WHAT WAS CLAIMED
Richmond Tigers players are refusing to wear an LGBT rainbow armband for AFL matches.
OUR VERDICT
False. There is no LGBT rainbow armband and players have made no comments referencing one.
AAP FACTCHECK - Richmond Tigers players are not refusing to wear an LGBT rainbow armband during matches, despite claims on social media.
The claim is one of numerous falsehoods published by a Facebook page called The Tiges Hub.
The supposed AFL club fan page is actually operated from Vietnam, according to Facebook's transparency details, and is pushing out disinformation on a daily basis.
It is one of several pages AAP FactCheck has identified that target supporters of various AFL and NRL clubs with fabricated stories and AI-generated images.
The posts urge readers to click on a link to a website in the comments to find out more.
The rainbow armband claim is featured in two separate posts about Richmond players Seth Campbell and Sam Lalor.
The posts attribute the same quote to both players: "The AFL should focus on the game, the competition, and winning; it shouldn't become a forum for political messages or ideology."
Both claims are false. The AFL does not have an LGBT armband and there are no reports of either player making any such comments.
The image of Lalor used in the post can be traced to an interview following his draft in 2024, although the image has been digitally altered to shorten his hair to match his current buzzcut.
Another post claims that prior to Richmond's round seven match against the Melbourne Demons, Demons head coach Steven King proposed a ban on all LGBTQI+ fans from the MCG.
The post then claims King clashed with AFL CEO Andrew Dillon over the incident.
The entire sequence of events is fabricated. The image in the post is of King at a press conference prior to the Richmond game. He made no mention of LGBTQI+ fans at the conference.
The image of Dillon is from his first press conference after being appointed CEO in 2023. He doesn't mention King.
Another post alleges that Tigers player Tim Taranto was labelled a "traitor" by Foreign Minister Penny Wong on an unspecified live television program for refusing to participate in an LGBT awareness campaign.
The post alleges that Taranto then told Senator Wong to "SIT DOWN, Barbie".
Again, the story is a fabrication. There is no evidence Taranto and Senator Wong have appeared on a television show together, and there is no reporting of any clash between the pair.
A further post claims player Tom Lynch donated $2.5 million at Thanksgiving to support the "Victorian Community Aid" charity.
There is no "Victorian Community Aid" registered with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission.
An image supposedly showing Lynch handing over a cheque features the Google Gemini logo in the bottom right corner, indicating it was generated using the company's AI generator.
The page has also posted about both current coach Adem Yze and former coach Damien Hardwick supposedly suffering from undisclosed health conditions.
There are no reports to support the claims and images of the two men in hospital also feature the Google Gemini logo.
AAP FactCheck is an accredited member of the International Fact-Checking Network. To keep up with our latest fact checks, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X, BlueSky, TikTok and YouTube.
