The latest project in the RLEF-EU Training and Education Portal has resulted in two Swedish match officials, Rajendra Shah and Paris Ghavidel-Asgari, achieving their Level 1 educator qualification. Eight local participants attended the course along with Svenska Rugby League Forening’s project cluster colleagues the Czech Rugby League Association, represented by L1 Educators Jaroslav Bzoch and Lukas Hergott, who also increased their experience and knowledge.

Overseeing the activity, RLEF Tutor Phil Smith, was pleased to see further progress. “It’s great to see locals being tutored by people of their own country, but also the confirmation that the education system we have in place is achieving its objectives of sharing knowledge between nations. These educators have known one another for a couple of years now and to see them have the confidence to critically challenge one another is uplifting.”

The TEP is a three-year, €723.000 investment into capacity building through good governance and technical training, funded by €466.000 from the EU’s Erasmus+ project and the remainder from the RLIF and five of its full members. It is intended to build the knowledge and skills of the RLEF’s 21 European members, divided into six regional clusters, through high quality training and mentoring, while granting opportunities to share experiences.