Raheem Sterling, Jordan Henderson and Ebony Rainford-Brent are among the high-profile sporting personalities to receive MBEs in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list.
Sterling, who has won three Premier League titles with Manchester City, receives his honour for services to racial equality in sport, having spoken out candidly on the issue of racism within the game.
“I am grateful to have been recognised, but my priority is to try to help to educate society and myself,” Sterling said. “If it doesn’t start from within, then there’s no way you can help others. I’m learning every day.
“My motivation for racial equality is to get people to understand the difficulties people from diverse backgrounds face and create an environment where everybody is equal. I feel we are starting to make a step in the right direction, but we still have a lot of work to do.”
Liverpool captain Henderson, a Champions League and Premier League winner in the last two years, receives his MBE for sporting exploits as well as in recognition of his part in forming a charitable fund, Players Together, which supported NHS good causes during the first coronavirus pandemic lockdown last spring.
