Sportshour is proving age is no barrier to sporting success with Caroline Barker speaking to the 99-year-old swimmer who has broken three world records in the past week.Betty Brussel from Canada has broken the 100-104-year-old age class world record in the 400m freestyle, knocking nearly four minutes off the previous standard, and then repeated her record-breaking performances in 50m backstroke and the 50m breaststroke that same day.We’ll hear from the charity called Tackle, who are using football to sexual health and HIV awareness in Africa.With six months to go until the start of the Paris Olympics, three-time world break dancing champion Menno Van Gorp will be chatting about his preparations as the sport makes its debut at the Games. Bryan’s Gunn is not a messiah, but is he a very naughty boy? We speak to the man behind the social media sensation, who regularly makes fun of footballers and their poor choice of vocabulary.(Image: Betty Brussel with her medals, credit: Hannah Walsh)

Former Premier League footballer George Elokobi is the first Cameroonian to manager an English football club. On Saturday 27th January, he will take charge as Maidstone United face second tier Ipswich Town in the fourth round of the FA Cup. George chats about his managerial ambitions as well as tough upbringing in Cameroon. On Sunday 28th January, it will be International Lego Day. It was on that day, that Danish carpenter Godtfred Kirk Christiansen submitted his patent for the original brick. Former Premier League footballer Darren Ambrose began his hobby when his parents in law bought him the toy as a present. It's since developed into a passion and even a social media channel. Plus, we'll hear from the Mother and Son coaching duo Anne and Tom Davies, who will be leading Team UK’s Flag Football Team at the NFL Pro Bowl Games.

Please note: This programme contains discussions about mental health. If you are suffering distress or despair and need support, you could speak to a health professional, or an organisation that offers support. Details of help available in many countries can be found at Befrienders Worldwide. www.befrienders.orgThe co-founder of campaigning charity Black Trail Runners, Sabrina Pace-Humphreys tells us how the group was founded as a safe space for people of colour to enjoy the outdoors. Pace-Humphreys recalls the racism she has encountered in running, which included being left for dead in the French Alps. She also explains how getting into running helped her cope with severe postpartum depression.Canadian Paralympic shot put champion, Greg Stewart, says his decision to come out of retirement is about more than trying to win a second gold medal in Paris. Stewart tells us he learned a lot about his identity after quitting the sport in 2022.And – Jack Smith discusses overcoming cancer twice, impending fatherhood and how a rugby accident as a teenager left him paralysed. The Great Britain wheelchair rugby player was part of the squad that made history by winning their first ever Paralympic gold medal at the Tokyo Games.Image: Sabrina Pace-Humphreys running on a trail run with a mountain valley in the background. (Photo by James Appleton)

Indian tennis great Leander Paes joins us to reflect on his glittering career ahead of his induction into the International Tennis Hall of Fame. Paes tells us he gave up on his dreams of making it as a footballer with FC Barcelona, when a coach told him he would need to relinquish his Indian passport in favour of a European one, in order to progress in the sport. He also reflects on his early struggles in tennis and how he met Muhammad Ali at the 1996 Olympics after he won a bronze medal at the Games.Zion Clark is an MMA fighter, wrestler and Olympic hopeful. The American was also born with a rare condition called Caudal Regression Syndrome, which left him without legs and after being given up for adoption, he spent his childhood in the care system. He joins us along with his mentor Craig Levinson to discuss his remarkable story.And – former England netballer Sonia Mkoloma tells us how excited she is about being a referee on the television sports entertainment show Gladiators. It's been a hit everywhere from Australia to America and returns to screens in the UK having first had families crowding around their televisions every Saturday night in the 1990s.Photo: Leander Paes of India during his Gentlemen's Doubles first round match with Radek Stepanek of Czech Republic against Mariusz Fyrstenberg of Poland and Rajeev Ram of the United States on day four of the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club at Wimbledon on June 26, 2014 in London, England. (Photo by Steve Bardens/Getty Images)

Erin Holcomb from the Portland Rescue Mission tells Caroline Barker how a pair of anonymously donated retro Nike Air Jordan 3s led to a $50,000 windfall for the charity.The gold and red sneakers were one of only five pairs made for film director Spike Lee, who wore a pair when collecting his Oscar for the movie BlacKkKlansman. The shoes sold at auction for more than double the original estimate of around $20,000.Preet Chandi joins us from the South Pole after she became the world’s fastest woman to complete a solo unsupported ski expedition to the South Pole. The British Army officer tells us she passed the time by visualising her upcoming wedding and explains how you go to the toilet in freezing temperatures in the wilderness.And – we hear from the BBC’s tennis correspondent Russell Fuller and Canadian professional tennis player Vasek Pospisil about how heavy tennis balls are contributing to player injury.Image: A photo of the gold Nike Air Jordan 3s which were donated to Portland Rescue Mission. (Photo by Aaron Ankrom - Portland Rescue Mission)

