Former England batsman Graham Thorpe and Scotland football captain Barry Ferguson have been awarded MBEs in the Queen's Birthday Honours list.
Graham Thorpe was a shining light for England for 12 years
Thorpe had a prolific career that saw him play in 100 Tests for England while Ferguson has led his club Rangers to two league championships.
Premier League chairman Dave Richards received a knighthood and UK Athletics president Lynn Davies was made a CBE.
But Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard was again omitted from the list.
Gerrard had been expected to receive an honour in the New Year list after leading Liverpool to Champions League glory and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport had tried to win him recognition this time.
Thorpe retired from Test cricket last summer after Kevin Pietersen was selected ahead of him for the epic Ashes series against Australia and ended his career at the end of the county season.
Regarded as the best batsman of his generation, the 36-year-old scored 16 Test centuries and 39 half-centuries while his highest score was 200 not out.
Ferguson, 28, who has won 33 caps for Scotland, was recognised for his services to football after helping Rangers claim the two league titles.
Ferguson is currently in his second spell with Rangers
He spent an 18-month spell in England with Blackburn but returned in January 2005 and was again made captain for the 2005/06 season.
Rangers chairman David Murray said: "Everyone associated with Rangers Football Club is very proud of Barry and I'm sure his family is very proud of the recognition he has had for his football and his charity work."
Premier League chief Richards, formerly chairman of Sheffield Wednesday, said: "For me this is just beyond belief, it's a fantastic honour for me personally and recognition as well for the work the Football Foundation does with kids.
"Many people do not realise just how much the Premier League does for young people through the foundation."
Olympic legend Davies, who won Olympic long-jump gold in 1964, was made a CBE to add to his MBE from 1967.
Davies, who managed the British athletics team at the Games in 1980 and 1984, said: "I was delighted when I found out the news but I see this as recognition for all those volunteers who give up so much of their spare time for athletics."
Former British Olympic hockey player David Luckes, who helped design the original bid for the London 2012 Games, received an MBE.
Gordon Jago, who has managed Millwall, QPR as well as the USA, received an MBE for services to the promotion of international youth football.
Another MBE recipient is Scotland's Olympic silver medal-winning rower Katherine Grainger.
Bill Hogg, the former secretary of the Scottish Rugby Union, is awarded an OBE, as are UK Sport director Liz Nicholl and Football Foundation chief executive Peter Lee.
David Richards, chairman of the FA Premier League and the Football Foundation, for services to sport, Sheffield
Lynn Davies, services to sport, in particular athletics
Bill Hogg, services to Scottish Rugby Union, Edinburgh
Peter Lee, lately chief executive of the Football Foundation, services to sport, Reading
Elizabeth Nicholl, director of UK Sport, services to sport, Hitchin, Hertfordshire
Brigid Simmonds, chief executive of Business in Sport and Leisure, services to sport, London
Brian Conyon, president of Cornwall County Football Association, services to sport, Saltash
Craig Crowley, chair of UK Deaf Sport, services to sport, Shepton Mallett, Somerset
Stephen Curtis, powerboat racer, services to sport, Southampton
Jill Edwards, services to golf in Wales, Cardiff
Barry Ferguson, Rangers and Scotland captain, services to sport, Larkhall, Lanarkshire
Hugh Foster, president of the Northern Ireland Cycling Federation and manager of the Northern Ireland Commonwealth Games cycling squad, services to sport, Newtownabbey, Antrim
Katherine Grainger, rower, services to sport, Maryculter, Aberdeen
Richard Hudson, swimmer, services to disabled sport, Melton Mowbray
Robert Jack, services to bowls, Southport
Gordon Jago, former Millwall, QPR and USA manager, services to the promotion of international youth football
Bernard Lancaster and Valerie Lancaster, coach and co-founders of Banks Gymnastic Club, services to sport in the north west, Southport
Patricia Ann Lovell, senior selector, England women's cricket team, services to sport, Wallington
David Luckes, services to London 2012 Olympic bid, Teddington
John Mackenzie, president of Camanachd Association, services to shinty, Newtonmore, Inverness-shire
Niall McShea, rally driver, services to motor sport, Enniskillen, Fermanagh
Desmond Pastore, services to rugby, Manchester
Colin Philpott, services to sport and the community, Maldon, Essex
Eileen Pitman, coach and founder, Portslade Fencing Club, Lewes
Judith Roe, services to swimming, Torpoint, Cornwall
John Stubbs, archer, services to disabled sport, Warrington
Graham Thorpe, services to cricket, London.