The latest chapter in the Israel Folau saga is set to be a long one, with the now former Wallaby fullback suing Rugby Australia for a reported AUD $10 million.
If successful, the exorbitant claim has the potential to bankrupt the governing body and potentially kill off the code in Australia. It comes after Folau had his contract terminated for making a homophobic social media post in April, a year after being warned for doing the same thing.
"The termination has cost Mr Folau the best years of his rugby career, participation at the Rugby World Cup, the chance to become the greatest Wallaby try-scorer (a decades-old record he was likely to break), and the associated exposure and opportunities," Folau's documents filed with the Australian Fair Work Commission said.
Folau is challenging his sacking under section 772 of the Fair Work Act, which prohibits an individual's employment be terminated on the basis of religion. Folau claimed that ‘hell awaited’ homosexuals (among a wide range of other so-called ‘sinners’) in an Instagram post a week before Easter.
Whatever happens now, one thing is for sure: it won’t be over any time soon. If it does go to the Employment Court, or is moved to be heard in the Australian High Court, it is estimated to take months, if not years, to resolve. The massive amount that Folau is claiming is likely a challenge to RA to try and settle the matter out of court, as the longer it drags out, the more of an embarrassment it will be to them.
It should be noted that the claim is at complete odds with Folau’s previous stance on the matter, when he claimed that he believed that if he was forced out of rugby it was ‘God’s will’.
"First and foremost, I live for God now. Whatever he wants me to do, I believe his plans for me are better than whatever I can think. If that's not to continue on playing, so be it," Folau said in April.
"In saying that, obviously I love playing footy and if it goes down that path I'll definitely miss it. But my faith in Jesus Christ is what comes first."
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[ Is Folau on the way out the door?Opens in new window ]
[ Transgender netball coach reacts to Folau's social media postsOpens in new window ]