We look back on some of the most inspiring and moving stories we've brought you this past year.Hear baseball commentator Jerry Schemmel’s story of survival, loss and heroism after he was on board a deadly plane crash. Plus, Carter Crosland the American football coach born without arms or legs.Image: Members of the New England Patriots celebrate with the Vince Lombardi Trophy after defeating the Seattle Seahawks 28-24 in Super Bowl XLIX at University of Phoenix Stadium on February 1, 2015 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

We hear from some of the athletes that have made 2023 such an exciting and successful year for women’s sport. We’ll hear from the stars of the football and netball world cups and with the Olympics on the horizon we hear from those women posed to make their mark in the next 12 months.Image: Karla Pretorius (Vice Captain) of South Africa and Phillipa Yarranton of Wales during the Netball World Cup 2023, Pool C match between South Africa and Wales at Cape Town International Convention Centre Court 1 on July 28, 2023 in Cape Town, South Africa. (Photo by Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images/Netball World Cup 2023 via Getty Images)

Boston defender Sophie Jaques and the founder of Black Girl Hockey Club, Renee Hess, tell us how they fell in love with ice hockey and how they’re working to make the sport more inclusive.Hess founded the organisation after discovering the sport as a fan but noticing there weren't many people who looked like her in the crowd. Jaques is now a board member of Black Girl Hockey Club and says she takes her position as a role model seriously. Jenni Forbes explains the Australian sport of Swish, which is also known as vision impaired table tennis. It is sometimes likened to a mixture of traditional table tennis and air hockey, and can be enjoyed by people with varying visual impairments.And, Women’s World Snooker Tour player Varshaa Sanjeev Kumar tells us about her passion for film making. She discusses making a film inspired by the story of her mother and how she would like to get into working behind the camera on sports broadcasts. (Photo: Sophie Jaques of the Ohio State Buckeyes poses for a portrait after winning the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award during the 2023 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award Ceremony at Amsoil Arena on March 18, 2023 in Duluth, Minnesota. Credit: Justin Berl/Getty Images)

Former Eagles player Connor Barwin discusses producing ‘A Philly Special Christmas Special’ – the latest charity record released by players from the NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles and special guests. Barwin tells us the late Shane McGowan endorsed the Kelce brothers reworking of Fairytale of New York and that he’ll do all he can to get Taylor Swift to feature on their next album.Dorna Longbut tells us about making a new career in Para Sport after her dreams of playing rugby league for Papa New Guinea were ended by a serious injury. At the time her mother was also being treated for cancer and following her death Longbut initially turned her back on playing sports.And – Finland's ambassador to the UK - Jukka Siukosaari - discusses the campaign to preserve a little-known venue for the 1948 London Olympics – the Finnish Sauna Baths.Photo: Jason Kelce #62 of the Philadelphia Eagles talks to brother Travis Kelce #87 of the Kansas City Chiefs after their game at Arrowhead Stadium on November 20, 2023 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Credit: Getty Images)

New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman discusses how he’s raising awareness of homelessness through his annual Sleep Out in aid of Covenant House, an organisation that helps young homeless people. Cashman says the issue is getting worse and he chats about some of the charity’s success stories.Lopez Sanusi tells us about his dreams of making it in the NFL and winning multiple Super Bowls after committing to Division 1 college Boise State just two years after taking up American Football. Sanusi was born in Ireland and grew up in Nigeria and the US. He says living in Nigeria turned his life around.Mark Waldon explains how a near-death experience with Covid-19 led to him becoming a champion arm wrestler. The 54-year-old grandfather talks us through his training regime and how he’s left walking like a Tyrannosaurus Rex following competitions.Image: New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman preparing for the annual Sleep Out. (Photo by Aaron Almendral)

