Former rugby league star Kevin Sinfield has been awarded a knighthood in recognition of his extraordinary fundraising and advocacy work for motor neurone disease (MND) awareness and research.

Sinfield’s decades-long friendship with the late Rob Burrow has become one of sport’s most widely admired examples of loyalty and compᴀssion. Following Burrow’s diagnosis with MND, Sinfield launched multiple ultra-endurance fundraising challenges that have raised millions for research and patient support.

The honour has been met with an emotional response from Burrow’s family. His widow, Lindsey Burrow, said in tribute that “everyone should have a friend like Kevin,” highlighting the unwavering support Sinfield provided throughout her husband’s illness and beyond.

Public reaction to the knighthood has been overwhelmingly positive, with many praising Sinfield not only for his athletic achievements but for his humanitarian efforts, which extended far beyond the rugby field. His fundraising campaigns, often involving long-distance runs in extreme conditions, have inspired thousands across the UK and internationally to contribute to MND research.

Sinfield has consistently stated that his efforts were driven by love and loyalty rather than recognition, describing his mission as a promise to stand by his friend. Despite this, his work has become one of the most high-profile charitable movements in British sport in recent years.

As tributes continue to pour in, the knighthood is being seen as a recognition not just of fundraising success, but of an enduring friendship that captured the public imagination and brought global attention to the fight against motor neurone disease.