Israel Folau has raised more than $2 million through the Australian Christian Lobby website to support his unfair dismissal case against Rugby Australia.
A campaign to raise funds to support ex-Wallaby Israel Folau’s legal stoush with Rugby Australia could soon finish after donations topped $2 million.
The Australian Christian Lobby, which set up the fundraiser on its website, said the flow of donations since it was opened on Tuesday had been overwhelming.
“We have decided we should stop at $2 million and raise more money if and when we need it,” ACL head Martyn Iles told The Australian on Thursday.
“The sheer scale and pace of the response from donors has just been overwhelming.”
Folau wanted to raise around $3 million for his unfair dismissal case, which he believes amounts to discrimination on religious grounds.
He is seeking $10 million in damages from RA and wants his multimillion-dollar contract to be reinstated after it was pulled by the association.
RA took issue with a social media post by the committed Christian in April that was condemned as homophobic.
Folau had paraphrased a Bible passage saying “drunks, homosexuals, adulterers, liars, fornicators, thieves, atheists and idolaters” would go to hell unless they repented.
As of Thursday morning, Folau had raised $2.1 million.
The ACL effort replaced an earlier campaign on GoFundMe that was taken down by the platform for breaching its service guidelines.
Folau on Wednesday said he was humbled by the strength of the public support for his cause.
“To those who have criticised me, I bear no ill will towards you. You have every right to express your own beliefs and opinions,” he posted on Instagram.
