Rugby League European Federation

The Rugby League European Federation (RLEF) is the umbrella body for nations playing the sport of rugby league football across Europe and the Northern Hemisphere.[1] It supports the Rugby League International Federation (RLIF).[1] The RLEF "oversees and co-ordinates the development of the sport in all its member countries and those neighbouring organisations that choose to link to the RLEF".[1] The RLEF operates several competitions, most notably the European Cup.

Rugby League European Federation
AbbreviationRLEF
Formation1 January 2003 (2003-01-01)
TypeSports organisation
HeadquartersLeeds, England
Region served
Europe, Africa, Middle East, North America
Membership
11 Full, 10 Affiliate
Official language
French, English
Chairman
Maurice Watkins
Parent organization
International Federation
Websitewww.rlef.eu.com

History

The federation was founded January 2003 following an initiative between Richard Lewis, Executive Chairman of Britain's Rugby Football League (RFL) and his French counterpart Jean Paul Ferre.[1] The RLEF's first constitution was approved in January 2004 and the federation's first Board of Directors was elected.[1] This first Board of Directors consisted of Jean Paul Ferre as President/Chairman and Richard Lewis as Deputy Chairman with Nigel Wood and Nicolas Larrat being the other Board members.[1] Representatives for Morocco, Italy, Serbia, Russia, Lebanon, Ireland, Scotland and Wales attended.[1] Russia became a full member of the RLEF, joining Britain and France, and the RLIF soon after.[1]

At the time of its foundation, the RLEF placed a "particular emphasis on generating development funding within each country".[1] Historically, much of the development work conducted in Europe had been funded by the RFL.[2] Following the profitable 2008 World Cup, the RFL and RLEF prepared to bid for funds to enhance their activities.[2]

In December 2009, Kevin Rudd, a former Scotland rugby league international, stepped down as Executive Officer of the RLEF after more than five years in the post.[3] RLEF Chairman Richard Lewis stated that Rudd "has done an outstanding job and created a platform, structure and competitions framework that can take us into the future".[3] Rudd was succeeded by Danny Kazandjian.[4] Kazandjian had previously been a key figure in the establishment of rugby league in Lebanon and had led the RLEF's development drive in the Mediterranean and Middle East regions as Director of Development for the Euro-Med region.[4]

Competitions
Competitions Champion Title
European Championship  Wales 7th
European Championship B  Serbia 3rd
European Championship C  Ukraine 3rd
Balkans Cup  Serbia 1st
Nordic Cup  Norway 3rd

RLEF board

Current Board
MemberPositionNationality
Maurice Watkins Chairman  England
Nicolas Larrat Vice Chairman  France
Blagoje Stoiljkovic Board member  Serbia
Graeme Thompson Board member  Scotland

Membership

Currently eleven nations are full members of the federation; there are also ten associate members and sixteen official observers. Full members are entitled to a greater proportion of voting rights and to become members of the Rugby League International Federation.

In order to become an associate member, a nation must meet the following criteria:

  • Implementation of a constitution and rules that commit the governing body to acting in the best interest of rugby league, throughout the whole of their country.[1]
  • Production of an annual financial report.[1]
  • Running a league competition with at least four teams.[1]
  • Implementation of a junior development programme.[1]
  • The production of a Business Development Plan outlining an organisation's future aims, including aims to find part funding for staff positions.[1]
  • A communications strategy.[1]
  • An administrators, match officials and coach education strategy.[1]

The RLEF stipulates that continued associate and full membership of the federation is subject to a check every two years to ensure that the minimum criteria are still being met.[1]

Full members
AssociationNational teamFoundedRLIF
affiliation		RLEF
affiliation
Rugby Football League  England
 Great Britain		 1895 1948 2003
Fédération Française de Rugby à XIII  France 1934 1948 2003
Rugby League Ireland  Ireland 1988 2000 2003
Federazione Italiana Rugby League  Italy 2008 2010 2010
Jamaica Rugby League Association  Jamaica 2004 2013 2004
Lebanese Rugby League Federation  Lebanon 2003 2012 2003
Russian Rugby League  Russia 2010 2013 2013
Scotland Rugby League  Scotland
 Great Britain		 1994 2011 2003
Serbian Rugby League  Serbia 2004 2012 2004
Ukrainian Federation of Rugby League  Ukraine 2008 2013 2013
Wales Rugby League  Wales
 Great Britain		 2005 2010 2010

