Batson, Cram, Sly, Peters And Boyce Are Honoured

Brendan Batson, Steve Cram, Dame Mary Peters and Wendy Sly are among the sporting figures who feature in the New Year Honours list.

However, speculation that England rugby great Jonny Wilkinson was set to receive a knighthood has proved incorrect.

Former West Brom defender Batson, a pioneer for black footballers in the 1970s, has worked for the Professional Footballers' Association and more recently has advised the FA on equality and football development.

Previously an MBE, he will receive an OBE for services to football and said: “When we look at the way things have evolved over the years as a whole, I am very pleased with the development of black players.

“But there is still a long way to go to address the lack of representation in coaching, management and governance."

Former 1500m world champion Cram has been made a CBE in honour of his work as chair of the English Institute of Sport (EIS).

"It's really fantastic to have this recognition, especially all these years after I stopped competing,” said Cram.

"A large part of my journey since then has been the EIS and we have put a lot of things in place to give support to our Olympic programmes.

"We realised we needed a sports science and sports medicine-based arm to look at the little things that make a difference to winning.

“I believe it has had a positive effect for elite sport right across the country."

Peters, from Northern Ireland, won gold in the pentathlon at the 1972 Olympics and was made a Dame in 2000.

She is now made a member of the Order of the Companions of Honour for services to sport and the community in Northern Ireland.

And Sly, who won silver in the 3,000m at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles, receives an MBE for services to athletics.

Britain's FIFA vice-president Jim Boyce, from Northern Ireland, receives an OBE for services to football.

Boyce was severely injured in a Belfast car bomb in 1972 and said: "I would like to dedicate this honour to the people who kept football in Northern Ireland going through the many, many difficult years."

Crewe’s long-serving chairman John Bowler is to be named an MBE and former Portsmouth defender Linvoy Primus receives an MBE for services to football and charity.

England women’s rugby team lifted the World Cup in August and two members of the side are honoured.

Vice-captain Sarah Hunter and prop Rochelle Clark, who is England’s second-most-capped player, both receive MBEs.

Hunter said: "It's a massive honour to be recognised in this way. As a team we have enjoyed incredible success and I'm so proud to be a part of that."

Paul Murphy, a past chairman and president of the Rugby Football Union, receives the British Empire Medal.

And David Collier, who stepped down as chief executive of the England and Wales Cricket Board last summer after a successful 10-year spell, receives an OBE.

There is an MBE for boxer Paddy Barnes, twice an Olympic bronze medallist, who won gold medals for Northern Ireland at the 2010 and 2014 Commonwealth Games.

Barnes said: "I am a proud Irish sportsman, a proud sportsman from Belfast and I take great pride in representing everyone in Ireland, north and south, in whatever way I can.

"If my achievements in boxing can inspire others and people can be united through sport, then my efforts will have been worthwhile."

And there is an MBE in the diplomatic and overseas list for Mark Wood, who lives in Canada but works as coach for the British skeleton team which has achieved gold medals at the last two Winter Olympics.

Kate Richardson-Walsh, the highly regarded captain of the England and Great Britain hockey teams, has been named an MBE.

It was widely reported in recent days that Wilkinson was in line to become ‘Sir Jonny’ and Sir Bob Kerslake, the outgoing head of the Civil Service, says he will look into the issue of individuals being wrongly named as receiving honours.