Kevin Sinfield, the former rugby league star, has been awarded a knighthood in the king’s birthday honours list for his remarkable fundraising efforts for motor neurone disease (MND). The 45-year-old has raised over £11 million for MND-related charities and research since his close friend and former Leeds Rhinos teammate Rob Burrow was diagnosed with the condition in 2019. Burrow passed away in the summer of 2024.
Sinfield becomes only the second rugby league player to be knighted, following Billy Boston, who received the honour last year. Sinfield’s fundraising began with a challenge of running seven marathons in seven days in 2020, a nod to Burrow’s shirt number. He has since undertaken brutal running challenges annually, with his seventh and final feat, '7 in 7', set to begin on 27 September, where he will run seven ultra-marathons in seven days.
Sinfield expressed his gratitude, saying: 'I am deeply honoured and grateful to receive this award on behalf of the rugby and MND communities. The MND community are the very best of us and it has been my privilege to support them.' He added that he continues to be inspired by Burrow’s courage and that the fight against MND must continue for the 5,000 people living with the condition in the UK.
Rob Burrow’s wife, Lindsey, congratulated Sinfield, stating: 'I cannot think of a more deserving recipient. Kevin did so much for Rob, but also the whole MND community.' She noted that Sinfield’s dedication to finding a cure means so much to many people, echoing Burrow’s sentiment that 'everyone should have a friend like Kevin.'
