Quote:My name is Israel Folau and, until recently, playing Rugby was my livelihood.
I have had the honour and the privilege of representing my country on the sporting field, for which I will be forever grateful.
I am also a Christian. My faith is the most important thing in my life. I try to live my life according to the Bible and I believe it is my duty to share the word of the Bible.
Earlier this year, I uploaded some messages from the Bible on my Instagram page.
I believe that sharing the Bible is an act of love and compassion.
I know some people do not like or believe in the Bible. Indeed, what makes our country so wonderful is that we have such a diverse community made up of so many different cultures and values. But my faith defines me as a person. I do not believe that it is fair or right that I be punished for my religious beliefs.
Sadly, after I uploaded the messages from the Bible, my employers, Rugby Australia and Rugby NSW, tore up my employment contract. As a result, I have lost my job, my livelihood, and the ability to play for my country. It looks like I will never be allowed to play rugby in this country again.
My action
I believe the termination of my contract is unlawful, which is why I have started legal proceedings against Rugby Australia and Rugby NSW.
In response, Rugby Australia have already said that they will "divert significant resources" to fight me in court. Even if I win, Rugby Australia can appeal. There is every chance that a prominent test case like this could take years and eventually end up in the High Court of Australia.
My wife Maria and I have already spent over $100,000 of our own money, and that was just to try and deal with Rugby Australia's internal tribunal processes. The money I am asking for is to fund the rest of my action in court.
My request for support
I know I am putting myself on the line - this action will be very costly in terms of time, money and reputation - but I do not intend to stop now.
I would be very grateful for your support. Could you make a donation, within your capacity to give, in order to support my action? I have the fight of my life on my hands and every little bit will help.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
https://www.acl.org.au/donate_izzy