The first black footballer to play for Liverpool has turned down an MBE nomination, saying it would be "a betrayal" to Africans who suffered at the hands of the British Empire.
Howard Gayle, 58, was born in Toxteth and made his Reds debut in 1977.
He said he had to decline the nomination, for his Show Racism the Red Card campaign work, as his ancestors would be "turning in their graves".
The Cabinet Office said it did not comment on individual cases.
The former footballer wrote on Facebook: "Most of you who are on my FB page are aware of the work that I do tackling racism and the work I do for Show Racism A Red Card.