Colin Love
Encyclopedia
Colin Love AM
, (born 25 January 1945, in Australia) is currently the chairman of the Rugby League International Federation
, New South Wales Rugby League
(NSWRL) and has been the chairman of the Australian Rugby League
(ARL) since 1999. He is the seventh chairman of the ARL, and the eleventh of the NSWRL.
Mr Love, who acquired his law degree at Sydney University after matriculating from Sydney Boys High School
, began his association with rugby league
when he was involved with contract negotiations for players in the late 1970s. He was retained as the league's solicitor soon afterwards; Love was an active participant as a soliciter for the ARL and Kerry Packer
during the Super League war
. Love was elected chairman of the ARL in 1999.
On Saturday, 27 January 2007, Colin Love received an Order of Australia
medal for his contribution to both the sport of rugby league football
and to sports law
.
Love was succeeded as RLIF chairman in June 2011 by Scott Carter.
with a piece written by Josh Massoud that claimed that he acted unscrupulously in regard to the position for organising the Rugby League World Cup
as well as acting with undue regard in relation to how Love executed his duties in football. Massoud claimed, "If Love's dual role as ARL chairman and solicitor – or RLIF director and World Cup organiser – doesn't sound conflict-of-interest alarm bells, his SCG
Trusteeship should," in reference to Love's allocation of at least one World Cup game to the Sydney Football Stadium instead of Telstra Stadium
. Daily Telegraph reporter Dean Ritchie later wrote, "Colin Love is today left with no option but to resign all official involvement with the 2008 World Cup." Ritchie summarised his view: "The public no longer tolerates the hollow cries of 'fair business', for instance, when a city councillor awards a rich contract to a company he owns shares in, and nor should it. Rugby league should be no different".
Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
, (born 25 January 1945, in Australia) is currently the chairman of the Rugby League International Federation
Rugby League International Federation
The Rugby League International Federation is the world governing body of rugby league football. It was formed in 1998 in Sydney, Australia. Its purpose is to, "foster, develop, extend, govern and administer the game of Rugby League throughout the world". Its headquarters are in Sydney, Australia,...
, New South Wales Rugby League
New South Wales Rugby League
The New South Wales Rugby League is the governing body of rugby league in New South Wales and is a member of the Australian Rugby League. It was formed in Sydney on 8 August 1907 and was known as the New South Wales Rugby Football League until 1984 when forward thinking marketing managers decided...
(NSWRL) and has been the chairman of the Australian Rugby League
Australian Rugby League
The Australian Rugby League is the governing body for the sport of rugby league in Australia. It is made up of state bodies, including the New South Wales Rugby League and the Queensland Rugby League...
(ARL) since 1999. He is the seventh chairman of the ARL, and the eleventh of the NSWRL.
Mr Love, who acquired his law degree at Sydney University after matriculating from Sydney Boys High School
Sydney Boys High School
Sydney Boys High School is an academically selective public secondary school for boys, located in the City of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, with 1,180 students, from years 7 to 12...
, began his association with rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
when he was involved with contract negotiations for players in the late 1970s. He was retained as the league's solicitor soon afterwards; Love was an active participant as a soliciter for the ARL and Kerry Packer
Kerry Packer
Kerry Francis Bullmore Packer, AC was an Australian media tycoon. The son of Sir Frank Packer and Gretel Bullmore, the Packer family company owned controlling interest in both the Nine television network and leading Australian publishing company Australian Consolidated Press, which were later...
during the Super League war
Super League war
The Super League war is the common name given to the corporate dispute that was fought in and out of court during the mid-1990s between the Rupert Murdoch and News Corporation-backed Super League and the Kerry Packer and Optus Vision-backed Australian Rugby League organisations over broadcasting...
. Love was elected chairman of the ARL in 1999.
On Saturday, 27 January 2007, Colin Love received an Order of Australia
Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
medal for his contribution to both the sport of rugby league football
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
and to sports law
Sports law
Sports law is an umbrella term used to describe the legal issues at work in the world of both amateur and professional sports. Sports law overlaps substantially with labor law, contract law, competition or antitrust law, and tort law. Issues like defamation and privacy rights are also an integral...
.
Love was succeeded as RLIF chairman in June 2011 by Scott Carter.
2008 World Cup controversy
Colin Love came under attack in August 2007 from the Daily TelegraphThe Daily Telegraph (Australia)
The Daily Telegraph is an Australian tabloid newspaper published in Sydney, New South Wales, by Nationwide News, part of News Corporation.The Tele, as it is also known, was founded in 1879. From 1936 to 1972, it was owned by Frank Packer's Australian Consolidated Press. That year it was sold to...
with a piece written by Josh Massoud that claimed that he acted unscrupulously in regard to the position for organising the Rugby League World Cup
Rugby League World Cup
The Rugby League World Cup is an international rugby league competition contested by members of the Rugby League International Federation . It has been held nearly once every 4 years on average since its inaugural tournament in France in 1954...
as well as acting with undue regard in relation to how Love executed his duties in football. Massoud claimed, "If Love's dual role as ARL chairman and solicitor – or RLIF director and World Cup organiser – doesn't sound conflict-of-interest alarm bells, his SCG
Sydney Cricket Ground
The Sydney Cricket Ground is a sports stadium in Sydney in Australia. It is used for Australian football, Test cricket, One Day International cricket, some rugby league and rugby union matches and is the home ground for the New South Wales Blues cricket team and the Sydney Swans of the Australian...
Trusteeship should," in reference to Love's allocation of at least one World Cup game to the Sydney Football Stadium instead of Telstra Stadium
Telstra Stadium
Stadium Australia, currently also known as ANZ Stadium due to naming rights, formerly known as Telstra Stadium, is a multi-purpose stadium located in the Sydney Olympic Park precinct of Homebush Bay...
. Daily Telegraph reporter Dean Ritchie later wrote, "Colin Love is today left with no option but to resign all official involvement with the 2008 World Cup." Ritchie summarised his view: "The public no longer tolerates the hollow cries of 'fair business', for instance, when a city councillor awards a rich contract to a company he owns shares in, and nor should it. Rugby league should be no different".