James Child is treasured throughout the community for becoming one of the rugby league’s most experienced officials. Having controlled over 300 Super League games and refereed iconic rugby matches such as the 2022 Challenge Cup Final, he has taken the industry by storm over recent years. Offering to share his remarkable carer highs and lows, James is admired internationally for speaking openly about his sexuality and personal experiences facing stereotyping throughout the environment of professional sport. When looking to hire a captivating rugby speaker to attend your future events, look no further than James today.
Having started refereeing at the age of 11, James has pushed his mental and physical resilience to develop great success throughout the rugby industry. A driven professional, he was selected to join the RFL’s elite refereeing squad for the 2010 Super League XV and has since gained the opportunity to officiate at four consecutive World Cups. Combining his remarkable sporting background with his previous work as a Chartered Surveyor at Leeds City Council, James decided to step away from his role as an official in 2022 to join the world’s largest real estate company CBRE. With an inspirational career journey behind him, James has become a must-see rugby speaker for audiences of all ages and backgrounds.
In 2021, James decided to openly speak about his sexuality, allowing him to become the UK’s first openly gay rugby league referee. Passionate to speak with openness, he made his announcement on the BBC’s LGBT Sport Podcast, and the following year he appeared in the pride edition of Question of Sport, the popular BBC panel show. An inspirational member of the LGBT community, James has made it his mission to share his journey of being gay within the ‘macho’ environment of professional sport and transform the industry to become more inclusive to people of all ages, genders, and sexualities.
A leading authority in his field, James Child has become a highly sought-after speaker to attend speaking engagements internationally. With an incredibly successful career behind him, he is now working as a proud advocate for the LGBT community, educating audiences on the importance of inclusivity and acceptance in his keynote speeches. Renowned for regularly speaking on the important topics of adversity, mental resilience/health, sport/rugby league, and LGBTQ+, James is a truly one-of-a-kind professional. When looking to hire a passionate sports speaker to attend your next event, do not hesitate to contact the Rugby Speakers Agency regarding James Child today.