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Margaret Court defends Israel Folau and claims the rugby star is being ‘persecuted’

The tennis star has previously said multiple controversial homophobic and transphobic comments

By Steve Brown

Margaret Court has defended Israel Folau and said he is being ‘persecuted’.

The 24 Grand Slam winner, who is now a church pastor, has said a number of previous controversial comments about transgender children and claimed they were the result of a Nazi-style plot.

But now, Court has now defended the Australian rugby star, who was recently sacked by Rugby Australia after posting on Instagram that all gay people will go to Hell and said that everyone can be saved if they repent.

Speaking to The Australian newspaper, Court said: “I was on the highway to hell when I was number one in the world in tennis and reached out to Christ.

“I understand why Israel is doing this: you want everybody to know Christ and under it all there is a great love for your nation, and you want people to know what you have received.

“That means drug addicts, gays, alcoholics: they all come to my church and I love them and I’m sure Israel loves them too.

“What he is saying about repenting is straight out of the Bible. My heart goes out to him because he’s being persecuted.”