patrick.net

Australian rugby player Israel Folau has lost his AUS$4m mega-contract for an Instagram post he published in April after a disciplinary tribunal found that his comments were grievous enough to end his rugby career. The three person panel had found that Folau had committed a ‘high level breach’ of the code of conduct, and has today upheld Rugby Australia’s decision to terminate his contract.

Folau has serious rugby credentials; he is the joint-third highest try scorer of all time for Australia, and has won the Australian Rugby ‘Player of the Year’ award a record three times in 2014, 2015 and 2017. He is about as gifted as it gets on the rugby field – the Cristiano Ronaldo of world rugby if you will. ...

On April 15, Rugby Australia issued Folau with a ‘high-level breach notice’ that warranted the termination of his contract, which he could accept or refer to a Code of Conduct hearing. ...

For the benefit of those who haven’t seen the post, Folau posted a photograph that essentially summarises a bible passage, 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, stating that ‘hell awaits’ drunks, homosexuals, adulterers, liars, fornicators, thieves, atheists and idolators. He accompanied the photo with text that read: ‘Those that are living in Sin will end up in Hell unless you repent. Jesus Christ loves you and is giving you time to turn away from your sin and come to him’, which was followed by further bible verses.