Cardinal George Pell will keep his honorary role at AFL club Richmond as he faces sex offence charges.
Tigers chief executive Brendon Gale has released a statement, confirming Cardinal Pell still has strong links to the club.
Pell signed with the Tigers in the late '50s, but did not play for them in the then-VFL before he joined the priesthood.
He has been a vice-patron of the club since the late 1990s.
"In light of Cardinal Pell's fundamental rights to the presumption of innocence and to a fair trial, he will remain a vice-patron of the club pending the outcome of any trial," Gale told Fox Footy.
The 76-year-old cardinal was charged on June 29 with multiple historical sexual offences involving numerous complainants.
After being charged, the former Sydney and Melbourne archbishop and Ballarat priest said he had taken leave from his position as Vatican finance chief to return to Australia to clear his name.
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