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The Leeds Rhino legend has raised an astonishing £11 million for motor neurone disease (MND) charities in recent years
There are widespread calls for Kevin Sinfield to finally be awarded a knighthood after the rugby league legend completed his latest superhuman fundraising challenge for motor neurone disease (MND) charities.
The Leeds Rhinos icon crossed the finish line of his epic 7 in 7: Together challenge on Sunday afternoon, having run seven ultramarathons of at least 28 miles in seven days across the UK and Republic of Ireland. Finishing the final leg outside AMT Headingley Stadium in Leeds, the challenge alone raised over one million pounds for charity.
In total, Sinfield has raised over £11 million for research and support for sufferers of MND, after his close friend and former Leeds teammate Rob Burrow was diagnosed with the disease in 2019. Having been told he may only have a year to live, Burrow defied expectations and inspired millions of people before sadly passing away last year, three-and-a-half years after his diagnosis.
Following his friend’s tragic death, Sinfield has vowed to keep fundraising until a cure for MND has been found and shows no sign of slowing down, having put himself through another hellish challenge.
He has been recognised for his incredible efforts over the years, having been awarded a CBE for services to MND awareness in the 2024 New Year Honours List. That followed the OBE he was given in 2021 for services to rugby league and charitable fundraising and the MBE he was awarded in 2014 for services to rugby league.
However, the millions of people that Sinfield has inspired through his charitable endeavours have called for the 45-year-old to finally receive the most prestigious honour of them all, a knighthood.
It has previously been suggested that one reason he has not yet had such an honours bestowed upon him is due to protocol rules which can prevent honours from being upgraded for three years after they are awarded. Having been awarded a CBE nearly two years ago, it may mean that he has to wait a further 12 months before becoming eligible.
However, there have been widespread calls from politicians and campaigners for those protocols to be waived to allow Sinfield to finally become a Sir in recognition of his heroic dedication to the cause.
Andy Bell, 49, chairman of Featherstone Lions Rugby Club in Wakefield,— where Burrow played as a youngster — said: “He should have been knighted by now really. What he has done is quite exceptional.
“I know that there is a rule that says he cannot be honoured within three years of his last honour. People don’t really know about that rule around here and he would be as good a reason as any to break that rule. The fans already call him Sir Kevin.”
Independent peer Lord John Mann previously said: “Protocol should be overridden in this case, absolutely – the public acclamation demands it.”
Nearly 50,000 people have signed a petition in support of him being knighted, with Piers Morgan also publicly throwing his weight behind the cause. Taking to X, he wrote: “Few more deserving candidates for a knighthood than Kevin Sinfield after another astonishing achievement from this remarkable man who does so much for [MND Association].”
The Speaker of the House of Commons, Lindsay Hoyle, has also called for Sinfield to receive the further honour, writing on X: “What an amazing man, you have earned a knighthood.”
The Leeds Rhinos legend has also earned the backing of Burrow’s father Geoff, who told the Daily Star: “If ever anybody deserved a knighthood, it’s Kevin Sinfield. What he’s done to support MND sufferers is just incredible. He’s putting himself through this torture.
“When we meet up, I ask ‘Why do you keep doing it?’. He says ‘Because I can and I want to’. Well, they sound like two of the best reasons I can think of. Kevin is keeping Rob’s name at the forefront. We’re forever grateful of him.”
After completing his latest challenge on Sunday, Sinfield told the hundreds of fans who had gathered at Headingley Stadium to cheer him across the finish line: “To the MND Community and the people we’ve met on route, all through the last week, all through the past five years, to everybody we’ve met, you’re an absolutely beautiful community. We’ve got to keep fighting for the MND Community.”
If he is awarded a knighthood, Sinfield will become just the second rugby league player to become a Sir after Wales icon Sir Billy Boston was knighted earlier this year.
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