Israel Folau has launched legal action against Rugby Australia and the Waratahs after he had his four-year contract terminated last month. 

Folau has filed a Fair Work Commission dispute against his former employers as he begins the fight against the termination of his multi-million dollar contract.

Under Australia’s Fair Work Act, Folau had 21 days to file an unfair dismissal claim, a time limit that was set to expire on Friday.

Folau will sue Rugby Australia and the Waratahs under section 772 of that Fair Work Act, which says: “An employer must not terminate an employee’s employment for one or more of the following reasons, or for reasons including one or more of the following reasons:

“Race, colour, sex, sexual preference, age, physical or mental disability, marital status, family or carer’s responsibilities, pregnancy, religion, political opinion, national extraction or social origin.”

In a statement from his legal team, Folau said that he had received support from a number of Australians who “feel their fundamental rights are being steadily eroded.”

“I will forever be grateful and proud to have played the sport I love for our nation,” he said.

“Ours is an amazing country built on important principles, including freedom of religion. A nation made up of so many different faiths and cultural backgrounds will never be truly rich unless this freedom applies to all of us.

“The messages of support we have received over these difficult few weeks have made me realise there are many Australians who feel their fundamental rights are being steadily eroded.

“No Australian of any faith should be fired for practising their religion.”

The process is expected to progress into a Fair Work hearing, which would likely be a public hearing.

The news comes after Waratahs coach Daryl Gibson revealed on Thursday that younger brother John had been granted an immediate release from the Waratahs.

Folau’s contract was terminated in May after a code of conduct panel deemed he was guilty of a high-level breach for a post suggesting homosexuals were destined for hell.

The star full-back opted against appealing that verdict, saying that he didn’t believe he would have a fair hearing under the code of conduct process.