ANNUAL REPORT 2020 CONTENTS SECTION 1 GOVERNANCE 02 Highlights 06 Management 11 Digital FOSTER, DEVELOP, PROMULGATE, PROMOTE, 03 From the Chair Report 13 Match Officials GOVERN AND ADMINISTER THE GAME OF 04 Board of Directors 08 Subcommittees Anti Doping RUGBY LEAGUE THROUGHOUT THE WORLD SECTION 2 DEVELOPMENT 14 Membership Update 16 Confederations Report SECTION 3 COMPETITIONS 21 RLWC2021 22 Regional Competitions SECTION 4 FINANCE 24 Financial Report 25 International Rugby League Ltd Finance Statement 37 Rugby League International Federation Ltd Finance Statement ANNUAL REPORT | 2020 2020 HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE DIGITAL CHAIR TRANSFORMATION GREG BARCLAY LAUNCHED Implementation of a This is my first official annual report as the independent Chair of International Rugby League, and it has been the strangest WADA year imaginable. From the outset I would like to thank the IRL members, our staff and my fellow Directors for their diligent 03 APPROVED work and support through these difficult times. SECTION 1 anti-doping and education system As we all know 2020 has thrown immense vital work that is the shape of the international challenges at the whole world and international calendar and the assessment of its potential Eight rugby league has been no exception. It is a commercial value. This work is essential for the SUBCOMMITTEES credit to the resilience and fortitude, the natural long-term health of international rugby league. formed to support attributes of the rugby league community, that we have seen such an amount of activity in the As we look forward to 2021, which will be a focus IRL’s effective least encouraging of circumstances and we have year for everyone involved in rugby league, we governance also witnessed how our members, their clubs can have real optimism for the international and countless individuals have supported their game. RLWC2021 has continued to plan and MATCH communities to get through the challenges. I adjust throughout the pandemic and is now pay tribute to them all. ready to provide a beacon moment for our sport. Competitions in all disciplines of rugby league OFFICIALS From the perspective of International Rugby are ready to re-launch in every member nation League, we have faced up to the various and we look forward to commenting upon and PATHWAYS challenges presented and dealt with them as marvelling at the on-field activities. effectively as possible. We quickly established DEVELOPED a Covid Committee to ensure that we had clear We have seen new members join IRL and several sight and a response to the major issues facing members upgrade their membership, all achieved FIRST both IRL and the members. as a result of great work by the national federations. Congratulations to them and thank you. Throughout the year we have continued to AFFILIATE conduct business as normally as possible. We At the start of the year, we welcomed Emma held our first ever virtual AGM, which was well Young and Troy Grant as IRL’s first ever MEMBERS attended by members who fully participated independent Directors and, towards the end of in the discussions. The Board and its sub- 2020, we said farewell to Nigel Wood as he left committees have continued to ensure that his position as CEO. He has given immense IN AFRICA international rugby league, IRL and its members service over many years to international rugby 18 FULL emerge as strong and as well prepared as league. We also welcomed Danny Kazandjian as possible. the international federation’s first ever secretary 14 AFFILIATE general. We wish them all well. 20 OBSERVERS During 2020 we have taken the opportunity to review our current global strategy and ensure I would like to thank the whole rugby league that it remains relevant and achievable. The community for their support during 2020 and Board has continued to review and consult on the wish everyone a successful 2021. 02 ANNUAL REPORT | 2020 INTERNATIONAL RUGBY LEAGUE (IRL) BOARD OF DIRECTORS The Board has 12 Directors comprising: • three independent Directors nominated Professional Leagues; (APRL), with one representing the ARLC by the Board; • three Directors nominated by the European and one nominated by New Zealand Rugby • one Director nominated by the Australian Rugby League (ERL), with one nominated League (NZRL), these persons being the Rugby League Commission (ARLC) and by the RFL, this person being ARLC and the NZRL nominees respectively one Director nominated by the Rugby the RFL nominee to the ERL board; to the APRLC Board; Football league (RFL), as the National • three Directors nominated by the • one Director nominated by the NZRL. Federations which operate the Major Asia Pacific Rugby League Confederation 05 SECTION 1 GREG GRAEME HON. PAUL RALPH REON BARCLAY THOMPSON TROY GRANT NICHOLSON