0
![Not allowed!](images/buttons/down_dis.png)
![Not allowed!](images/buttons/up_dis.png)
Rugby Australia has avoided a costly and potentially embarrassing legal trial after reaching a settlement agreement with sacked Wallaby Israel Folau.
After 14 hours of negotiations, RA apologised to Folau and his family, saying "while it was not Rugby Australia's intention, Rugby Australia acknowledges and apologises for any hurt or harm caused to the Folaus".
"Similarly, Mr Folau did not intend to hurt or harm the game of rugby and acknowledges and apologises for any hurt or harm caused," the two parties said in a joint statement issued on Wednesday afternoon.
Folau and his team were delighted with the outcome, a source close to his camp said.
Folau claimed he was unlawfully sacked because of his religion in May this year.
RA maintains Folau breached the professional players' code of conduct with two social media posts condemning homosexuals to Hell and labelling as "evil" the legal recognition of transgender and intersex Australians.
The parties released a joint statement, saying:
"The Social Media Post reflected Mr Folau’s genuinely held religious beliefs, and Mr Folau did not intend to harm or offend any person when he uploaded the Social Media Post.
"Mr Folau wants all Australians to know that he does not condone discrimination of any kind against any person on the grounds of their sexuality and that he shares Rugby Australia’s commitment to inclusiveness and diversity.
"Rugby Australia and NSW Rugby do not in any way agree with the content of the Social Media Post. Inclusiveness is one of Rugby’s core values and it welcomes all people to the game, including all members of the LGBTI community.
"While it was not Rugby Australia’s intention, Rugby Australia acknowledges and apologises for any hurt or harm caused to the Folaus.
"Similarly, Mr Folau did not intend to hurt or harm the game of rugby and acknowledges and apologises for any hurt or harm caused. Rugby Australia and Mr Folau wish each other well for the future. The Parties do not intend to comment further on the terms of their settlement as it is confidential."
On the eve of mediation proceedings, Folau upped his compensation claim to $14 million in lost income and damages, and reiterated his desire for an apology and reinstatement.
The news brings to an end an 18-month headache for RA and the NSW Waratahs - joint-respondents in the claim as his second employer - both of whom were under significant pressure from sponsors and commercial partners to take action against the three-time John Eales Medallist.
Since his move to rugby in 2013, Folau played 74 Tests for the Wallabies and helped win a Super Rugby title with the Waratahs but his increasingly religious posts crossed a line, according to both organisations, with a comment in April 2018 saying homosexuals were destined for Hell.
Neither organisation disciplined Folau after that comment and RA came under heavy fire for not doing so. In October they re-signed him on a four-year deal worth $1.4 million per season, with no extra restrictions on his social media use.
Six months later he posted the Instagram and Twitter messages that led to RA issuing him a breach notice under the professional players' code of conduct. The organisation also announced it wanted to sack him, and convened a three-person tribunal that found he had committed a high level breach and should be sacked.
Folau played his last Test for Australia in 2017 and his last Super Rugby game in April 2018.
SMH article here
Exile
Port Macquarie
"Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain’t all sunshine and rainbows. It’s a very mean and nasty place and I don’t care how tough you are it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain’t about how hard ya hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done! Now if you know what you’re worth then go out and get what you’re worth. But ya gotta be willing to take the hits, and not pointing fingers saying you ain’t where you wanna be because of him, or her, or anybody! Cowards do that and that ain’t you! You’re better than that!" - Rocky Balboa
And how much did the 'settlement' end up costing?
There will be about as much light shed on that as escapes from that recently discovered black hole that is supposedly too massive to exist.
"The main difference between playing League and Union is that now I get my hangovers on Monday instead of Sunday - Tom David
RA are such fucking pussys! I would never have settled against that moron in a million years
When can I play Poker against the Rugby Australia board members? I'm lousy at Poker but I reckon I'd clean up against those losers.
I doubt they can insure against Folau’s income which he was due to be paid by two separate parties. Folau is claiming against his termination and loss of income.
Themselves and the Tahs are his employers. Salary comes from two separate entities. Then you have sponsorships and match fees from both entities which is dependent on appearance and selection. They can’t insure against Folau’s income that he can no longer earn.
The legal costs for the code of conduct hearing, FWC and the Federal Court hearing they may be able to claim against as it is finalised upon settlement, as they are defending an employment case.
this must be a
well done R A another F U had him on toast
https://www.smh.com.au/sport/rugby-u...04-p53gvn.htmlIt was for that reason my first reaction on hearing the news – and I write in the first few minutes thereafter – was the settlement was, firstly, a great pity. Secondly, my stronger reaction was I hoped RA kept the presumed payment to him to an absolute minimum. Everybody wants to know how much. I have no inside knowledge of the terms, not even a hint, but my bet is it will be about $200,000 to $300,000. RA was confident its case was a slam-dunk legally. It had ample evidence he had made a legal commitment to not put up damaging posts again, and that this was a matter of a broken contract. RA never wavered in its view it had no choice but to sack him, and had evidence for that, too. Since being sacked, Folau has continued to lose support due to his ongoing outrages, such as linking the bushfires and drought to Australia's backing of same-sex marriage.
Lets hope it was something like the above amount. He deserves nothing.
Can anyone tell me what happens to all those peoples donations? Does Izzy and the creepy church just keep it?
200k-300k would make no sense. That will be roughly the current legal fees and it won’t cover the loss of salary based income from his $1 million a year base salary that he isn’t earning. Folau is fighting the termination of his contract to the tune of $14 million which covers base, match fees, sponsorship, etc.
You also don’t settle for 200-300k when you have $2 million in the bank from the ACL in case it does end in the High Court which could take a few years to be adjudicated on.
'I may be a Senator but I am not stupid'
https://omny.fm/shows/the-alan-jones-breakfast-show/cameron-clyne
Link to Senate Report http://www.aph.gov.au/senate_ca
https://www.change.org/p/rugby-australia-petition-for-cameron-clyne-to-resign-as-chairman-of-the-rugby-australia-board
Yeah other reports reporting as high as 8 million. What an incredible cluster fuck.
'I may be a Senator but I am not stupid'
https://omny.fm/shows/the-alan-jones-breakfast-show/cameron-clyne
Link to Senate Report http://www.aph.gov.au/senate_ca
https://www.change.org/p/rugby-australia-petition-for-cameron-clyne-to-resign-as-chairman-of-the-rugby-australia-board
And they have lost HSBC as a sponsor from next year so money will be even tighter.
Proudly Western Australian; Proudly supporting Western Australian rugby