Townsville Bulletin

Maria Folau launches stinging attack on ‘hypocritic­al’ V’landys

- MICHAEL CARAYANNIS

THE wife of rugby star Israel Folau has lashed out at ARLC chairman Peter V’landys labelling his comments surroundin­g Manly players’ decision to stand down as “hypocritic­al”.

Former Kiwi netballer Maria Folau has taken to social media to launch a stunning attack on V’landys on Thursday afternoon.

Israel Folau, who was sacked by Rugby Australia in 2019 because of a stack of homophobic social media posts, has also had his desire to return to the NRL hit roadblocks.

V’landys has never said Folau was black-listed from the code but has reserved judgment on the former Broncos and Storm player until a club tried to register a contract.

The Dragons flirted with the idea of signing Folau last season but that was quickly knocked on the head after the club received a backlash from fans and sponsors.

Maria Folau took exception to comments V’landys made about the players being “human beings” and you “have tor respect the players religious and cultural beliefs.”

He made those comments after seven Manly players stood down from Thursday’s clash against the Roosters because of the club’s decision to wear a pride jersey.

“We’re all human beings at the end of the day … Umm so what’s Izzy?? … A donkey,” Folau posed on her Instagram account.

“The hypocrisy from this man and this organisati­on @nrl #Petervland­ys What a joke!!!”

Folau has returned to internatio­nal rugby recently representi­ng Tonga while under “some restrictio­ns” around his social media account, which turned the former Maroon and Kangaroos strike man into a lightning rod for the conversati­on around homosexual­ity in sport.

Folau briefly returned to rugby league with French club Catalans in the Super League in 2020.

 ?? ?? Maria Folau with husband Israel.
Maria Folau with husband Israel.

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