Rugby league in Greece

Rugby league is a team sport that is relatively new to Greece.

Rugby league was first introduced to Greece in 2006, with an international match in Athens. Greece played Serbia and Greece won 44–32. The team consisted of Australian players of a Greek heritage and some domestic Rugby Union players.

The initial attempt to find a Greek RL Federation, started by Colin Mylonas, in 2003. Mylonas and his associates, spent a lot of money until 2007, but they failed to form a Greek-based Federation. Colin Mylonas was involved with the continue development of the game until 2010. This included Greece playing in the 2008 University Rugby League World Cup after Russia pulled out. Greece was made up of 10 Australian based players with Greek heritage and 10 players from Greece were flown out to Australia. They achieved great success beating France in the plate Final. In the same tournament Greece beat Scotland Ireland and came very close in beating England only losing on the bell. This put Greece on the map in playing rugby league. Other achievements included winning the Mediterranean Cup in 2010 played in Sydney beating Italy in the final, in front of 3000 people. Greece also played Fiji in Sydney in 2009 losing but gaining respect as a nation on the rise.

Colin Mylonas in 2010 had decided to withdraw from the organisation due to differences in the direction of the Greek Rugby League.

The current Greek team and coaching staff still have a strong support from the Australian Associates.

In 2012, a new independent initiative, appeared in Piraeus / Athens. It was started by Tasos Pantazidis, the founder of Promitheas RL. In February 2013, a NPO was found, under the name: Committee for the Foundation of a Hellenic Federation of Rugby League. They became RLEF observers in August 2013.

In September 2013 they found the "Hellenic Federation of Rugby League". Tasos Pantazidis was the first President.

In February 2014, HFRL awarded affiliate member status by the RLEF.

In March 2015, at the Board Elections, Mrs Konstantina Georga was elected as HFRL President.

In April 2016, following a year-long investigation, the Rugby League European Federation (RLEF) suspended the HFRL for "wilfully acting in a manner prejudicial to the interests of the RLEF and international rugby league" . The HFRL was then given a 4-month period to answer allegations of misappropriation of funds and maladministration of the sport, which it failed to respond to. So, on the 9th of August 2016, the RLEF formally expelled the HFRL from its membership . The Hellenic federation of Rugby League never accepted the accusations, providing evidence to the social media. The expell of the HFRL was co-organised with one club that left the federation and the majority of the players of two more clubs. Throughout the turmoil, Rugby League was kept alive by with XIII and 9's competitions. The Greek sports law requirements (20 active clubs for the recognition of an independent federation) the HFRL joined the Modern Pentathlon Federation as a Committee and in July 2016, the Greek Government recognised Rugby League as a sport under the authority of the Hellenic Federation of Modern Pentathlon. The teams that left the legal federation, together with some independent teams formed an entity known as the Greek Rugby League association, which eventually achieved RLEF Observer status on the 23rd of March 2017. The HFMoP in the 2016-2017 period, organised a XIII and a 9's competition with the participation of six clubs.

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