ISRAEL FOLAU HAS set up a GoFundMe page in the hope of raising AUS$3 million [€1.8 million] to aid his legal battle against Rugby Australia, after he had his contract terminated over homophobic comments.
The Wallabies fullback lost his AUS$4 million [€2.45 million] contract over an anti-gay post on Instagram, before last week filing an application to the Australian Fair Work Commission, seeking a declaration that his employment was unlawfully terminated because of his religious beliefs.
Folau last week said he had no confidence in Rugby Australia’s internal dispute settlement process and was seeking “substantial remedies” via the tribunal.
The Sydney Morning Herald reported that Folau would be seeking AUS$10 million [€6.1 million] in damages for lost sponsorship and marketing opportunities, a sum it said could bankrupt Rugby Australia.
In a video posted on social media today, Folau claims he and his wife have already spent AUS$100,000 [€61,000] and has appealed for donations from the public to assist his legal battle against his former employers.
“My wife Maria and I have already spent over $100,000 of our own money, and that was just to try and deal with Rugby Australia’s internal tribunal processes,” he said.
“The money I am asking for is to fund the rest of my action in court.
Rugby Australia has an army of lawyers at their disposal and they have already said they will divert significant resources to fight me in court.
“The cost to me and my family of continuing my legal action against Rugby Australia is expected to be significant.
Since my contract was terminated I have been overwhelmed and humbled by the support received from family, friends, fans and the public. Even people who don’t share my beliefs have defended my right to uphold and express them.
“They made me realise I’m not just fighting for my future and my family; I’m fighting for what is right. But I can’t do it alone.”
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It’ll be good for Ireland if it does. Means more Irish players will be playing in the premier league.
He says, as he wipes his arse with a £100 note!
No it can’t.
It absolutely can – not right now – but if the money men keep backing
It, in perhaps 5-10
Years time. Lets be honest most of the top players in the prem right now (other than those from these isles) are there for money and to keep playing at a standard that will allow them to play internationally….. they dont have any more of a connection to West Ham/stoke than they do to shanghai – nor
Should they. They’re is no reason why more and more of them won’t go to china – as the wages get higher and higher. As they do the quality in the prem will slowly drop – more lads who now are only at championship level will have to be brought up to prem.
If the money stays in it for 5+ more years, the league could be very interesting – and begin to rival the prem for the Asian spend.
This assumes there aren’t rules in china about how many Chinese players have to play – if there are (and in a way to help Chinese football develop there should be), then the league will take a lot longer to get to top standard.
@Augustus hoop: as with everything, the money will go where the market is. And the market potential in China is exponentially bigger than England.
“These isles” because they have no interest in money lol
More because people from these isles seem less likely to be willing to go places that don’t speak English (some notable exceptions – Robbie, Sheridan, Roy o’donovan and o’dea)
@Augustus hoop: There are rules limiting non Chinese players. You can only have four foreigners plus one AFC player in your squad and each team can have only 3+1 foreigners on the pitch at any time. China currently sit bottom of their 6 team WC qualification group after 5 games and have already lost to Syria and Uzbekistan. So the native quality is severely lacking. The Chinese Super League are decades and decades off competing with even South American leagues in terms of overall quality.
It’s also never mentioned that it’s a one team league; Guangzhou have won the last 6 titles and despite Beijing running them close in 2014 and Shanghai pushing them in 2015, it was business as usual last year and they cruised to the title. Guangzhou also won two AFC champions leagues in the same period while no other Chinese team has even made the semi’ finals in the modern era. It remains to be seen if any other Chinese team can successfully balance their local and international recruitment.
Interesting – cheers.
But could he do it on a rainy night in Guangzhou?
This Chinese league is the same as the MLS in the 70′s. Making big claim and buying a handful of good player. It will eventually blow over.