The RLEF’s Governance Foundation Project continued this week with a seminar in Geneva, Switzerland, which gathered 10 of the federation’s 11 EU member governing bodies together. The seminar was co-hosted by the RLEF’s partners, the Association of European Professional Football, which collected experts in the field of governance to supplement the information disseminated from within rugby league.

The introductory speech was delivered by the EPFL CEO Emanuel Macedo de Medeiros, who highlighted the EPFL's vision, strategy and main proposals to meet the mounting challenges currently facing professional football. During his presentation, Emanuel Macedo de Medeiros affirmed the EPFL's willingness to continue cooperating with the Rugby League European Federation on all areas of common interest and further assist this organisation their governance reform.

With regard to the cooperative relation with the EPFL and the outcome of the Seminar, RLEF General Manager Danny Kazandjian said: “On behalf of the RLEF I would like to thank the EPFL for their support and co-operation. The principle of good governance is dear to both our organisations and the opportunity to share experiences and best practice with both the EPFL and their associates from the European family of football has and will continue to benefit European rugby league’s ongoing development."

The RLEF members had the opportunity to review best practices and techniques applied in the field of governance by the European Football Legues, specifically related with their structure, organisation, operations and financial aspects, which was presented by the EPFL Head of Cabinet, Jair Bertoni.

The EPFL also actively collaborated to set up the agenda of the meeting by involving key knowledgeable speakers in the area of relationship between leagues and sponsors, with the outstanding intervention of Roger Muller from the Swiss Football League, as well as and Sylvia Schenk from Transparency International, who comprehensively addressed governance measures and processes that any international sport body should develop and implement, in particular focusing in the case of the FIFA governance reform. Both topics were discussed during this fruitful brainstorming working session.

Pictured: Danny Kazandjian, left, wtih Emanuel Macedo de Madeiros.