Israel Folau could still play professional rugby union matches in Australia even if he is sacked from the national team for breaching his contract with an anti-gay Instagram post.
The star fullback is reportedly being considered to play in Global Rapid Rugby – a tournament in the Asia-Pacific region set up by Australian mining billionaire Andrew ‘Twiggy’ Forrest last year.
The tournament consists of six teams, with matches played in New Zealand, Hong Kong, Fiji, Brisbane and Perth.
Folau is reportedly being considered to play in Global Rapid Rugby – a tournament in the Asia-Pacific region set up by Australian mining billionaire Andrew Forrest (pictured) last year.
A Rugby Australia panel has found Israel Folau (pictured on Tuesday night) guilty of a ‘high-level’ breach of the body’s players’ code
A spokesman for the tournament did not mention Folau but told the Daily Telegraph: ‘Global Rapid Rugby has been talking to many high profile players, and will continue to do so.’
It comes after footwear company Asics announced it has stopped sponsoring Folau.
The company said: ‘While Israel Folau is entitled to his personal views, some of those expressed in recent social media posts are not aligned with those of Asics.’
On Tuesday night, a panel found devout Christian Folau guilty of a high-level breach of conduct over a post saying gay people are sinners and will go to hell.
Folau’s club team, the New South Wales Waratahs, has publicly committed to sacking him.
If sacked from the national team, Folau would be the first Australian athlete dismissed for expressing religious beliefs.
Israel Folau and wife Maria (pictured on Tuesday night) put on a united front as they left the code of conduct hearing
If sacked, Folau (pictured with his wife Maria) would be the first Australian athlete dismissed for expressing religious beliefs
Folau faced a three-member panel over three days of hearings to decide whether he had breached the code of conduct with his post that said ‘hell’ awaited ‘drunks, homosexuals, adulterers’ and others.
It means Folau, who was previously warned not to make controversial social media posts, will not receive any payout after he previously rejected a $1million settlement from Rugby Australia to walk away from his contract.
A defiant Folau was pictured leaving the code of conduct hearing in Sydney on Tuesday night with wife Maria, a New Zealand international netballer, by his side.
Folau was issued with a ‘high-level’ breach notice last month after he shared this social media post which claimed homosexuals were going to hell unless they ‘repent’
The panel will now consider what punishment the 30-year-old Wallabies fullback should face.
‘The panel has today provided a judgement that Israel Folau committed a high-level breach of the Professional Players’ Code of Conduct with his social media posts on April 10, 2019,’ Rugby Australia said in a statement.
‘The panel will now take further written submissions from the parties to consider the matter of sanction.’
‘A further update with be provided after the panel delivers its decision on sanction.’
The three-person panel, which consisted of chair John West QC, Rugby Australia representative Kate Eastman SC and the RUPA-appointed John Boultbee have retired to decide on Folau’s sanction following the epic code of conduct hearing in Sydney.
Had the panel deemed Folau’s breach of RA’s players’ code of conduct anything less than ‘high level’, the governing body would not have had the power to boot the three-time John Eales Medallist out of the game.
The best punishment Folau can now hope for is a suspension and/or a fine.
The panel’s decision may not be finalised for several days with no timeline established on when that will occur.
Both Folau and Rugby Australia will give written submissions to the panel before the sanction is handed down.
Folau also has 72 hours to lodge an appeal and have the matter heard by an all-new panel.
Rugby Australia and Folau’s Super Rugby side, the NSW Waratahs, have already publicly committed to terminating the player’s contract.
NSW Waratahs chairman Roger Davis called for a ‘quick’ and ‘common-sense’ settlement to the Folau saga on Tuesday.
Israel Folau (pictured) now faces an anxious wait as the panel deliberates on his punishment
Folau’s trial has stretched far beyond the rugby pitch, triggering a wider debate about freedom of speech and the power of employers to control their employees away from the workplace.
Folau and Rugby Australia are believed to have forked out an estimated $300,000 on legal bills since Saturday alone.
Folau’s Wallabies teammate Quade Cooper empathised with Folau’s plight but was uncertain whether there’s any way back for the stood-down star.
‘I’m not too sure – that’s something you would have to speak to (his Waratahs teammates) Bernard (Foley) and Nick Phipps and Michael Hooper and those guys about,’ Cooper told reporters earlier on Tuesday.
‘You feel for anyone who’s going through a difficult patch in their life.’
Wallabies hooker Taniela Tupou took to Facebook last week to pledge his support for Folau.
‘Seriously… Might as well sack me and all the other Pacific Islands rugby players around the world because we have the same Christian beliefs,’ Tupou posted.
However, several senior players including halfback Will Genia and five-eighth Bernard Foley have indicated they may have difficulties playing with Folau if he returned.
Folau will become the first Australian athlete dismissed for expressing fundamental religious beliefs if he’s sacked.
Folau has played 73 Tests for the Wallabies and became Super Rugby’s all-time leading try-scorer earlier this year.
Folau faced a three-man panel at a code of conduct hearing in Sydney over three days
The fullback of Tongan descent was given a formal warning by Rugby Australia last year after sharing a similar homophobic post that claimed gays were destined for hell.
He then signed a lucrative contract extension in October.
Folau’s career kicked off in rugby league, where he played 91 NRL games, five Origin games for Queensland and represented Australia on eight occasions.
He also played 13 games for AFL club GWS Giants in 2011-12.
On Wednesday radio 2GB host Alan Jones launched a scathing rant against Rugby Australia
In an impassioned defence of Australia’s star player, he pitched the controversy as a key moment in a wider fight for freedom of religion in the secular West.
Alan, I’m at peace, mate. My head is held high
Israel Folau to Alan Jones
‘The battle has just begun, and it’s a battle for all Australians,’ Jones said.
The former Wallabies coach, 78, also revealed that Folau has spoken to him about the saga.
‘I’ve just had a note form Israel, he won’t mind if I’m sharing it with you because I said to him, ‘Hold your head up’,’ Jones told listeners on his 2GB radio breakfast show.
‘He said, ‘Alan, I’m at peace, mate. My head is held high’.’
Jones, who coached the Wallabies in the 1980s before becoming a radio host, described the guilty verdict as ‘Orwellian’.
He said: ‘If we’re not free to articulate our religious beliefs and quote from the Bible, and if we’re not free to speak for fear [of offending someone]… if that’s where we’ve reached in this country, we’ve reached a dark place and we are all at risk.’
Evoking the spirit of Gallipoli, he added: ‘The Australia that our Anzacs fought for seems to be disappearing before our very eyes.
It’s not the first time Israel Folau has been in hot water for expressing his views on social media