Erin Matson reflects on leading the North Carolina Tar Heels field hockey team to the NCAA national championship in her first year as head coach. The 23-year-old had previously won four titles as a player and tells us about their celebrations, being compared to Michael Jordan and proving the doubters wrong. Sierra Leonean sprinter Hafsatu Kamara discusses representation and being a role model. She was one of only four athletes to represent her country at the Tokyo Olympics and recalls a father in Sierra Leone reaching out to her at the Rio Olympics to tell her how much she had inspired his daughter. Alex Witty explains how experimenting at University led to him making training shoes from discarded Formula 1 tyres. The trainers he’s created have soles made from combined race tyre rubber and recycled natural rubber. Image: Head Coach Erin Matson of the North Carolina Tar Heels is lifted up by her team after defeating the Northwestern Wildcats for the national title during the Division I Women's Field Hockey Championship held at Karen Shelton Stadium on November 19, 2023 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Photo by Jamie Schwaberow/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)

Sweden rugby union captain Amanda Swartz tells us about growing up as a competitive figure skater and why she decided to switch sports. The Leicester Tigers player is keen to change perceptions of female rugby players and combines playing for the club, with working in their ticket office. Will Greenwood and his wife Caro discuss the pain of losing a child and the work they do to support research into premature births. Their first child Freddie passed away after being born prematurely and Caro then experienced problems during her pregnancy with Archie. At the time, Will left England’s squad at the World Cup in Australia to be at his wife’s side before she told him to return to the group. He was then part of a World Cup winning team and their son Archie was born later. Grace Jale tells us about reconnecting with her Fijian roots. The Perth Glory forward made history at the Women’s World Cup by becoming the first player of Fijian descent to be called up by New Zealand. She says it was a huge moment for her extended family and reveals why she was told she made the squad by e-mail. Photo: Amanda Swartz in action for Sweden (Credit: Amanda Swartz)

Taehoon “Andy” Ki, tells us how he fell in love with Scunthorpe United after discovering them when playing Fifa Online 3 and about his recent trip to watch the English non-league side play. Ki made the 14 hour journey to Glanford Park in October amidst fears it could be the club’s final ever home game. He also discusses his extensive football shirt collection, reveals who his footballing hero is and tells us how he keeps up to date with the club from over five thousand miles away. Australia’s Jessie Smith chats to us about the impact Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) has had on her life and the adjustments she has made to continue competing in dressage. CRPS is known as one of the most painful conditions in the world where a person experiences persistent severe and debilitating pain. And – Great Britain’s Julia Davis tells us about competing in an ultra-marathon with a difference. She recently finished third in the 100 kilometre Kullamannen race in Sweden, which is named after a mythical immortal knight who takes the side of the weak towards their oppressors. Competitors in the race start behind a knight on horseback before “sprinting” to the finish. Image: Andy Ki in front of a Scunthorpe United Supporters Society flag ahead of Scunthorpe United’s National League North game against Brackley Town. (Photo courtesy of Andy Ki)

Jamie MoCrazy tells us how she’s rebuilt her life and become an advocate for survivors of brain injury after almost being killed in a skiing accident. MoCrazy was seriously injured when attempting a trick at freestyle skiing’s World Tour Finals in Canada in 2015. She has since returned to the mountain to get married and is back skiing. Professional mixed martial artist and former footballer Aaron Aby discusses being an athlete with cystic fibrosis, exceeding medical expectations and overcoming stage 3 testicular cancer. Aby’s parents were told he was unlikely to live beyond his teenage years but that didn’t stop him becoming a promising footballer, who played in Wales youth teams with Aaron Ramsey, before switching to Mixed Martial Arts. Caroline Marks tells us how her family helped her reach the top of surfing, why she’s inspired by Simone Biles and how she has unfinished business at the Paris Olympics. The American prodigy became a World Champion for the first time earlier this year. Image: Jamie MoCrazy back skiing on the slopes following her injury. (Photo courtesy of Jamie MoCrazy)

Chuck Goldstein tells us how a 5G connected football helmet is helping him communicate with his deaf quarterback in a way which was unthinkable before. Goldstein is head coach of a team of deaf and hard of hearing players at Gallaudet University and he believes the technology could reduce potential injuries and allow deaf players to potentially make a career in the sport. Ciara McCormack explains her plans to put players at the centre of everything she does following her takeover of Treaty United in Limerick. The former Republic of Ireland defender says the country saved her following the abuse she encountered in Canadian football. And Neil Jones tells us how winning the National Lottery set him on a path towards captaining England’s pool team. One of the first things Jones bought with his winnings was a pool table. Image: Image: Gallaudet University quarterback Brandon Washington wears a special augmented reality visor, allowing to visualise football plays. (Credit: AT&T/Gallaudet University)

