Rugby League Council re-elects RFL Board members and confirms President and Vice-President appointments

The Rugby League Council has today (Wednesday 26 July) re-elected both RFL Chair Simon Johnson and fellow board member Dr Rimla Akhtar OBE until 2026.

Meanwhile, Sir Lindsay Hoyle MP will remain RFL President until 31 December 2024 as the default term of office for president has been extended to two calendar years. Sir Lindsay, Speaker of the House of Commons, will also be the RFL’s Chief Guest at this year’s Women’s and Men’s Challenge Cup Finals at Wembley Stadium on Saturday 12 August.   

And at the Rugby League Council’s next meeting, in December 2023, it will be proposed that the well-known broadcaster and community game champion Trevor Hunt should succeed another long-term supporter of community Rugby League, BARLA Chair Sue Taylor, as RFL Vice-President for 2024.   

Johnson joined the RFL Board in July 2014 and became Chair in October 2019. He is Chair of leisure sector business SIS, trustee of a number of charities, and has operated for many years at the highest levels of the sports and media industries.

Board colleague Dr Rimla Akhtar OBE joined the RFL Board in December 2019. She has 20 years’ experience in the sports industry across the UK, Middle East and Asia. And in addition to being Board member at Bettys & Taylors Group – home of Bettys Tea Rooms, Yorkshire Tea and Taylors of Harrogate – she also chairs both the RFL’s Audit and Risk Committee, and Rugby League’s Inclusion Board.

With more than 50 years’ experience at all levels of the game, Trevor Hunt is known throughout Rugby League. As a journalist and broadcaster with BBC Radio Manchester, Hunt will be familiar to listeners across the world of Rugby League for his commentary on both the domestic and international game. He also chairs the Rugby League Writers and Broadcasters Association.

While some fans may be less familiar with his community game connections, Hunt’s reputation in amateur Rugby League circles is nevertheless formidable. A veteran of more than 350 games for Leigh Miners, whose committee he also served on, Hunt was elected to the National Conference League committee from 1986 to 1997, becoming Vice-Chair in 1997 and then Chair in 2006 – a role he holds to the present day. Hunt also represents Tier Four clubs on Rugby League’s Community Board.

Details of the full RFL Board are available online at RFL Board (rugby-league.com)

Community Board information is available online at Community Board (rugby-league.com)

The 2022 RFL Annual Report is now available to view here.