Agreed, I imagine that we’d already planned the LGBT game before Falou, but to announce it just after the signing was confirmed and then go onto say we was considering signing him seems strange

A heat of the moment comment is pathetic but I’m not sure preaching homophobic abuse to the masses and millions of twitter followers falls in to the same category. Players get things wrong sometimes, that’s at Wigan and across the game but in the majority of cases they’re mistakes. Sometimes they’re made once, twice or numerous times but Folau has made it clear that these are his beliefs. He’s not admitting being in the wrong, he doesn’t see it as a mistake, he believes it and will continue to do so. Maybe that’s his right but it was also Catalans right to not bother signing him.

It’s obvious the pride day idea from Wigan is a publicity stunt but why not, it’s not harming anyone. Hypocritical? Maybe but it sounded very much like Lenagan had done what he’d be expected to do as an owner and consider signing a world class talent. They didn’t have to get as far as taking about the rights and wrongs of it because they didn’t have the money to do it anyway. I doubt they’d have touched him even if they had but who knows.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/51288247 Quote Wigan considered signing Israel Folau but they did not approach the sacked Australia rugby union international, says chairman Ian Lenagan. The 30-year-old switched back to rugby league with a move to Super League club Catalans Dragons earlier on Tuesday. Folau was sacked for writing homophobic posts on social media before reaching a settlement with Australia Rugby. "It did cross our mind, and we have made no approach to Israel Folau," Lenagan told BBC Radio 5 Live. "We have by now filled our salary cap anyway with very good names, that's the reality." Folau has signed a one-year deal with the French club, however the Rugby Football League and Super League said they "deplored" Folau's previous comments and said it was "a difficult decision" to allow him into the competition. Shortly after the deal was released to the public, Wigan announced that their match against Catalans at the DW Stadium on 22 March will be "Pride Day". The club said they are inviting LGBTQ+ groups to help promote equality in the game. "[Pride Day Is a purposeful choice we made today when we heard what had happened," Lenagan went on to tell BBC Sport. "We felt it was quite important to be proactive, to actually do something even more positively to say to the LGBTQ+ community that we support their environment. "Rather than being critical of a perceived problem, we thought it was much more important to say 'that is not rugby league, it is a diverse and inclusive sport'." Folau was sacked for saying "hell awaits" gay people, despite previously being warned over his social media posts. Asked what Catalans executives thought when informed March's fixture would be a Pride Day fixture, Lenagan said: "At first, because they'd seen it in the press, obviously they thought it might be an antagonistic move. "By the time I had finished talking to them, they knew it was a positive sign of the respect that rugby league shows to all of the people involved in our game. "I am hoping and believing, because I know Bernard Guasch rather well, that they will take the positive approach and the right view of respect as an agenda through this particular day."'" I just don't understand the thought process behind this from IL. If we didn't make a move as stated then why admit to 'considering it'. Then why after making that statement take the moral high ground? Just a weird thing to come out and say.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/51288247 Quote Wigan considered signing Israel Folau but they did not approach the sacked Australia rugby union international, says chairman Ian Lenagan. The 30-year-old switched back to rugby league with a move to Super League club Catalans Dragons earlier on Tuesday. Folau was sacked for writing homophobic posts on social media before reaching a settlement with Australia Rugby. "It did cross our mind, and we have made no approach to Israel Folau," Lenagan told BBC Radio 5 Live. "We have by now filled our salary cap anyway with very good names, that's the reality." Folau has signed a one-year deal with the French club, however the Rugby Football League and Super League said they "deplored" Folau's previous comments and said it was "a difficult decision" to allow him into the competition. Shortly after the deal was released to the public, Wigan announced that their match against Catalans at the DW Stadium on 22 March will be "Pride Day". The club said they are inviting LGBTQ+ groups to help promote equality in the game. "[Pride Day Is a purposeful choice we made today when we heard what had happened," Lenagan went on to tell BBC Sport. "We felt it was quite important to be proactive, to actually do something even more positively to say to the LGBTQ+ community that we support their environment. "Rather than being critical of a perceived problem, we thought it was much more important to say 'that is not rugby league, it is a diverse and inclusive sport'." Folau was sacked for saying "hell awaits" gay people, despite previously being warned over his social media posts. Asked what Catalans executives thought when informed March's fixture would be a Pride Day fixture, Lenagan said: "At first, because they'd seen it in the press, obviously they thought it might be an antagonistic move. "By the time I had finished talking to them, they knew it was a positive sign of the respect that rugby league shows to all of the people involved in our game. "I am hoping and believing, because I know Bernard Guasch rather well, that they will take the positive approach and the right view of respect as an agenda through this particular day."'" I just don't understand the thought process behind this from IL. If we didn't make a move as stated then why admit to 'considering it'. Then why after making that statement take the moral high ground? Just a weird thing to come out and say.

