All Blacks star TJ Perenara hits out at Israel Folau's anti-gay comments
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Updated 19/04/2018 at 08:22 GMT
All Black TJ Perenara has blasted controversial comments on homosexuality made by Australia's Israel Folau, saying he is ‘100% against’ the remarks.
Australia's fullback Israel Folau (R) scores a try as he is tackled by New Zealand's substitute TJ Perenara during the Rugby Championship test match between Australia and the New Zealand All Blacks in Sydney on August 19, 2017.
Image credit: Getty Images
The Wallaby full-back posted on Instagram and Twitter that homosexuals would go to ‘hell, unless they repent of their sins and turn to God’.
The 29-year-old was subsequently criticised by World Cup referee Nigel Owens, Super Rugby player Brad Weber and former Wales wing Gareth Thomas.
And now Perenara has rebuked his Rugby Championship rival on Twitter, saying, amongst several tweets: “Let it go on record that I am 100% against the comments that were made by Israel. It was not OK to say that. It’s not an attitude I want to see in the game I love. There is no justification for such harmful comments.''
Owens, who came out in 2007 after attempting suicide aged 24 while struggling to come to terms with his sexuality, made a statement on Wednesday. He told the Unfiltered Podcast: “For me it’s trying to get those people to understand, ‘Look, me being gay is not a choice'.''
There are young people out there taking their own lives, feeling like I did.
And that’s what I wish people would think about and the way they convey their opinions and I wish they would try and understand that everybody’s different. Judge me and other gay people, judge them on the content of their character, not their sexuality.
Folau has not been sanctioned by Rugby Australia or the Qantas Wallabies, and neither organisation has commented since the decision earlier in the week.
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