An impassioned Brit, along with more than 100,000 others, are championing a petition to change the ruling around knighthoods and make rugby league legend Kevin Sinfield a Sir.
Safe to say we think this should’ve happened yonks ago.
Yes, now five years after his first remarkable charity challenge in the form of his inaugural ‘seven in seven’ ultra-marathon, former Leeds Rhino Kevin Sinfield officially completed his sixth edition of the fundraising feat earlier this month.
Having now raised more than £1.2 million for the Motor Neurone Disease Association (MNDA) in memory of his friend and former late, great teammate, Rob Burrow – and that just this year alone.
👏 An outstanding achievement!
— Rugby Football League (@TheRFL) December 7, 2025
🏃 Kevin Sinfield CBE completed his latest 7 in 7: Together Challenge this afternoon, raising over £1.1 Million for @mndassoc!
To donate use the link here👉https://t.co/gaGZTLqqbA pic.twitter.com/daXyvAqol3
To take into account every penny he’s helped generate for the crucial neurological cause, he’s helped welcome in excess of £11 million since he started this tributary journey nearly six whole years ago.
Sinfield has become nothing short of a national hero over the last few years, and the people think it’s about time he is recognised with the highest honour.
The Greater Manchester-born native has already been given a trio of notable awards, including an MBE, OBE and CBE, which also means he doesn’t technically qualify to be considered for a knighthood until 2027 at the very earliest.
However, the petition’s creator, Mel Handforth, believes that an exception should be made and the “arcane” rules around the New Year’s Honours should be changed to allow Sinfield (and, indeed, others) to be celebrated more promptly.
As per our friends at The Manc, even the Speaker for the House of Commons, Lindsay Hoyle, is one of many to have argued for the stipulation to be scrapped.
Despite countless calls for him to be included in the most recent list, which saw the likes of David Beckham finally made a knight, he was overlooked due to the three-year gap protocol.
He also somehow missed out on being shortlisted for this year’s BBC Sports Personality of the Year Awards, though you can guarantee he would have plenty of votes from the general public – especially here in the region and, indeed, over in his adopted second home here in Yorkshire.
Sinfield and Burrow were actually recognised at the Sports Personality of the Year Awards a few years ago, when both were given special commendation for their pioneering charitable work on behalf of motor neurone disease and assosciated charities.
Could not agree more. Should have made him Sir Kevin ages ago. 🫶https://t.co/OAzmc5NeOp
— The Manc (@TheMancUK) December 15, 2025
The same happened again at the Pride of Britain a year later, and the retired rugby league player turned union coach was also handed an honorary degree by the University of Leeds in July 2024, just a month after Burrow sadly passed away.
As Handforth writes in the bio of the Change.org petition: “The words ‘legend’ and ‘hero’ are often handed out, but Kevin Sinfield truly embodies them both. He’s not doing this for recognition – he’s doing it because he cares deeply about the MND community and honouring his friend Rob’s legacy.
“Let’s show Kevin that his nation stands with him. Sign this petition to urge the Honours Committee to recognise Sir Kevin Sinfield for his remarkable service to humanity.”
If you agree, you can sign the petition to make him Sir Kevin Sinfield right HERE.
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