Queen's Birthday Honours: Raheem Sterling becomes MBE - BBC Sport

England and Manchester City forward Raheem Sterling has become an MBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours for his services to racial equality in sport.

Sterling, 26, has campaigned for racial injustice on and off the pitch continually since 2017.

Television presenter and former tennis player Sue Barker has become a CBE for her for services to sport, broadcasting and charity.

Former England manager Roy Hodgson also becomes a CBE.

Hodgson, who stepped down as Crystal Palace manager in May, was rewarded for his 45-year-long career in football that has seen him manage 16 clubs in eight countries.

Sterling said: "Receiving this honour is a fantastic feeling and a proud moment - not just for myself but for my family and friends.

"I am grateful to have been recognised but my priority is to try to help to educate society and myself. If it doesn't start from within, then there's no way you can help others. I'm learning every day."

Liverpool captain and England midfielder Jordan Henderson, who becomes an MBE, has been recognised for not only his service to football but also to charity, particularly during Covid-19.

In response to the pandemic, Henderson rallied his fellow captains and players to form the Premier League coronavirus fund to raise money for the NHS.

The midfielder also became an ambassador to NHS Charities Together, an organisation which raises funds for more than 240 National Health Services charities, and dedicated his MBE to NHS staff.

"My family and I feel greatly humbled to be recognised in this way, more so given the reason for it," he said. "There are many privileges that come from playing professional football, but having a platform to promote a charitable cause such as Players Together and NHS Charities Together is as big a privilege as any.

"It's important for me to state that although the honour has been issued to me personally, the credit must be shared to a far larger group of people and I accept this in the knowledge I was part of something special, rather than the reason for it."

Kevin Sinfield, director of rugby at Leeds Rhinos, has become an OBE for his services to rugby league and charitable fundraising.

Sinfield captained Leeds Rhinos before retiring in 2016 and taking up his current position. In recent years, he has been fundraising for motor neurone disease, alongside former team-mate Rob Burrow, who is living with the illness.

The 40-year-old ran seven marathons in seven days, raising £2.2m for research in 2020.

"Ultimately we were all just trying to help a mate," said Sinfield, seven times a Super League Grand Final winner.

On his award, he added: "It is for all those people who have given a little bit of themselves to helping Rob and making his journey a little easier."

Nigel Wood, former chief executive of the Rugby League International Federation, has become an OBE for his services to the sport.

In rugby union, England women's vice-captain Emily Scarratt and coach Simon Middleton have become MBEs, as has Martyn Phillips, the former chief executive of the Welsh Rugby Union.

Former Wales rugby union captain Ryan Jones, who played a part in three Six Nations Grand Slams, has become an MBE for his services to the sport and charitable fundraising in Wales.

Luol Deng, the former Great Britain international selected twice for the NBA All-Star Game, has been recognised for his services to basketball, becoming an OBE.

Former British sprinter Jeanette Kwakye and cricketer Ebony Rainford-Brent, who both become MBEs, were recognised for their services to sport, charity and broadcasting.

Fellow broadcaster Barker, reacting to her CBE, said: "It's an absolute honour to be awarded a CBE. To have your work recognised in such a way brings such a sense of pride," Barker said.

Kelly Simmons, the Football Association's the women's professional game director, has become an OBE for her services to the Women's Super League.

Reflecting on the honours awarded, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: "The Queen's Birthday Honours allow us to pay tribute to all those who have gone above and beyond in their service to this country.

"May they be a reminder of all that we can achieve when we come together as a society."

Sterling's fight for change

Manchester City and England forward Sterling has been a leading campaigner in the fight against racism and discrimination in sport.

Sterling had spoken out against the racist abuse he has received, and has criticised the media's portrayal of black players.

In an interview with the BBC's Newsnight programme in 2020, he spoke of the need to fight racism, making reference to the coronavirus pandemic.

"I know this might sound a little bit cheesy but the only disease right now is the racism that we are fighting," Sterling said.

"This is the most important thing at this moment in time because this is something that is happening for years and years. Just like the pandemic, we want to find a solution to stop it."

The 26-year-old fronted the No Room for Racism campaign, to tackle racism in the Premier League.

He also encouraged players and fans to support a four-day boycott of social media in May - yet then received more racial abuse.

