The AFL has banned a patron until the end of the 2024 AFL Men's Premiership Season, after he leaned over the fence and made contact with Richmond player Marlion Pickett on Friday night at Marvel Stadium.
The incident occurred during the third quarter when the patron stood up in his seat, leant over the fence and patted Pickett on the shoulder three times while he had his back turned.
After reviewing the security report and tracing the patron's details from the locations of his seats, the AFL has immediately banned him from attending all AFL / AFLW matches until October 2024.
The patron was not an AFL or Club member and was sitting in a General Public section.
AFL EGM Customer and Commercial Kylie Rogers said the incident on Friday night was simply not acceptable.
"We have the best fans in the world and more than 6.4 million people have attended the footy this year and we want everyone who comes to the footy to cheer for their team and enjoy the experience of being there, but when you overstep the boundaries, which is what happened on Friday night, then you will lose the privilege of being able to attend the footy."
"Our clear message is this - we love the interactions between players and fans especially in the precious moments pre and post-game - however what we saw on Friday night during the match is not acceptable and never will be."
