Only one person Israel Folau can blame for his likely sacking by Rugby Australia
Freedom of speech is a cornerstone of our society but Rugby Australia has every right to cut ties with Israel Folau and it only seems a matter of days before it happens, writes Andrew Slack.
Show me someone who says they’ve never told a lie and I’ll show you a liar. It seems then, according to Izzy’s gospel, we’re all off to hell.
On the back of Israel Folau’s right to freedom of speech, coupled with his naïveté, I supported Rugby Australia not coming down on him too heavily last year. Indeed, with the external pressures, commercial and otherwise on them, CEO Raelene Castle showed admirable fortitude to take the stance she did. Some will argue it was only because of the importance of Folau to the Wallabies, but I don’t believe even those on the lowest rung of the Wallaby ladder would have been treated any differently.
Barring any, as yet unrevealed “mitigating factors”, the code’s ruling body had little option this time but to condemn their biggest star to rugby’s equivalent of the hellfire of eternal
damnation. (Mind you, the probable lucrative Japanese or European contract almost certain to fall in his lap is not quite the severe penance some would like to see him serve.)
Inconsistencies are often prevalent when public moral outrage runs riot. The example most often cited after Folau’s first social media post last year offering his take on hell, homosexuals and repentance, was how the Wallabies chief sponsor QANTAS, could be so strong in their condemnation, while at the same time enjoying a strong commercial relationship with a competitor based in the Middle East, which is hardly a haven for those with differing sexual orientations.
There is a shrinking percentage of observers who feel that given this reality, and that freedom of speech remains a cornerstone of our society, Folau should escape sanction.
This however is not about free speech.
In their dealings with him last year, RA apparently got an assurance that he would steer clear of stirring such a controversial pot. Considering he has failed to keep his word on this (which places him in the liar category and potentially with his fellow sinners on that one way express down south) he put himself on thin ice.
Add hypocrisy, lack of respect for others and most worryingly, a complete absence of concern for his teammates, all underlined by utter stupidity, and his employers have every right to push over the ton of bricks at their disposal.
“Try hard not to offend and try harder not to be offended” they say, but regardless of how sincere might be Folau’s commitment to his interpretation of the Bible he reads, he has definitely offended, and the reality of today’s world is that many find it very hard not to be offended.
With that lengthy list of the hell-bound in his latest post, he’s basically looked in the eye of his every teammate, past, present and future, Rugby, NRL and AFL and called on them to repent or they’ll be heading to Hades.
I’m thinking there’s a good percentage of them who don’t actually believe in the concept of a fiery, final destination, but either way, they wouldn’t be inspired by a colleague who, intentionally or otherwise, places himself in the holier than thou category.
If he were playing at the US Masters Golf this weekend, Folau might get away with such public disclosures. He might not receive the support of the galleries but there’d be no teammate who would need to share the burdens of his bias.
That is not the case in the game at which he is so good.
He has made it clear, and it is admirable, that his faith is more important to him than footy. However if one doesn’t sit comfortably with the other, a sad end is always the likely result.
Izzy’s end is nigh.
Originally published as Only one person Israel Folau can blame for his likely sacking by Rugby Australia