Israel Folau is free to return to rugby league in Australia after French club Catalans Dragons confirmed the controversial dual-code international has been released from the remainder of his contract.
Folau’s bid to play for Gold Coast side the Southport Tigers had been held up because he was still contracted to the Super League club, who he joined in 2020 before signing a one-year extension for 2021.
The Queensland Rugby League’s registration process, in alignment with International Rugby League rules, stipulates that all players must be free from other contractural obligations before they can be cleared to play.
But the 32-year-old’s path has been cleared to appear in the lower reaches of state rugby league after talks with the Dragons over his release concluded on Monday.
“Israel has been great with us in 2020 both on and off the field and we wanted to facilitate the negotiations to reach an agreement,” said Catalans chairman Bernard Guasch. “He told us his desire to play alongside his two brothers and we didn’t want to prevent him. We wish him all the best in the next chapter of his career.”
Folau, who was sacked by Rugby Australia in 2019 over social media posts that were deemed discriminatory, did not to return to France to see out the remainder of his contract having returned to Australia “for a personal family situation”.
After his registration was refused by the QRL, the former Wallabies player lodged a Supreme Court injunction against the QRL earlier his month, claiming unreasonable restraint of trade. A hearing had been set for 12 July.
Backed by billionaire businessman Clive Palmer, Folau is aiming to play football alongside his two brothers for the Southport Tigers in the Gold Coast amateur competition.
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Before registering Folau, the QRL is awaiting confirmation of the contract situation from the IRL, which it now expects to receive in due course.
Folau, who has played professionally in three codes after a stint in the AFL in 2011, appeared in most of the Dragons’ games last season but was allowed to miss the start of the new season to attend to a family matter in Australia.
He has not played in his home country since his rugby union career was ended after he posted that hell awaited “drunks, homosexuals, adulterers” and others.
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