Richmond have banned Nathan Broad for three AFL games over the topless photo scandal but have refused to answer key questions about the incident.
The Tigers defender will miss the first three games next season after he admitted he shared a photo of a topless woman, who was wearing his premiership medallion, without her consent on the night of the grand final.
The unidentified young woman has dropped her complaint to police but released a statement on Monday saying she had been assured by the player - who she knew - that the photo had been deleted from his phone.
Tigers president Peggy O'Neal announced the ban on Monday morning, appearing alongside Broad at a press conference at Punt Road Oval.
Neither Broad nor O'Neal took questions after each made a brief statement, and it remains unclear whether the club found evidence that the image had been shared further by Broad's teammates.
The AFL signed off on the punishment, and general counsel Andrew Dillon confirmed the league's integrity unit had completed its investigation into the matter.
"I take full responsibility for what I have done," Broad said.
"I'm ashamed and I'm embarrassed that I made a very bad drunken decision.
"Not only have I let down my family, my friends and the Richmond football club but most of all I let down a young woman who I cared about - a young woman who I spent time with before the grand final and a young woman who I liked and respected.
"By sending this picture, I lied to her and I broke her trust."
Broad urged the public to respect the young woman's anonymity and not repeat his actions in sharing the image.
O'Neal did not elaborate on how Broad's punishment was decided.
Individuals charged under Victoria's "sexting" laws, which cover the distribution of intimate images of adults without their consent, can face up to two years in prison.
A similar club-imposed ban involved Collingwood midfielder Jordan De Goey earlier this year.
Nathan Broad celebrates following the Tigers AFL Grand Final victory. Source: AAP
De Goey was banned for three games and fined $5000 after he lied to the Magpies about breaking his hand during a fight.
O'Neal said the Tigers would look for better ways to educate players to prevent such behaviour from being repeated.
"As a club that's committed to gender equity and respect, we find these actions to be completely unacceptable," she said.
"We're incredibly sorry for the distress Nathan's actions have caused a young woman who deserves better."
