'We don't support him': Rugby League slams door on Folau return

The NRL appears to have ruled out any prospect of Israel Folau returning to the game after ARL Commission chairman Peter Beattie said the rugby star had no support from league officialdom.

Rugby Australia announced its intention to sack Folau on Thursday following his latest social media missive, a meme which said hell awaits homosexuals.

A former NRL star who played rugby league for Queensland and Australia, it was thought a return to the 13-man game could be an option if Rugby Australia (RA) goes through with terminating Folau’s contract.

But that prospect now seems unlikely after Beattie raised his concerns about the 30 year-old back.

“Israel Folau doesn’t pass our inclusiveness culture, which is a policy strongly supported by the ARLC,” Beattie told The Sydney Morning Herald.

“And after talking to some commissioners tonight (Thursday), we don’t support him playing rugby league again.”

Chief executive Todd Greenberg had earlier declined to comment – at least while Folau remained a contracted rugby player.

Last year Greenberg said Folau could be welcomed back to the sport, but also indicated his use of social media to espouse his deeply held religious beliefs, sometimes at the expense of others, could be an issue.

In 2018 Folau had been called out by RA for other controversial social media posts.

“All our athletes have to be careful,” Greenberg told the Sydney Morning Herald last April.

“There are young boys and girls who will read that (anti-homosexual posts) and find it hard to deal with because Israel has a large profile. That would not have been his intent, but it is very damaging to some people.”

‘Hell awaits you’

Folau had already tested the patience of RA boss Raelene Castle with a series of homophobic posts last year, most notably one that said “God’s plan for gay people was “HELL”.

The three-times John Eales Medallist was warned but not sanctioned by Castle after defiantly threatening to walk away from the game if his strong Christian beliefs were compromised.

Folau – who turned 30 last week before becoming Super Rugby’s all-time leading try scorer on Saturday after bagging his 60th five-pointer for the NSW Waratahs – had since been largely quiet on social media.

Until Wednesday.

Folau posted a meme that read: “WARNING Drunks Homosexuals Adulterers Liars Fornicators Thieves Atheists Idolaters, HELL AWAITS YOU. REPENT! ONLY JESUS SAVES before adding a bible verse from Galatians.

It is barely two months ago that Folau signed a new multi-million-dollar contract extension to remain with the NSW Waratahs until the end of 2022.

It is not known if the deal with the Waratahs and Rugby Australia, which strongly promotes inclusion, has a clause restricting Folau from making provocative social media posts.

With AAP