Israel Folau dodges homophobia questions amid Super League storm as rainbow appears over Catalans stadium
ISRAEL FOLAU remained tight-lipped on his controversial move to Catalans Dragons — as a RAINBOW appeared over the club’s stadium. Super League’s most unwanted man was fired by Australia’s rugby union for his homophobic outbursts. But yesterday he turned up to train with the Dragons after signing a one-year deal. The French club had planned […]
ISRAEL FOLAU remained tight-lipped on his controversial move to Catalans Dragons — as a RAINBOW appeared over the club’s stadium.
Super League’s most unwanted man was fired by Australia’s rugby union for his homophobic outbursts.
But yesterday he turned up to train with the Dragons after signing a one-year deal.
The French club had planned to publicly unveil him but cancelled that as fans, LGBTQ campaigners, players and other Super League clubs hit out at the signing.
He later gave an interview on Sky Sports but did not discuss the fury over his move.
Folau, 30, said: “I am here to compete and play some good footie and be a consistently good player.
“I missed that camaraderie and the environment of being able to train with team-mates and working with the coaches in the last seven months.”
The ex-Aussie rugby union star was dropped off at the Stade Gilbert Brutus by his wife Maria as a rainbow — the symbol for the LGBTQ movement — appeared.
He added: “It’s something very different to what I am used to but myself and my wife are excited since landing here to embrace some new and different cultures.
“As the year goes on I’ll be looking to learn the language and embrace the people here.”
Dragons coach Steve McNamara continued to support the club’s decision and said: “We knew it would be controversial.
“As an individual I stand by the club’s statement we issued on the signing.
“An opportunity arose to sign an outside back. We investigated a fair few players and Israel was on that list.
“Having spent a lot of time speaking to him and understanding him a lot more and getting reassurances, we made a decision as a club that we would support the signing and give him another opportunity in our game.”
Catalans chairman Bernard Guasch is expected to attend a meeting of clubs today.
And questions are also set to be asked of the competition’s executive chairman Robert Elstone after several complained of being left in the dark.
Meanwhile, Huddersfield confirmed they wore rainbow laces for Saturday’s season opener in the south of France in response to Folau’s deal.
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Managing director Richard Thewlis said: “I outlined to the squad the board’s view regarding the Catalans’ decision to sign Israel Folau and our overall extreme disappointment they had taken this course of action.
“We were able to contact Stonewall and obtain rainbow laces ahead of the game which a number of our travelling party, including myself and coach Simon Woolford, wore.
“It did not go unnoticed by the Catalans team, officials and supporters.”