The latest activity in the RLEF-EU Leadership Devolution Project has taken place in Budapest, Hungary, with the Hungarian RL Federation overseeing a match officials course and a 9s tournament on the banks of the Danube. RLEF tutors Phil Smith and Rale Novakovic, as well Italy’s Guido Bonatti, were on hand to lend their experience to Hungarian match official trainees Balint Mezes and Zsolt Lukacs.

“In terms of match official development in Hungary this has been a valuable course for HRLF,” said Lukacs. “We feel we progressed very well and coupled with the tournament we organised, it completed our studies perfectly.”

The 9s tournament involved Budapest Elefantok, Budapest Bears and a Belgrade selection, with the latter victorious, while Budapest and Belgrade also played a shortened 13-a-side match. The activity allowed the MO candidates to put into practice what they had been learning.

“The Hungarians are at the very early stages of their development but their enthusiasm can’t be questioned” said Smith, a member of the eight-strong RLEF Match Ofiicials Development Squad. “Zsolt and Balint can now deliver the Level 1 MO course domestically, tutoring other Hungarians in mastering the game. The dual purpose of the project also enabled both Rale and Guido to gain more on-the-job experience as educators and leaders.”

The LDP is largely funded through a €195.000 contribution from the EU and is intended on transferring leadership of the sport gradually to the RLEF’s younger members, such as Hungary, through mentorship and a work programme of capacity building exercises.

Pictured: RLEF tutor Phil Smith advises HRLF MO Educator trainee Balint Mezes.
Photo by Ludányi Ferenc (quantumfoto.hu)