NEWS
Christian Australian rugby
star, sacked after homophobic social media post claiming 'hell
awaits homosexuals'
Christian Australian rugby star, Israel
Folau has been sacked by Rugby Australia over homophobic social
media posts.
The 30-year-old Wallabies and Waratahs player
had previously been found to have committed a 'high-level breach' of the code
of conduct over the posts he made in April.
Folau, a devout Christian said on his
Instagram and Twitter accounts in April 2019 that hell awaits 'drunks,
homosexuals, adulterers, liars, fornicators, thieves, atheists, idolaters.'
The full-back had previously been warned over
making homophobic comments on social media in 2018, but did not face disciplinary
action at the time.
Rugby Australia chief executive Raelene
Castle told a press conference:
'We are here to announce that Wallabies and
Waratahs player Israel Folau has today been issued a sanction directing
termination of his playing contract for his high-level breach of the
professional players' code of conduct.
'The three-member panel of John West, QC;
chair, Kate Eastman and John Boultbee, provided its final written decision
today in relation to the code of conduct hearing over Folau's social media post
on April 10, 2019.
'While Rugby Australia accepts the panel's
decision directing termination of Israel Folau's contract for his high-level
breach of the code of conduct, we want to stress that this outcome is a painful
situation for the game.
'RA supports (players') rights to their own
beliefs and nothing changes from that. But when we talk about inclusiveness we
mean that we respect our differences as well.'
'Rugby Australia did not choose to be in the
situation, but Rugby Australia's position remains that Israel, through his
actions, left us with no choice but to pursue the course of action resulting in
today's outcome.
'This has been an extremely challenging
period for rugby. This issue has created an unwanted distraction in an
important year for the sport and for the Wallabies team.
'But our clear message for all rugby fans
today is that we need to stand by our values and the qualities of inclusion,
passion, integrity, discipline, respect, and teamwork.'
It was also reported that Folau, who has
already lost one sponsorship deal over the issue, has 72 hours to appeal the
ruling.
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