Ade Adebisi
Ade Adebisi, also known by the nickname "London Flyer", is a British rugby league footballer. He played at representative level for Young Lions against France national [rugby league team|France], and was selected for the 2011 Championship 1 All Stars team. At club level he played for the London Skolars, in 2004 for the London Broncos, Hull F.C., Doncaster Lakers, Featherstone Rovers and Whitehaven in National League One, as a or.
Adebisi suffers from the genetic blood disorder sickle-cell disease and is the only known rugby player ever to play professionally with the condition. He is an ambassador for the Sickle Cell Society and the founder of the Ade Adebisi Sickle Cell Foundation.
Adebisi also leads the Nigeria rugby league revolution as general manager/vice chairman. The former professional spent two years between 2017 and 2019 working to get the African nation involved with the 13-a-side code for no money. Under his leadership, Nigeria was chosen to host the Middle East Africa rugby league championship in October 2019.
Playing career
London Broncos
In 2002, Adebisi, a promising schoolboy athlete and footballer joined the London Broncos development programme before signing up for their junior academy team the following season. In 2004, as well as representing the BARLA Young Lions against France, he also made his debut for London in Super League. Limited opportunities at senior level led to a spell on loan to Hull F.C. where he played in their successful 2005 academy side.Doncaster Lakers & Featherstone
His association with the London club ended in 2007, when he signed initially for Doncaster before moving to Featherstone for the last 11 games of the season.His first year at the Recre was a great success and he finished the season as the club's top try scorer. Together with teammate Craig Calvert, Haven had two of the most potent wingmen in the Championship.