The lawyers of comeback-hungry rugby league star Israel Folau have taken out a Supreme Court injunction against the Queensland Rugby League, News Corp has reported.
The legal action has come on the back of Folau's failed bid to play for the Southport Tigers in the QRL's A-grade competition on the Gold Coast. Folau believes he's being discriminated against.
The 32-year-old is hoping to play for the Southport Tigers and eventually make an NRL comeback, 11 years after he last ran out for the Broncos.
Maligned former politician Clive Palmer, a patron of the Southport Tigers, has signed Folau to the club and is reportedly paying the former Wallabies and Kangaroos weapon $200,000 a year.
But the QRL said it would only allow Folau to feature in its league if he agreed to not play at a higher level than the third-tier competition – and, crucially, he must first get a release from his contract with Super League club Catalans Dragons.
Amid the bitter drama, Folau is considering taking legal action against Catalans over their refusal to release him from his contract.
Folau is contracted to Catalans until November 2022.
The Rugby Australia contract of the former Storm and Broncos centre was ripped up in May 2019 after he made a homophobic comment on social media – and his next move saw him sign with Catalans.
The Dragons last year granted Folau leave to return to Australia amid a family member's battle with ill health – and they were shocked when they became aware of his bid to remain in Australia with the Southport Tigers.
Catalans football manager Alex Chan said the club was weighing up taking legal action against Folau over his attempt to break from his Dragons contract.
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