Wigan Council will support efforts to ‘overturn the injustice’ in the honours system for rugby league legends.
No rugby league player has been awarded a knighthood or damehood for services to the sport, as the game marks its 130th anniversary this year.
Leader of Wigan Council, Councillor David Molyneux MBE, said the local authority will back calls for recognition, a cause voiced recently in the House of Commons.
Speaking at the March meeting of the full council, Councillor Molyneux, said: “It is a real shame that none of the greats of the game have been given the recognition they deserve through the honours system, in comparison with other sports.
“For many of us in recent years, Kevin Sinfield’s unbelievable charity feats will have brought this to the forefront of our minds. But I also believe we have had some excellent local candidates in Billy Boston and Alex Murphy.
“We will throw our support behind any efforts for the contribution of rugby league within our communities to be rightfully recognised in this way.”
In recent months the campaign has been referenced at Westminster by Makerfield MP Josh Simons, St Helens North MP David Baines and Sir Lindsay Hoyle, the MP for Chorley who is the President of the Rugby Football League. This follows on from calls from Wigan MP Lisa Nandy.
Councillor Molyneux told colleagues at Wednesday’s meeting of the full council that he would be writing to the Honours Committee to voice his views on behalf of the local authority.
He added: “We are proud to be a rugby league heartland and we know the crucial role our clubs, both amateur and professional, play within our communities.
“It is such an important part of a culture and heritage and we will always champion its values and traditions.”
