More than 40 men and women involved in sport were recognised on the New Year Honours List, with Heather Rabbatts and AP McCoy awarded a damehood and knighthood respectively.
Rabbatts, the Football Association’s (FA) only female board member, was awarded for public service and services to football and equality, while McCoy, 41, was recognised for his services to horse racing in a career in which he rode over 4,000 winning horses.
Elsewhere, British Cycling president Robert Howden, Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) president Cathie Sabin and British Canoe Union chief executive Paul Owen were awarded Officers of the Order of the British Empire (OBE), representing a solid haul for sports governing bodies.
Women’s sport was also widely recognised, with two of England’s 2015 football World Cup squad – Steph Houghton and Fara Williams – bestowed with Members of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) titles. England netball squad head coach Tracey Neville was also awarded an MBE, as was Gaynor Jones for her service to golf and the development of women’s golf in Wales.
“Perhaps we are finally reaching the day that we can move away from counting the number of women on the list and focus on their achievements,” said Women in Sport chief executive, Ruth Holdaway.
Elite sportspeople recognised in 2016 included cyclist Chris Froome, snooker player Ronnie O’Sullivan (both OBE) and boxer Carl Frampton (MBE).
Full honours list (sport):
KnighthoodAnthony Peter MCCOY, OBE For services to Horse Racing.
DamehoodMs Heather Victoria RABBATTS, CBE For public service and services to Football and Equality.
Commanders of the Order of British EmpireDenis LAW For services to Football and charity
Francis Henry LEE For services to Football and charity.
John SURTEES, OBE For services to Motorsport.
Officers of the Order of the British EmpireMs Susan BARKER, MBE Sports Commentator. For services to Broadcasting and charity.
Dr Robert Leslie CAUL For services to Education and Sport in Northern Ireland.
Christopher Clive FROOME Professional Road Racing Cyclist. For services to Cycling.
Robert Ellis HOWDEN President, British Cycling. For services to Cycling.
Ronald Antonio O'SULLIVAN Professional Snooker Player. For services to Snooker.
Paul William OWEN lately,Chief Executive, British Canoe Union. For services to Canoeing.
Catherine Mary, Mrs SABIN President, Lawn Tennis Association. For services to Tennis.
Christine Ann, Mrs WELLINGTON, MBE Former Triathlete and Ironman World Champion. For services to Sport and charity.
Members of the Order of the British EmpireYvonne Janet, Mrs ANDERSON Vice-Chair, Special Olympics Scotland. For services to the Special Olympics.
Ian Hugh BEGGS For services to Rugby.
James Ebenezer CALLANDER For voluntary service to Athletics.
Mark CUETO Lately Winger, Sale Rugby Union Football Club. For services to Rugby Union.
Ms Janice Carol EAGLESHAM Co-Founder, Red Star Athletics Club. For services to Disability Sport.
Roger Arnold FENNEMORE Director, SportsAid Eastern. For services to Sport.
Carl Frampton FRAMPTON For services to Boxing.
Roy HARRISON President, Irish Cricket Union. For voluntary service to Cricket in Northern Ireland.
Miss Stephanie Jayne HOUGHTON Captain, England Women's Football Team and Manchester City Women's Football Club. For services to Football.
Gaynor, Mrs JONES For voluntary service to Golf and the Development of Women's Golf in Wales.
Eva Margaret, Mrs LAMBERT For services to Sport, Education and Health in the community in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire.
Brian Russell LEE Chair, Football Conference Trust and President, Football Conference. For services to Football.
Dianne, Mrs MCMILLAN For services to Swimming and Disability Awareness.
Peter MCQUADE Founder, Paris to Hayling Charity Cycle Ride. For services to Charity and Sports Fundraising.
Stephen James MILLER Athlete. For services to Sport.
Ian MIRFIN Co-Founder, Red Star Athletics Club. For services to Disability Sport.
Cargin Nevil MOSS For services to Taekwondo, community and charity.
Ms Tracey NEVILLE Head Coach, England Netball Squad. For services to Netball.
Ms Jacqueline Anne OATLEY Sports Broadcaster and Board Member, Women in Football. For services to Broadcasting and Diversity in Sport.
Michael PUSEY Founder, Peckham BMX Club. For services to Youth Sport in South London.
Ronald Denholm WEBSTER For services to Tennis in Scotland.
Anne, Mrs WHITWORTH For services to Hockey in the North East.
Miss Fara WILLIAMS Midfielder, England Women and Liverpool Ladies. For services to Women's Football and charity.
Medallist of the Order of the British EmpireLeroy Christopher Kenneth ANGEL Rugby Volunteer. For services to Rugby.
Michael BEARD Water Polo Coach and Chair, Solihull Swimming Club. For voluntary service to Swimming and Water Polo.
Christine McDiarmid, Mrs BLACK Badminton Development Officer, East Lothian Council. For services to Badminton in Scotland.
Ms Sharon Lesley BLACKMAN Head Coach, Chichester Fencing Club. For services to Fencing.
David Ian BUCHANAN Secretary, Oban Saints Amateur Football Club. For voluntary service to Football.
Alan CROCKER Founder, Derry Hill United Football Club. For services to Football in Wiltshire.
Leonard John Robert DAVIES For services to Rugby Union in the North West.
Alison Ruth, Mrs GRANT Chair, Hillingdon Slipstreamers Cycling Club. For services to Cycling.
Angus Campbell MCCONNELL For voluntary service to Sport in Scotland.
