The Patron of the Rugby Football League, Prince Harry steps out for his first official duty introducing the Rugby League World Cup 2021 Mental Fitness Charter – a new initiative created by the RFL that will champion the importance of good mental fitness and create sustainable legacy the sport can be proud of.
The Duke was announced Patron of the Rugby Football League in December 2016, after it was given to him by Her Majesty The Queen(who has held the position for 64 years). He is proud to support the Rugby League and the steps made to improve the sport!
The initiative announcement comes ahead of today’s live RLWC2021 World cup draw with The Duke of Sussex, alongside representatives of all 21 nations involved, in Buckingham Palace.
By “the final whistle of the final game” of @RLWC2021, the charter commits to:
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– Train every player, team official, match official, teammate and volunteer to look after their own mental fitness and the mental fitness of those around them.
– Support tournament players to take their experiences home and develop mental fitness awareness within their own Rugby League communities.
– Deliver mental fitness workshops to 8,000 young Rugby League players, and their parents.
– Train grass roots coaches to continue delivering mental fitness workshops and leave a sustainable tournament legacy.
This comes at a vital time for both the sport and mental health awareness, with suicide being the most common cause of death for men aged 20-49 here in UK. Given that 93% of the 42,000 Rugby league players and 70% of spectators are male, the mental fitness charter is of huge importance to help educate both players and audiences of the benefits of looking after one’s mental wellness.
Dressed in a dark blue suit, white shirt and stripped tie, the Duke of Sussex met with representatives from all 21 nations taking part in the tournament well before the draws. He had chats with with the children and watched those from a local school and St Vincent de Paul Catholic Primary School, play rugby league in Buckingham Palace gardens.
