Rugby legend Kevin Sinfield is set to receive a knighthood in the King's Birthday Honours, which will be announced imminently. The 45-year-old is to be awarded the honour in recognition of his tireless fundraising efforts in memory of his late friend and former teammate Rob Burrow, according to the Mirror.
The ex-Leeds and England rugby league star has raised in excess of £11 million for motor neurone disease (MND) charities since Rob was diagnosed with the devastating muscle-wasting condition in 2019. There have been numerous calls for the sportsman to be knighted, with Commons Speaker Lindsay Hoyle describing him as "a rugby league legend who should be Sir Kevin Sinfield" earlier this week.
The nation was deeply moved by the extraordinary bond the pair shared, with Kevin famously carrying Rob over the finish line at the Leeds Marathon in 2023 after pushing him around the course in a specially adapted wheelchair. In 2023, both men were awarded CBEs, when Prince William surprised them with their honours at the home of Leeds Rhinos, Headingley Stadium. Five months later, Rob tragically passed away aged 41, four and a half years after receiving his diagnosis.
Many had called for Royal protocols, which prevent an honour being upgraded for three years after it is awarded to be rescinded in Sinfield's case. Now, he has got the ultimate honour.
MND is a life-shortening neurological condition that affects the nerves responsible for transmitting signals from the brain to the muscles. There is currently no cure, with treatment centred on managing symptoms. While no research has established a link between MND and head injuries, Rob was not the only rugby player to have been diagnosed with the condition. Former Scotland international Doddie Weir passed away in 2022 at the age of 52, six years after receiving his diagnosis. Meanwhile, ex-England captain Lewis Moody revealed last year that he too had been diagnosed with the condition.
Sinfield, who now serves as an England rugby union coach, has undertaken a series of remarkable endurance feats to raise millions of pounds in honour of his closest friend. Last year saw the opening of the Rob Burrow Centre for Motor Neurone Disease at Seacroft Hospital in Leeds — the world's first purpose-built facility dedicated to supporting MND patients and conducting crucial research into the illness. Accompanied by Kevin and Rob's widow Lindsey, Prince William told the rugby star's children Macy, Maya, and Jackson, they should be "so proud of your father because he really was an incredibly brave and very special man." He added: "This is a world-leading centre that's going to save a lot of lives."
The rugby star has since announced his final challenge, which will see him tackle an ultramarathon every day for seven consecutive days. Dubbed "7 in 7: The Grand Finale", Sinfield will run between Hull and Manchester, taking in all 12 English Super League grounds along the route. Each day, he will cover a mile alongside individuals personally affected by the devastating neurodegenerative disease. He told BBC Breakfast: "Our team have done a wonderful job. I couldn't have done any of it without them, they are so unselfish in the way they've gone about this. We couldn't have done this on our own. The money has gone a long way and we're getting closer and closer, but we've got to keep pushing, we've got to try and find a cure."
The King's Birthday Honours List is due to be published this weekend. The Government does not comment on honours prior to their official announcement.
