JUST one female sportsperson from Northern Ireland featured in the King’s New Year honours list.
Alison Moffitt-Robinson, who served as NI’s first female Chef de Mission for the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, was awarded an MBE.
In sharp contrast, nine NI male sportspeople received honours.
Ballymoney based Alison, a former international javelin thrower, works full time in sports development at Ulster University.
She has been an integral part of Team Northern Ireland at seven Commonwealth Games and four Commonwealth Youth Games, stretching back to Kuala Lumpur in 1998.
The Birmingham Games were NI’s most successful in terms of medal with the team bringing home seven gold, seven silver and four bronze, a total of 18.
Commenting on the NI awards list, Sport NI Interim Chief Executive, Richard Archibald said: “I would like to extend my congratulations to those within our sporting community who have been named in the New Years Honours List.
“2023 has been another incredible year for sport in Northern Ireland with athletes across our funded sports bringing home an amazing 23 international medals, World and European titles and new national and world records.
“After 2022’s most successful Commonwealth Games for Team NI we are delighted to see Robert McVeigh, member and former chair of the Northern Ireland Commonwealth Games Council and Alison Moffitt-Robinson, the first female Chef de Mission for Northern Ireland at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, receive MBEs.
“The honours also recognise the unsung heroes of sport: the coaches, volunteers, officials and administrators without whom sport simply couldn’t happen. These people help change and shape the lives of our community and are the foundations of our sports. It is fantastic to see their dedication and service recognised and the positive role sport plays in our communities.”
