EDITORIAL:
Rugby Australia deserves the utmost credit for its immediate response to Israel Folau's second homophobic outburst on social media. Folau subscribes to a very fundamentalist reading of the Bible and obviously feels the need to express it. But he must also know that he occupies a prominent place in rugby and his view of homosexuality is repugnant to others in his sport and outside it, and capable of bringing the game into disrepute.
Clearly those considerations are less important to him than the privilege rugby has given him to promote his religious beliefs. Those are obviously more important to him than rugby. That being so, it was utterly dishonourable of him to sign a contract with Rugby Australia after his first offence which he obviously did not intend to keep.
He must have known his post on social media on Wednesday night would be in breach of the contract and gave Rugby Australia no option but to sever his contract. Even so, it would have been a painful decision for chief executive Raelene Castle and her officials. Folau is an exceptionally gifted footballer, one of those whose skills can turn a tight match, and these are not golden times for Australian rugby.
But it cannot afford a player with no regard for the feelings and welfare of people whose sexuality he does not understand and no regard for the embarrassment his comments cause his employers, their sponsors and, not least, his fellow sportsmen and women. Folau has made his final post as a rugby player. His next will not matter.