RIMMER EDWARDS Chair Deputy Chair Deputy Chair Director Director Director (Independent) (ERL) (Independent) (ERL) (ERL) (NZRL) EMMA GREG WAYNE SANDIS HON. PETER SIMON YOUNG PETERS PEARCE OAM TSAKA BEATTIE AC JOHNSON Independent Director Director Director Director Director Director (APRL) (ARLC) (APRL) (APRL) (RFL) 04 ANNUAL REPORT | 2020 MANAGEMENT REPORT DANNY KAZANDJIAN 07 Secretary General SECTION 1 It was my great honour to become International Rugby League’s first secretary general in November. The new title ensures instant recognition for the post-holder in the international sporting community as the head of the administration, and is in keeping with IRL’s truly global direction of travel. The organisation is committed to transforming The portal works side by side with the consumer- Laws of the game, history and heritage, first new member evaluated according to the itself into a high performance international facing website, both of which showcased the wheelchair and women and girls rugby league. new membership policy, whose aim is to see federation, one that is fully engaged with its bold, modern rebranding announced in late more stable, productive and organised national peers on the global sporting stage. 2019. For the first time, the IF website housed the I must express my thanks on behalf of IRL to all federations. The year began with an extension of IRL’s anti-doping pages, more of which subject is of the committed volunteers and experts who our observer status with the Global Association The reorganisation was first set out in our Global reported below. constitute those bodies. Each of them has been of International Sports Federations, a key part Transformation strategy document, launched in instrumental and their work is detailed a little of rugby league’s integration into world sports 2018, and is something that is essential for the later in this annual report. and we continue to work with GAISF and the IF to best serve its members’ – and the sport’s members to achieve critical recognition from – interests. I am pleased to report that, despite The organisation Our first ever Match Officials Manager, Stuart their national sports authorities, be they Olympic the privations of the pandemic, our work has is committed to Cummings, led the creation of an exciting new committees or sports ministries. maintained pace, with demonstrable progress three-tiered squad system, with the eight- in core areas such as membership relations, transforming itself into strong Elite Match Officials Squad and 16-strong Finally, I would like to echo the Chair’s anti-doping, regulatory frameworks, inclusivity, a high performance International Match Officials Squad close to recognition of Nigel Wood’s decades of service match officiating and the Laws. international federation capacity. They are supported by the polyglot to the international game and his undying belief Emerging Match Officials Panel, which will finally in its untapped potential. It is that potential that After several months in development, the IRL showcase the, until now, largely unreported everyone involved with IRL is now focussed on members portal launched in December. It will work that has been done by our confederation realizing and I look forward to working with evolve over time but its primary objective is to Part of our strategy to enhance our capacity is and national members in developing our future colleagues to push the game’s boundaries and assist our fifty plus members both in their day to use the rich resource that is the membership, officials. positive impact ever further. to day activities, through extensive resource which, collectively, is led by a deep pool of provision, and in their relationship with the IF talented and experienced people from around Despite the pandemic restricting our revenue and one another. In addition to fundamental the world. opportunities, through prudent management documents such as the articles of association we were still able to support our full members and the new operational rules, which were In addition to the Covid Committee detailed financially. The aspiration of the members published in November and are presented in by the Chair, the year saw us create an continues to inspire, with Nigeria and Ghana an inviting, customer-friendly format, the portal Audit and Risk Committee, Commercial both welcomed by the general assembly as our will provide members with a digital platform to Committee, Classifications Committee, Medical newest affiliate members. Libya saw in what manage match sanctioning and compliance. Subcommittee, and advisory groups for the was then a fairly normal year by becoming the 06 ANNUAL REPORT | 2020 INTERNATIONAL RUGBY LEAGUE (IRL) SUBCOMMITTEES Effective governance and policy making is augmented by an appropriate