”

Dempsey and wife Ellie – who were married in April of this year – opened up to the Herald Sun ahead of the 2022 pride round about their relationship and journey to falling pregnant with Pippa.

At the time, they said they had often sought not to overtly display their relationship in public to avoid negativity but they were proud that Pippa would be raised in a society where that would no longer be the case.

“Some of our generation maybe still has those lingering themes of shame that you maybe wouldn’t think of overtly, but maybe not holding hands in front of people is an example of how that can sometimes bubble up,” Dempsey said in 2022.

“Our daughter won’t experience that at all. That is being stomped out. Very, very quickly.

“That’s the cool part.”