Israel Folau sets up crowdfunding page for legal dispute over homophobic social media posts
- The Australian rugby player has locked horns with the authorities declaring no one should be fired for their religious beliefs
- He had his contract terminated after calling for homosexuals, among others, to repent or face eternity in hell
Israel Folau has posted on Instragram a picture reading “Support”, with the caption detailing his financial woes as he seeks donations for his legal fees
In Folau’s latest post he said he has already spent AUS$100,000 (HK$540,440) fighting the case. In his latest post he said: “I am willing to do what it takes for this cause. But to continue I need to prioritise funding for my legal case. To those who believe in the right to practise religion without fear of discrimination in the workplace, here is my ask: Stand with me.”
Folau was on a four-year, AUS$4 million contract before the termination. He views his current legal case as bigger than just his own struggle.
“My faith is who I am and if I don’t stand up for it, what hope is there for a person of less resources who is discriminated against in the workplace?” he wrote.
Folau’s homophobic post, along with a tweet that declared a law in Tasmania making gender optional at birth as “evil”, was not his first offence. He had been reprimanded the previous year for a similar post and was eventually fired for breach of contract on the ground he did not conform to the players’ code of conduct.
Folau played 73 times for Australia and for the New South Wales Waratahs. He was one of the Wallabies’ best players, so from a rugby perspective it is a huge loss in a Rugby World Cup year.
But since the incident, coach Michael Cheika said he would not select Folau again.
“We had a discussion after the last time and made it pretty clear about his right to believe and our support in that, if that’s what he wants, to be part of the team,” Cheika said.
“But getting it out in that disrespectful manner publicly is not what our team is about.”
