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Israel Folau found guilty of high-level breach of RA’s code of conduct

Israel Folau’s landmark code of conduct hearing against Rugby Australia has come to an end with the superstar’s fate appearing sealed.

3 min read
May 7, 2019 - 9:58PM
Israel Folau found guilty of breaching Rugby Australia code of conduct

Israel Folau’s landmark code of conduct hearing against Rugby Australia wrapped up after three days and many expected the three-person, independent panel to take days before reaching a decision.

It only took a matter of hours.

After proceedings wrapped up on Tuesday, the panel handed down its decision, finding Folau guilty of a high-level breach of Rugby Australia’s code of conduct.

No sanction has been handed down yet, but the high-level breach is the only level that allows termination of Folau’s four-year, $4 million contract.

A statement from Rugby Australia stated the three-person panel handed down their judgment following the proceedings.

“The panel has today provided a judgment that Israel Folau committed a high-level breach of the Professional Players’ Code of Conduct with his social media posts on April 10, 2019,” the statement read.

“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.”

Folau and Rugby Australia will have 72 hours following any decision to decide on an appeal.

Had the panel deemed Folau’s breach of Rugby Australia’s players’ code of conduct anything less than “high level”, the governing body would not have been able to legally terminate his contract and would have been forced to offer up a monster settlement to see him walk away.

The sanction is not expected to be handed down for several days, with RA not offering a timeline on any decision.

It does mean Folau, who rejected a settlement offer of $1 million by RA before the matter went to a code of conduct, will not receive any payout now.

Folau spent more than twice as long holed up at the code of conduct hearing as he’s played Super Rugby for the NSW Waratahs in 2019.

His epic fight to save his Australian rugby career went for a staggering 22 hours, with talk the dual international’s legal team could have been required to continue arguing his case against Rugby Australia for a fourth day.

Folau’s lawyers debated over three days with the governing body’s legal team after RA boss Raelene Castle issued the Wallabies star a high-level breach notice last month following his controversial social media posts.

The Wallabies superstar’s landmark hearing resumed at the offices of Herbert Smith Freehills in Sydney’s CBD on Tuesday after some of the brightest brains in the land spent 15 hours over the weekend debating the complex case at RA headquarters.

Though the severity of Folau’s breach of his four-year, $4 million contract was determined to have been high level, the three-person panel was yet to reach a decision on its consequences.

REACTION TO PANEL’S FOLAU DECISION

The reaction surrounding the panel’s decision to hand Folau a high-level breach was met with support by the vast majority.

“This is the most expensive social media post of all-time,” media personality Ed Kavalee said on Fox Sports’ The Back Page.

“It’s cost Israel $4 million.”

The landmark case has divided the nation and captured worldwide attention from the sporting world.

“We’ve seen one of the most significant moments of the sporting century in Australia, in that a powerhouse rugby union player who is Australia’s best player heading into a World Cup, will be banished from the game, probably for good,” Robert Craddock said on The Back Page.

“It is a decision that will echo through generations — it is a huge story and if you think the bushfire is burning now, wait until you see the follow up in the next few days.”

Kelli Underwood was left mystified by Folau’s decision to reject RA’s reported settlement offer of $1 million.

“Why would he not take that money?” Underwood said.

“Either he’s greedy and he thought he had a good chance at $4 million or he’s trying to be a martyr,” Underwood said.

“It’s so highly offensive and what it does to young kids who are confused and trying to find out more about themselves — it just sends such a horrible message.”

Of course not everyone agreed with the findings surrounding Folau and believe he has been let down by the proceedings.

Leader of Australian conservatives Cory Bernardi couldn’t believe the Wallabies star was being potentially sacked over a quote.

“I find it extraordinary that quoting from the bestselling book in the history of the world is a breach of contract,” Bernardi said on Sky News Australia.

“There was no hate in that at all. He’s just upset a bloke who runs an airline like a kingdom.”

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Original URL: https://www.news.com.au/sport/rugby/israel-folau-code-of-conduct-hearing-extends-beyond-day-four/news-story/b5233e7649942ad0cfa5240b5a3f0756