- Footy commentator and former player Kate McCarthy slams AFL bosses
- Player Kate Dempsey faced homophobic attacks on AFL platforms
- McCarthy says homophobic, sexist and racist comments online must stop
Channel Seven commentator Kate McCarthy has blasted AFL bosses for not supporting footy star Kate Dempsey after ‘despicable’ homophobic attacks against her on social media.
Richmond AFLW star Dempsey recently wrote a column about her journey as a queer woman.
The story, which was published during the AFLW’s Pride Round, was also an emotional tribute to her daughter Pippa, 2, and wife Ellie.
“Even when I was allowed to play, I remember kicking a goal and none of the guys on my team high-fiving me because they wouldn’t touch ‘the girl,’” Dempsey wrote.
‘I’m not mad at those guys, I don’t think they tried to exclude me. But boy, do I still feel sad about that little girl sometimes. Everywhere she went, everywhere she felt most comfortable, she was told she didn’t belong.
‘In Pippa’s world this is normal. Women play football. Women are athletes. Sporty girls are part of it.
“Proud of my family and my career… and proud that this league embraces all of us for who we were born to be.”
The story was shared on AFLW’s social media, along with a photo of Dempsey and her daughter, and provoked hundreds of disgusting and homophobic comments.
Kate Dempsey (pictured with daughter Pippa) faced homophobic abuse on social media after writing about her footy journey
Ex-AFLW player turned commentator Kate McCarthy (pictured) blasted league bosses for not supporting Dempsey after she addressed online abuse
Richmond denounced the comments and alerted the AFLW to the issue, but it reportedly took two days to remove it from their platforms.
According to McCarthy, they did not act quickly enough to support the player.
“The post attracted more than 400 nasty and derogatory comments,” McCarthy said on Seven’s Talking W programme.
‘The AFL then released a statement on Friday morning… almost three days later, apologizing to Kate and her family.
“This statement was made by an unknown AFL spokesperson. The same spokesperson explained that there were procedures in place for monitoring comments, but conceded (the comments were not removed quickly enough).”
“It is my understanding that no one from the AFL has personally contacted Kate and her family, nor has any AFL spokesperson or leader spoken out in support of Kate and her family.
McCarthy (pictured with the ball playing for Richmond this year) says homophobic, sexist and racist comments online must stop
Dempsey is pictured with her daughter Pippa ahead of her 50th match this season
“Andrew Dillon (CEO), Laura Kane (football manager) and Emma Moore (AFLW football manager) have been involved with the media since the incident and have not said anything about it at all.
‘This whole experience has affected Kate deeply and taken a significant toll on her.
‘She shared her story in the hope it would help others who may be struggling with their sexuality, and this was the fallout.
‘Enough is enough.
“These homophobic, sexist, racist comments online have to stop.”