Rugby Australia’s edict to Israel Folau, players, for social media respect

Raelene Castle issues a memo to players about social media, ironically, as rugby stars take to Twitter to slam Israel Folau.

Israel Folau is the prime target of Rugby Australia boss Raelene Castle’s memo to players.

Rugby Australia chief executive Raelene Castle last night sent out a strongly worded memo to Australian Super Rugby players warning them of their obligation to use social media in a respectful way as, ironically, other rugby players took to Twitter to condemn Israel Folau’s anti-gay comments.

And Nigel Owens, the referee who handled the 2015 World Cup final, in which Folau figured, paraphrased Martin Luther King Jr in urging the star Wallaby to “judge me and other gay people on the content on their character, not on their sexuality”.

All Blacks star TJ Perenara last night said he was “100 per cent against” Folau’s comments.

“As professional rugby players, whether we like it or not, we are role models for a lot of young people. Notably, young Maori and Pasifika people,’’ he wrote on social media.

TJ Perenara has slammed Israel Folau’s comments on homosexuality.

“You don’t need to look far to know that young Maori/PI are overrepresented in youth suicide statistics and, as I understand it, even more so when you look to those who are part of the Rainbow community. Comments that cause further harm cannot be tolerated.

“Let it go on record that I am 100% against the comments that were made by Israel. It was not ok to say that. It’s not an attitude I want to see in the game I love. There is no justification for such harmful comments.”

Let it go on record that I am 100% against the comments that were made by Israel. It was not ok to say that. It’s not an attitude I want to see in the game I love. There is no justification for such harmful comments.

— Tj Perenara (@Tj_Perenara) April 18, 2018

Perenara also revealed he had donated $NZ500 ($AUD470) to a fundraising page for the NZ Falcons, an Auckland-based gay rugby club. “To anyone, young Maori/Pasifika people especially, who may be struggling with their identity — please know that it is ok to be you,” he tweeted. “You are perfect as you are. Do not let these comments keep you from being yourself. Polynesia has been sexually diverse since forever.”

Brad Weber.

Perenara joined the debate less than 24 hours after Chiefs halfback Brad Weber slammed Folau’s comments as disgusting.

“Kinda sick of us players staying quiet on some of this stuff,” Weber tweeted.

“I can’t stand that I have to play this game that I love with people, like Folau, who say what he’s saying.”

Until Weber and Perenara’s comments, Folau’s fellow players have been largely quiet about his remarks this month that God’s plan for gay people was hell unless they repent their sins.

Kinda sick of us players staying quiet on some of this stuff. I can't stand that I have to play this game that I love with people, like Folau, who say what he's saying

— Brad Weber (@brad_weber9) April 17, 2018

However, Treasurer Scott Morrison applauded Folau’s “strong character” and described him as a “good man”.

“I think he’s shown a lot of strength of character in just standing up for what he believes in and I think that’s what this country is all about,” said Morrison, a practising Christian.

In the memo to players, a copy of which was provided anonymously to The Australian, Castle reminded players of their contractual obligations with regards to RA’s Inclusion Policy and the framework around social media within the Professional Players Code of Conduct.

“I’d encourage you to take some time to read these documents,” she wrote. “These are not just written documents, they convey our values which we live every day as employees of Rugby Australia. These documents are built around the notion of respect, which is one of the universal values of rugby.

“These values unite our sport and help us build an inclusive culture for the men, women, boys and girls across Australia who play or are involved in our game at all levels — from community rugby through to the professional level.

“Rugby Australia respects and supports the rights of all players and employees to have their own individual views and to share those views in a respectful way. When we engage in any public commentary, we should be mindful of how our words may be received by the public, including rugby fans, aspiring young rugby players and people at all levels of our game, from the volunteers at a community level right through to the sponsors that invest in our game to make it what it is today.”

There are approximately 170 professional rugby players in Australia, counting the men’s and women’s sevens programs, but there is no doubt the memo was aimed at an audience of one, Folau, who has put RA and its sponsors through all manner of grief by using social media to spread his belief that homosexuals will go to Hell unless they repent.

The memo seemingly represents RA’s last hope of dealing respectfully with Folau who, many rugby sponsors insist, is now acting out of all control. Any further infringements by him of RA’s Inclusion Policy would surely lead to the national body serving him with a breach notice — which surely would signal the beginning of the end of his days in rugby.

This imbroglio is being played out against a background where RA is hoping to re-sign him at the end of this year.

“Judge me and other gay people, judge them on the content of their character, not on their sexuality”, Nigel Owens, International Referee. Picture: Getty Images

The Australian reported yesterday that the Wallabies’ official sports drink sponsor, SOS Hydration, had signalled its intention to withdraw its support, but it is understood no sponsors have yet contacted RA to indicate they are pulling their sponsorship.

Seemingly, there is a degree of sympathy from the corporate world for the bind RA finds itself in, where an employee has used social media to express his own religious beliefs in contradiction of the stated corporate morality.

Meanwhile, Folau’s original football code, rugby league, was keeping its doors open to him, with NRL chief Todd Greenberg yesterday reiterating its support for Folau to return to the code.

“I have a huge respect for him,” Greenberg said. “It’s a big decision for him. I don’t know whether he wants to come back or not but my principle is always that we have high affection for you, we have high regard for you, if you want to come back and play you are welcome.”

Weber, the Chiefs’ halfback, used Twitter to say he could not remain silent after Folau’s comments regarding homosexuals.

“Kinda sick of us players staying quiet on some of this stuff,” Weber tweeted. “I can’t stand that I have to play this game that I love with people like Folau who say what he’s saying. My cousin and her partner, and my aunt and her partner are some of the most kind, caring & loving people I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. To think that I play against someone that says they’ll go to hell for being gay disgusts me.”  Owens — who once attempted suicide because he was struggling to accept that he was gay — said the Wallabies fullback should ponder the impact of his words.

“When you’re in a position of privilege like that, there comes a responsibility in the way in which you convey those beliefs,” Owens told British website joe.co.uk. “Me being gay is not a choice. There are young people out there taking their own lives, feeling like I did.”