@Mike: you are incorrect sir, commented on many but not all. Thankfully there isn’t a restriction.

@Nathan Mawhinney: nah they’ve fired him for posting his discriminatory opinions all over social media after multiple warnings. Genuine question Nathan, if an athlete came out and tweeted that black people are going to hell, would you be defending him then?

@Laura Walsh: to make it more applicable to myself and he was to say white men were going to hell I’d think he was crazy. Why get triggered especially if you don’t believe in hell? He’s never screamed these words at anyone, he posted them on social media.

@Nathan Mawhinney: he was sacked for a breach of conduct but you know that already. You just like playing this up as a freedom of speech/ snow flake issue, which you know it isn’t, to get your reaction.

He’s not been arrested. His tweet/ post are still up. His freedom to speak his mind has not been impeded.

He’s been sacked because his comments do not reflect the views of his employers and he had specifically agreed to follow their line in order to receive a new contract.

Then again you know all of that.

@Nathan Mawhinney: why is religion an acceptable excuse to publicly make a negative statement about an entire group of people based on their sexual orientation? This waffle some people are spouting about him trying to save people is missing the point, he is tarring homosexuality as a negative thing no matter what way you look at it. This helps forms the foundation of negativity towards gay people that we are working so hard to get rid of. We as a society decide what is acceptable as we have done/continue to do for sexism, racism etc. This is no different, hiding behind religion is only an excuse to stick your head in the sand and avoid addressing the real issue here. Discuss the point on its merits, not what book it was written in a long time ago.

@Nathan Mawhinney: Not exactly, almost a year ago to the day, he posted something very similar to the post he was recently fired for, on that occasion he was warned. He subsequently went on to sign a new contract just 2 months ago, you can be damn sure there were stipulations attached to the most recent deal in light of his previous comments. He was under no obligation whatsoever to sign that deal if he wasn’t comfortable doing so. He could have easily retired there and then and gone on to preach whatever he wants. Stop making him out to be some kind of victim here, he was well aware of what would happen, and did it anyway, his views are completely at odds with ARU policies and those of ARU sponsors too, they had no option but to fire him.

@George Can’t-Stand-Ya: I never labeled anyone a snowflake, completely understand where people are coming from especially if he signed a contract about this stuff. Just think the world now attacks people for the words they say, even if they aren’t harming anyone.

@Nathan Mawhinney: Any clown/troll can post racist comments online. But if you represent in sports a country where homosexuality is legally accepted, then you have a massive responsibility and duty to conduct yourself in a way that will never cause any pain or possibly even suicidal thoughts in members of the public. If he wants to make endless childish hateful neanderthal remarks then there are countries he can move that not too many people desire to live in where this type of carry-on is accepted.

@Nathan Mawhinney: give it up. Now you’re just willfully ignorant and that’s far worse than just being dumb.

@Nathan Mawhinney: how could the sport be inclusive if we allowed players to discriminate against people based on sexual orientation? By your logic it was wrong to ban South Africa during the apartheid era

@Sean Mannion: so he shouldn’t take up employment if his religious beliefs don’t correspond with those of the company he is looking to join? Hiw does that work for Muslim people working for western companies?

@Rudiger McMonihan: Folau is not and has not discriminated against anyone, he’s on record as saying he is not homophobic and went as far as to be on the cover of a magazine promoting a gay rugby tournament. What he did was re-state what is written in the scriptures of his religion in an effort to save the so called sinners. He has gay family members who he equally wants to save.

@Dino Baggio: he publicly admitted thst he and his god see gay people as lesser. He/his faith picks and chooses what they want to believe from the Bible even though they believe it’s without error.

@Dave O Keeffe: where did he say he and his god see gay people as “lesser” ? He said all sinners must repent or burn in hell which is pretty much how all religions see sinners. Unless these views are made illegal he should be allowed air then in public without fear of persecution.

@Padjo Mulk: You’re completely missing the point Padjo. You have to abide by the laws of the country you live in even if your beliefs don’t agree with them. I suggest that if he wants to live in a country where people hate gays then he should move to Bangladesh or Pakistan.

@Padjo Mulk: but he can. Just as equally as his employers can show how they feel by not paying him anymore.

@Frantic Pigeon: I hope people who are similarly intolerant to people’s religious beliefs are subject to the same punishment…but I doubt it.

@Padjo Mulk: @Brysonpieters: He’s entitled to his chosen beliefs, that’s all they are, but he’s not entitled to dish out out hateful bullshit against minorities of people who have no control of an aspect of their being, such as their sexual orientation or skin colour. That kinda shite legitimises discrimination

@AndrewHeather Lytle: Christians are not a race.

@John Ezekiel W. Minnock: Indeed not. When I said “racist” I was referring to Barnes’ comment about the “islanders”.

@Rudiger McMonihan: Nail on the head. There are several examples of very religious men who have represented Ireland at rugby and possibly share Folau’s views but have not felt the need to pontificate about it in public. That’s the key difference.

@Rudiger McMonihan: he didn’t spread any hatred, he simply restated the beliefs of his religion in public in an effort to save sinners. It is an act of almost ultimate love, not quite laying down his life to save sinners but sacrificing his career.

@Dino Baggio: there is an obvious parallel between Folau and the god whose faith he follows

@Brysonpieters: this should be good lol. Explain how penalising people telling others they are going to hell is communist. I suppose rte should allow Isis to broadcast their recruitment videos after the news so as not to discriminate against their religious beliefs.

@Brysonpieters: sounds like communism if you have no clue what communism is.

@Brysonpieters: You clearly don’t know what communism or inclusivity are. He’s entitled to his chosen beliefs, that’s all they are, but he’s not entitled to dish out out hateful bullshit against minorities of people who have no control of an aspect of their being, such as their sexual orientation or skin colour