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Bun Me
A cross-code rugby player with a strong religious focus signs for an overseas rugby league team that plays in the UK Super League. He is welcomed, allowed to almost immediately skip training to attend the birth of his third child (so, not a novelty then and can’t have been a surprise), and is given dispensation to flout the rules by covering the sponsor’s logo. His behaviour comes from his strong religious views and must, therefore, be respected. His faith’s religious law states that homosexuality is a vile form of fornication, punishable by death and many homosexuals are killed each year, in the most barbaric way, inside countries where his faith is the dominant religion.
A cross-code rugby player with a strong religious focus, signs for an overseas rugby league team that plays in the UK Super League. He is immediately made to feel unwelcome, and other clubs piled into him, declaring that they find his comments offensive, homophobic and abhorrent. The Chairman of Wigan has stated that when his team visits to play a match, they will declare it Pride Day and rub his face in it. The player made some statements in his capacity as a private citizen and preacher, coming from his strong religious views and must, therefore, be pilloried, mocked and shouted down. His faith declares that homosexuals like many other sinners, cannot go to heaven without first seeking forgiveness.
The completely different treatment of Sonny Bill Williams and Israel Folau illustrates the hypocrisy and sanctimony now permeating the free speech debate. Tolerance and inclusivity only applies if you have the “right” invisible friend on your team. In my view, the treatment for both players is 100% wrong. Williams should abide by the rules everyone else has to, or take his services elsewhere – especially since he seems to change his views on financial sponsors to suit his mood. And Folau’s treatment has been and continues to be, disgraceful.
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