On 10 April, Israel Folau, a high-profile Australian rugby union player, posted a summary of 1 Corinthians 5:9-11 on social media. He added that: ‘hell awaits people who don’t repent.’
Folau also sent a Tweet criticising the Tasmanian parliament, which has become the first Australian state to make it legally optional to list gender on birth certificates.
These actions caused an inevitable firestorm of protest from several quarters. The result of which has seen Folau sacked from the national team. From being first on the team list, Folau has been axed after being found guilty of breaching their code of conduct. He was also told he would not be able to return to the National Rugby League either, where he started his career.