Australian Christian Lobby Managing Director Martyn Iles has promised that money raised for rugby player Israel Folau’s legal action against Rugby Australia will not be used for any other purpose.
In his regular YouTube video update Iles said Folau and the Australian Christian Lobby would be returning any unused funds to donors pro rata.
“He’s not going to benefit any other way other than having his legal expenses paid, because all that money that is unused on his legal expenses will be returned to donors on a pro rata basis. He’s not going to to benefit, and we’re not going to benefit”
A fundraising campaign hosted by the Australian Christian Lobby was ‘paused’ after more than $2 million was raised for Folau’s legal fund. The rugby player had initially asked supporters to help him raise $3 million. Legal experts have question the amount being raised suggesting that at most a protracted legal proceeding might cost $500,000.
Folau originally hosted his fundraising campaign on crowdfunding sight GoFundMe but it was removed for breaching the sites terms and conditions.
The Rugby player is challenging the decision of his employer to terminate his employment contract. Rugby Australia have argued that he broke the terms of his employment when he made a social media post that declared homosexuals, adulterers, liars and others were going to hell unless they repented and embraced Christianity.
Iles said that it was unfair that people were highlighting that Folau was already a multi-millionaire and his legal action could potentially deliver him a multi-million dollar payout. Iles said Folau had not other skills beyond playing sport, and his fortune would need to last him for the rest of life.
OIP Staff