The need for change in the game and society has been recognised throughout the 2020-21 season, with teams taking a knee to highlight racial injustice.

In England's recent Euro 2020 warm-up games against Austria and Romania, boos and jeers could be heard from the stands from some fans objecting to the gesture.

Sterling expressed "real disappointment" that some fans have not understood the reasons behind it.

Queen's Birthday Honours list for sports

Covid Honours

Members of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)

Jordan Henderson (Liverpool and England footballer), for services to football and charity, particularly during the Covid-19 Pandemic.

Dr Jerry Hill (British Horseracing Association chief medical adviser), who devised the detailed coronavirus protocols which enabled horseracing to be the first major sport to resume and without any transmission of the virus.

Jane Nickerson (Swim England chief executive), for services to swimming during the pandemic, with her focus being on children's mental health and life skills.

Non-Covid Honours

Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE)

Sue Barker (sports presenter), for services to sport, broadcasting and charity.

Roy Hodgson (former Crystal Palace manager), for services to football.

Officers of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)

Rimla Akhtar MBE (Co-founder, Muslim Women in Sport Network), for services to equality and diversity in sport.

Alan Coppin (former chair, Sports Grounds Safety Authority), for services to safety in sport.

Luol Deng, for services to basketball.

Brian Ewing (former director, Institute of Sport and Exercise, University of Dundee), for services to sport and Higher Education.

Christopher Grant (board member, Sport England), for services to sport.

Kelly Simmons MBE (Football Association director of the women's professional game), for services to women's football.

Kevin Sinfield MBE (Leeds Rhinos director of rugby), for services to rugby league and charitable fundraising.

John Steele (former English Institute of Sport chair), for services to sport.

Nigel Wood (former Rugby League International Federation chief executive), for services to rugby league football.

Members of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)

Stephen Ball, for services to rugby league charities.

Nigel Carr, for services to sport and community relations.

David Faulkner (Football Association women's professional game and para, head of performance), for services to sport.

Jayne Haines (Women in Sport chair), for services to women's sport.

Giles Hilton (Canterbury Rugby Club chairman and commercial manager), for services to rugby union in Kent.

David Jeffrey (Ballymena United manager), for services to football and community relations in Northern Ireland.

Ryan Jones (former Wales rugby union captain), for services to rugby union and charitable fundraising in Wales.

Jeanette Kwakye (former British sprinter and broadcaster), for services to sports and sports broadcasting.

Alison Hughes (tennis umpire), for services to tennis.

Melanie Marshall (swimming coach), for services to swimming and charity.

Leon Mann (Black Collective of Media in Sport founder), for services to diversity in sport.

Simon Middleton (England rugby union coach), for services to rugby.

Tove Okunniwa (London Sport chief executive), for services to sport.

Bertram Phillips, for services to sport and the community in Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire.

Martyn Phillips (former Welsh Rugby Union chief executive), for services to rugby in Wales.

Ebony Rainford-Brent, for services to cricket and charity.

Emily Scarratt (England vice-captain), for services to rugby union.

John Shiels (Manchester Foundation chief executive), for services to young people through football.

Raheem Sterling (Manchester City and England footballer), for services to racial equality in sport.

Lisa Wainwright, for services to sport.

Medallists of the Order of the British Empire

Robert Angria (Hutchison Ports UK senior manager and Essex Rebels Junior Basketball Club director), for services to underprivileged children in Essex through sport.

Tracy Baker (former administrative officer, HM Courts and Tribunals Service Wales), for services to organ donation and to disability sport.

Lyndsey Barrett (Sport for Confidence founder), for services to disability sport, particularly during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Kiera Byland, for services to sport.

Jane Cepok, for services to the Riding for the Disabled Association, Pony Club and equestrian sport.

Nathan Clarke (South Cheshire Amateur Boxing Club founder), for services to sport and the community in South Cheshire.

Andrew Cochrane, for services to disability sport and mental health awareness.

William Craig, for services to cricket and the community in Eglinton.

Bashir Kara, for services to tennis.

Adam McEvoy, for services to disabled and young people through sport.

Graham Moran, for services to football and the community in Nottingham.

Iain Nairn, for services to physical disabilities cricket.

Julie Nelson, for services to women's football.