Rugby league honours: Anger at no knighthoods in 130 years

Rugby league government say their avid gamers had been “poorly treated” by means of the honours machine, as power grows for a primary knighthood or damehood for the game.

The recreation has long past 130 years with out such an honour.

“It is surprising and disappointing that the relevant authorities have still not deemed anyone worthy of a knighthood or damehood for their services to rugby league,” mentioned a spokesperson for the Rugby Football League, which governs the game.

The Speaker of the House of Commons, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, added his voice, telling BBC News the loss of rugby league knighthoods “cannot be right” when different sports activities, together with rugby union, have had such honours “quite regularly”.

The chief of a cross-party workforce of MPs who fortify rugby league has steered the “scandal” of the loss of best honours for stars of the game was once related to snobbery and sophistication prejudice.

“This, I suspect, is because they come from working class backgrounds, didn’t go to the right schools, and didn’t mix in the right social circles,” mentioned David Baines, chair of the all-party Parliamentary rugby league workforce.

“Well enough is enough. It’s 2025, and myself and other MPs are clear it’s time for things to change.”

Sir Lindsay Hoyle, who’s a former president of the Rugby Football League, mentioned: “Rugby league has a long and proud history and is littered with examples of players who have excelled in the sport and inspired future generations to play the game.”

He says there’s something incorrect when the game “cannot boast one single player, over its 130-year history, who has received a knighthood”.

“I want to see rugby league given the recognition it deserves and hope this will be addressed in the near future,” mentioned the Speaker.

In distinction, rugby union, continuously observed as having extra center category roots, has been getting knighthoods for greater than 100 years. Among more moderen rugby knights was once Sir Bill Beaumont, awarded “for services to rugby union football” in 2018.

There had been many different carrying knighthoods and damehoods, together with in athletics, yachting, soccer, golfing, tennis, horse racing, biking and rowing.

Next weekend will see the game’s exhibit Challenge Cup Final at Wembley Stadium.

And talking on behalf of the MPs’ rugby league workforce, Mr Baines mentioned the loss of such an honour for rugby league was once an unfairness to “some of Britain’s greatest sporting heroes”.

That integrated “legends of the game who overcame racial and class prejudice such as Billy Boston and Clive Sullivan, to modern heroes on and off the pitch like Kevin Sinfield,” mentioned Mr Baines.

England big name Kevin Sinfield has raised greater than £10m operating for reasons associated with motor neurone illness, in reminiscence of his past due teammate Rob Burrow.

Billy Boston was once a celebrated Welsh-born rugby league participant from the 1950s and 1960s, who’s now elderly 90. A petition was once introduced previous this yr to award him a knighthood.

“We do believe rugby league has historically been poorly treated in terms of recognition in various ways, including honours lists,” mentioned a spokesman for the Rugby Football League.

There had been honours, similar to CBEs and OBEs, however no knighthoods. The Prince of Wales individually gave Kevin Sinfield and Rob Burrow their CBEs ultimate yr on the floor in Leeds the place they used to play.

A BBC research previous this yr published {that a} disproportionately low selection of best honours, similar to knighthoods and damehoods, have been going to other folks from the north of England and dealing category backgrounds – which overlaps with the rugby league heartlands.

In the newest New Year Honours most effective 6% of upper awards went to other folks within the north of England and 4% to other folks from working-class backgrounds.

The govt has recognised there are issues of under-representation within the honours and an impartial chair is being recruited to beef up variety and outreach.

“The government wants to ensure that the honours system reflects the diversity of UK society. Anyone can nominate someone who has made an exceptional contribution to be recognised,” mentioned a central authority spokesman.