Associate members
AssociationNational teamFounded
Canada Rugby League  Canada 2010
Czech Rugby League Association  Czech Republic 2005
Nationaler Rugby League Deutschland  Germany 2014
Greek Rugby League Association  Greece 2003
Latvia Rugby League  Latvia 2009
Maltese Rugby League Association  Malta 2008
Netherlandse Rugby League Bond  Netherlands 2009
Norway Rugby League  Norway 2009
Asociación Española de Rugby League  Spain 2013
USA Rugby League  United States 2011

Official observers

Former Full Members

Former Observer Members

RLEF national team results at World Cups
Team 1954 1957 1960 1968 1970 1972 1975 1977 1985-88 1989-92 1995 2000 2008 2013 2017 2021
 Belgium----------------
 Canada-----------DNQ--DNQDNQ
 Czech Republic---------------DNQ
 Denmark----------------
 England------2nd---2ndSFSFSF2ndQ
 France2ndGroup StageGroup Stage2ndGroup StageGroup StageGroup StageGroup StageGroup StageGroup StageGroup StageQFGroup StageQFGroup StageQ
 Germany---------------DNQ
 Ghana----------------
 Great Britain1st2nd1stGroup Stage2nd1st-2ndGroup Stage2nd------
 Greece--------------DNQQ
 Hungary----------------
 Ireland-----------QFQFGroup StageGroup StageQ
 Italy-----------DNQ-Group StageGroup StageQ
 Jamaica-------------DNQDNQQ
 Latvia--------------DNQ-
 Lebanon-----------Group StageDNQDNQQFQ
 Malta--------------DNQDNQ
 Morocco-----------DNQ----
 Netherlands------------DNQ---
 Nigeria----------------
 Norway---------------DNQ
 Palestine----------------
 Russia-----------Group StageDNQDNQDNQWithdrew
 Saudi Arabia----------------
 Scotland-----------Group StageGroup StageQFGroup StageQ
 Serbia------------DNQDNQDNQDNQ
 Sierra Leone----------------
 South Africa----------Group StageGroup StageWithdrewDNQDNQDNQ
 Spain--------------DNQDNQ
 Sweden----------------
 Trinidad and Tobago----------------
 Ukraine--------------DNQDNQ
 United Arab Emirates--------------Disbanded
 United States-----------DNQDNQQFGroup StageDNQ
 Wales------Group Stage---SFSFDNQGroup StageGroup StageQ

Official RLEF Seedings
RankMovementTeam
1 England
2 France
3 Ireland
4 1 Wales
5 10 Lebanon
6 2 Scotland
7 2 Serbia
8 2 Italy
9 Canada
10 Russia
11 3 Belgium
12 5 Malta
13 7 Spain
14 4 Germany
15 3 Ukraine
16 2 Greece
17 1 Denmark
18 7 Norway
19 Jamaica
20 2 Sweden
21 Czech Republic
22 5 Netherlands
23 South Africa
24 Hungary
25 Latvia
26 Morocco
 Ghana
 Bosnia and Herzegovina
 Turkey

See also

References
  1. RLEF. "Overview". Rugby League European Federation. Archived from the original on 2009-03-10. Retrieved 2009-06-30.
  2. Michael Fisher (2009-01-02). "RFL chief executive Nigel Wood backs Super League to flourish". Telegraph.co.uk. Archived from the original on 2012-11-12. Retrieved 2009-07-26.
  3. rugbyleague.com (2009-12-18). "Euro development boss to step down". rugbyleague.com. Archived from the original on 2011-10-09. Retrieved 2010-08-06.
  4. rugbyleague.com (2010-05-21). "RLEF appoint new development exec". rugbyleague.com. Archived from the original on 2011-10-09. Retrieved 2010-08-06.
  5. "Sol Mokdad issues public apology to UAE Rugby Federation to end criminal proceedings against him". The National. Retrieved 2015-05-25.
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