Wallabies star claims players were gagged over Folau

2 years ago 71

Christian players were silenced from speaking retired successful enactment of Israel Folau during the ungraded that ended his Australian rugby career, Wallabies prima Samu Kerevi claims.

Folau was sacked by Rugby Australia successful 2019 for saying that "hell awaits" cheery radical on with different violative societal media posts.

Kerevi, 1 of Australia's champion and astir influential players, 'liked' the Instagram station astatine the clip and spoke astir the firestorm connected an upcoming ABC documentary titled Folau.

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"We got told from our media teams not to accidental thing astir supporting Izzy oregon saying thing astatine all," Kerevi said.

"But aft those coming days it was everyone that didn't enactment him was each implicit the news. They were to beryllium interviewed. They were allowed to accidental that they don't enactment the message."

An RA spokesperson did not privation to remark publically erstwhile contacted by Wide World of Sports.

There has been important turnover successful RA's absorption and communications unit since the Folau furore.

Kerevi said helium has cheery household members, but claimed determination were treble standards astatine play and helium was upset that RA did not consult players for their views.

"No-one asked america our sentiment connected it. They conscionable said, you know, Rugby Australia supports cheery marriage... for astir of america boys, it started turning to choler due to the fact that determination were truthful galore things going connected successful rugby," the injured prima said.

Folau prohibition should stand: Mitchell

"People were going to tribunal oregon whatever, and they're not getting sacked. If idiosyncratic does home unit and he's OK to play, but idiosyncratic that's posted thing that was successful the Bible, no, let's not play on.

" ... That balance, I conscionable didn't recognize astatine the clip and I didn't privation to accept. I was acceptable to spell to conflict for my religion and basal up for my beliefs.

"Me liking a post, it conscionable turned from zero to 100 existent quick. Being called a 'bigot' and stuff, and radical saying 'I'll spot you successful hell'.

"It was truly hard to instrumentality arsenic a Polynesian group. As a Christian and a Polynesian, I understood some sides. I person household who are gay, and they're Christians. They judge successful God, they recognize what their manner choices are. I recognize some sides."

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