RFL issue strong response to ‘strange’ Troy Grant World Cup debt claims

The Rugby Football League have hit back at claims from International Rugby League chair Troy Grant suggesting that the governing body owes almost half a million pounds in debt from the 2022 World Cup.

Grant gave an extraordinary interview to reporters in Australia suggesting that England’s governing body are still in debt to the tune of around £400,000 from the last time they hosted the World Cup three years ago.

Grant then warned that he would be prepared to invoke sanctions such as the prevention of England players earning official Test caps as their games would be revoked from having Test status.

That could also lead to prize money being held back, as well as appearance fees, something which would be a huge blow for England’s leading players.

But the RFL have come out and responded in stern fashion. They deny they owe any money and insist that debt belongs to a specially-created board that led the process to host and deliver the 2022 World Cup.

And they have now doubled down on that insistence, issuing a statement to Love Rugby League from interim CEO Abi Ekoku.

Ekoku insists that Grant’s comments are ‘strange’ and that the RFL have written to the IRL to reiterate their position that in their eyes, they owe nothing.

Perhaps tellingly, the RFL have also supported the position taken by the previous board before a coup took place earlier this year that led to the removal of Simon Johnson as chair.

Ekoku said: “Statements attributed to Mr. Grant are strange in their re-emergence. I have written to the IRL seeking clarification and very much hope reference to ‘sanctions’ can be backed up with evidence to substantiate claims.

“The matter of RLWC 2021 payments to the IRL has been reviewed by the new RFL Board, and our opinion is that there is no debt owed. We are upholding the position of the previous RFL Board, who did not consider there to be any liability.

“The RFL has provided circa £9million to international rugby league over the past decade – by far the greatest sum delivered by any member nation. And, as the recent Ashes Series amply demonstrates, our commitment to international rugby league has never been stronger.”