'Ashamed and embarrassed' Broad banned over photo scandal

Richmond premiership player Nathan Broad will miss the first three rounds of the 2018 AFL season as punishment for distributing a topless photo of a woman without her consent.

Broad fronted the media alongside Richmond club president Peggy O'Neal this morning to apologise for his actions and urge others to learn from his mistake.

"I’m ashamed and I’m embarrassed and I made a very drunken decision," he said.

"Not only have I let down my family, my friends and my club but most importantly I let down a young woman I care about, a young woman I spent time with before the Grand Final and a young woman I like and respect.

"I am deeply sorry for the heartache I have caused this young woman and her family

"By sending the picture I lied to her and broke her trust."

He also pleaded for anyone with the image to delete it.

"Anyone thinking of sending this photo around I urge you to stop and delete it as it's only causing more hurt for those involved." he said.

O'Neal then read a prepared statement as well outlining how disappointed the club was learning of Broad's actions.

"Richmond was terribly disappointed to learn that one of its players had shared a private image of a woman without her consent," she said.

"As a club committed to gender equity and respect we find these actions to be completely unacceptable."

She also said Broad would be suspended for the start of the next season as punishment for posting the photograph.

Both stressed how important the woman's anonymity is and should remain to be so following the incident.

"The young woman’s anonymity is of paramount importance now and in the future and we ask that everyone respect that," O'Neal said.

"If something good is to come from this we hope that this very public matter serves as a serious warning to all about respectful and responsible behavior."

Lawyers for the woman involved released a statement previously saying the woman was shocked when the image surfaced on social media as she believed there was a level of trust between herself and Broad.

It also says the woman contacted police initially not to start an investigation into the incident but in the hope they would help her remove the image from social media while maintaining her anonymity.

The statement in full reads:

"We can confirm that the woman knew the player prior to the 2017 grand final and believed there was a level of trust between them.

"She maintains that she insisted he delete the photo from his mobile phone as soon as it was taken, and that he assured her it had been.

"She was shocked and extremely confused when she saw the photo on social media the night after the grand final.

"She approached the player and football club for help to getting it removed from the internet, but it soon became apparent that the image had gone 'viral'.

"Her motivation for approaching police was for assistance in getting the image deleted from wherever it had been uploaded, rather than pursuing a criminal investigation into the player's conduct.

"The young woman's decision not to proceed with the police investigation was motivated by her desire to protect her identity and avoid any further attention and distress.

"Her main focus has been protecting her privacy, welfare and dignity as she tries to come to terms with what has happened. The unauthorised distribution of her photograph and the subsequent attention it has received has had a devastating impact on the young woman's wellbeing.

"She is desperate to maintain her anonymity as she tries to get on with her life as best she can."