The Guy has his own Christian beliefs
dont see much difference in his beliefs and having gay pride thrown in our faces

Looking forward to seeing him play, irrespective of his own personal Christian beliefs and opinions!

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/a ... d=12304118 Loved seeing Wigan making the headlines here in NZ this morning

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/a ... d=12304118 Loved seeing Wigan making the headlines here in NZ this morning

If you can't see the difference between having an opinion (based on a fictional book!) and people wanting to be free of persecution and abuse for something they have no control over then you're a lost cause. Thankfully, you're on the wrong side of history. There's a reason more and more people are turning to atheism, because "Christian beliefs" are completely morally bankrupt and people see through it very easily.

I'm really sorry LGBT people make you uncomfortable. The sooner people like you accept them, the sooner they won't need to "throw it in our faces" because they will be an accepted part of society.

His list of those going to hell was pretty inclusive and not just homophobic. In fact most of the people I know are on it in one category or another so I'll have plenty of company. How about a Drunk Pride event.

Again, being drunk is a choice, and no one persecutes drunk people. Its very simple.

Tel a member of AA that.

From a Saints fan, I wish to say well done to Wigan, excellent decision wish Saints had thought of it first.

I don't think you know what persecution is.

The police do.

Do you complain about 'mental health' being thrown in your face during the state of mind round?

Or conflict propaganda during armed forces day?

Only violent drunks. Or drunks that drive. Or drunks that run down streets naked.

If you're a happy drunk minding your own business chances are you will be alright.

No they dont.

To quote google "Similar-sounding words: persecuted is sometimes confused with prosecuted"

Why are you all championing what your club has done with the pride day? Leneghan has admitted he was interested In signing him lmao

Because we think it's a good idea lmao

And your chairman 'crucified' a referee yet has come out against the Folau signing as well.....

Glass houses and all that

And your chairman has employed a student beating homophobe already

How's Ben Barba doing these days?

Last I heard he was taking notes from Hardaker.

Update: He’s still taking notes from Hardaker

From the moment Zak Hardaker played his first game for Wigan would you please list any of his misdemeanours below? Cheers.

Pushing on open doors, last time I checked being gay has been legal for donkeys years, even to the point they that being LGBTQ is a protected characteristic with special laws in place to protect them so what are they marching for? Who’s persecuting them? They have a pride month, pride march, Manchester pride, Wigan pride and now it’s getting thrown in our faces who just want to go and watch a game of rugby.
A game of rugby which everyone is welcome to attend, whereby the only labels given to people are home or away fans, the only vitriol spewed is because you’ the opposition and not because of sex, colour, sexual orientation etc.

Call me a bigot, call me homophobic I couldn’t give a toss, I know I’m not. All this is is a cheap publicity stunt by the club and brings identity politics which is extremely divisive into the club. This for me would be exactly the same as the club organising a ‘Celebrate Leaving the EU Day’ against Warrington, I’d feel the same way about that too as not everyone voted leave, it’s not everyones cup of tea and like I said before, politics and religion are best kept out of sport.