Israel Folau remains standing as other players take a knee on Super League’s return
“As a group of players and coaching staff, we spoke about it in depth and as a club we are completely against racism and all for equal opportunity,” McNamara told reporters.
“But there were some players and staff who made the decision not to take the knee.
“That was based on personal choice, they have their own reasons for doing that, and we decided we would respect anyone’s personal choice on the matter.”
CNN contacted Catalans Dragons seeking comment from Folau but had not received a response at the time of publication.
As well as taking a knee, athletes have been wearing t-shirts with anti-racism slogans as sport has resumed in recent months.
He later explained that he didn’t think putting on a shirt and kneeling went “hand-in-hand with supporting Black lives,” adding that the gospel can “bring us closer together.”
He signed a one-year contract with Catalans in January and has since made four Super League appearances, including Sunday’s 34-6 defeat by St Helens.
The Super League returned on Sunday following a four-and-a-half month hiatus amid the coronavirus pandemic.
