Paul McGirr has made a spirited defence of the right of rugby players and other sports men and women to stand up for what they believe in. He told the media yesterday, in the aftermath of Rugby Australia resolving its dispute with star player Israel Folau, that the NRL should not be afraid to allow Folau to ply his trade.

“If denied by the NRL, one could look at it and say he has been discriminated against because of his personal beliefs,” McGirr said.

“It would be interesting to see whether the NRL would support the proposition that Folau is entitled to ply his trade in the code.

“Mr Folau has shown he is prepared, if need be, to go to court and go to any length to defend his right to freedom of speech.

“It appears sponsors are chartering the course that these codes should take. These codes need strong leadership and to remember that they run the game and should embrace individuals standing up for their beliefs.

“That is what sport is all about and what we’re trying to teach our kids.

“Would the NRL stand up and support freedom of speech? It certainly appears on the face of it that an apology (from RA) has been made to Mr Folau. That shouldn’t be a reason — just because someone has the gumption to stand up for what he believes in — for a player to be denied the ability to ply his trade.”

https://www.zerotackle.com/nrl-could-face-pressure-to-lift-folau-ban-50699/