Sport England To Meet Rfl Over Concerns With Rugby League Funding At Stake

Sport England will meet nan Rugby Football League successful nan coming weeks to aerial their concerns complete developments astatine nan governing assemblage successful a move which could person an effect connected nan sport’s financial outlook.

Rugby convention is 1 of respective sports successful receipt of millions of pounds worthy of backing from Sport England each year. That backing is captious to nan ongoing beingness of nan sport, and is peculiarly important for nan RFL, pinch continued adherence to nan codification for sports governance basal to support it.

The RFL has been nether scrutiny successful caller months pinch its erstwhile main executive, Nigel Wood, returning to nan organisation initially arsenic its interim chair pursuing nan resignation of his predecessor, Simon Johnson, successful March.

Wood was appointed by clubs to lead a strategical reappraisal of nan master crippled which recommended Super League expanding to 14 teams arsenic early arsenic 2026. That was approved by clubs astatine a gathering successful Leeds connected Monday, 2 weeks connected from Wood’s interim position arsenic chair being made permanent.

That codification specifications that each cardinal activity appointments – specified arsenic chair of nan governing assemblage – person to travel recruitment processes that are deemed “open and transparent” by Sport England. The Guardian has now had confirmation that meetings are planned successful nan coming weeks successful ray of Wood’s installation arsenic imperishable chair.

A Sport England spokesperson told nan Guardian: “All organisations successful receipt of important backing from Sport England must scope nan standards of nan Code for Sports Governance. This includes awesome activity appointments pursuing unfastened and transparent recruitment processes.

“Following caller developments, we will meet pinch nan activity of nan RFL successful nan coming weeks to reside our concerns.”

Tony Sutton, nan RFL’s CEO, said: “The RFL is moving pinch Sport England connected a Governance Action Plan, pursuing nan resignations from nan Board earlier successful nan year. The caller committee astatine nan RFL stay wholly committed to moving towards afloat compliance pinch Sport England’s Code for Sports Governance.”

Wood’s return was seen by galore of his critics arsenic controversial. Clubs elected to region him arsenic main executive successful 2018 and he was paid a severance package of complete £300,000.

He has since held nan domiciled of chair astatine Bradford Bulls, a domiciled he relinquished successful bid to return to nan RFL, though he remains a shareholder of nan Championship club. However, those aforesaid clubs now consciousness he is nan champion individual to present an overhaul of nan master game, led by an description of Super League to 14 teams.

The Guardian revealed earlier this week really Sky Sports were seeking answers from Super League connected nan determination to widen nan competition. The RFL person been approached for comment.