Tom Willis was born without arms and recently completed a 15-year journey to throw out a ceremonial pitch at all 30 Major League Baseball stadiums across the USA. He discusses how he pitches a baseball, the inspiration for his Pitch for National Awareness tour and how changing perceptions of people with disabilities is important to him. Tom’s philosophy is "I want people to focus on what I can do, rather than what I can't”. Andrew Edwards explains how falling in love with cricket as a child has helped him with his autism. Edwards tells us all his worries slip away when he’s watching a test match, how loud music at T20 games affects him and how the very clear rules in cricket can make the sport appealing to people who are neurodiverse. And – Sydney Giants star Nicola Barr tells us how she got interested in environmentalism and her fears for the future of elite and grassroots sport. Barr recalls her friends shoe melting on the tarmac because of the high temperatures in Sydney. Image: Tom Willis continues first-pitch dream at Yankee Stadium prior to the Major League Baseball game between the Toronto Blue Jays and the New York Yankees on September 19, 2023 at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, New York. (Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

India versus Pakistan is one of the biggest fixtures in world sport, but what is it that makes this rivalry so significant? Sportshour’s Shabnam Younus-Jewell hears from both sides during a discussion exploring the sporting, political, religious and cultural impact on cricket’s fiercest fixture. Joining Shabnam for is "Cricket with an Accent" podcast host and Indian Saqib Ali with regular contributor to the cricket podcast scene Zainub Razvi and Assad Hasnain of the "Pace is Pace Yaar" podcast who are both supporting Pakistan. All three guests have moved to North America, but distance hasn't dulled their cricketing intensity over the differences and similarities of the two nations. Plus... The incredible challenge that adventurer and Antarctic explorer Sam Cox will attempt next month - a record breaking, solo crossing of Antarctica, completely unsupported. The former soldier tells us about the training and challenges that lie ahead of him - and how long he might take to conquer the frozen desert, all alone... Photo: India's wicketkeeper Ishan Kishan (CL) comforts Pakistan's Agha Salman (CR) after he was injured after being hit in the face with the ball from the bowling of India's Ravindra Jadeja (not pictured) during the Asia Cup 2023 super four one-day international (ODI) cricket match between India and Pakistan at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on September 11, 2023. (Credit: FAROOQ NAEEM/AFP via Getty Images)

India versus Pakistan is one of the biggest fixtures in world sport, but what is it that makes this rivalry so significant? Sportshour’s Shabnam Younus-Jewell hears from both sides during a discussion exploring the sporting, political, religious and cultural impact on cricket’s fiercest fixture. Joining Shabnam for is "Cricket with an Accent" podcast host and Indian Saqib Ali with regular contributor to the cricket podcast scene Zainub Razvi and Assad Hasnain of the "Pace is Pace Yaar" podcast who are both supporting Pakistan. All three guests have moved to North America, but distance hasn't dulled their cricketing intensity over the differences and similarities of the two nations. Image: Pakistan's Iftikhar Ahmed (C) plays a shot as India's KL Rahul (L) looks on during the Asia Cup 2023 super four one-day international (ODI) cricket match between India and Pakistan at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on September 11, 2023. (Photo by ISHARA S.KODIKARA/AFP via Getty Images)

Rudie van Vuuren holds a unique double. He is the only man to play in a Rugby World Cup and a Cricket World Cup when he represented Namibia in both competitions in 2003. As the two competition play out in 2023 He's been recalling the good and the bad of the tournaments he played in exactly 20 years ago Photo: (L) Rudie van Vuuren taking part in the 2003 Cricket World Cup for Namibia (R) Rudie van Vuuren taking part in the 2003 Rugby World Cup for Namibia (CREDIT: Getty)

Canadian goalkeeper Rylee Foster discusses signing for Wellington Phoenix two years after a near-fatal car accident left her with seven fractured bones in her neck. Doctors feared she would never play football again and for a time she had to wear a “halo” device. Foster believes she’s a braver person for all she has been through and tells us about her recovery and the significance of her 10:16 tattoo. Brazilian weightlifter Monique Araujo tells us how competing for a refugee team at the recent IWF World Championships has helped save her life. She fled her home country after being targeted due to her sexual orientation. Plus, Jo Butterfield describes how she’s continuing to train for the 2026 Winter Paralympics, while undergoing treatment for breast cancer. The wheelchair curler – who won Gold in the Club throw at the 2016 Summer Games - is aiming to become the first athlete from Great Britain to win Gold in a Summer and Winter Paralympics. Photo: Rylee Foster celebrates after the Barclays FA Women's Championship match between Liverpool and Sheffield United at Prenton Park. (Credit: Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

Zimbabwean UFC fighter Themba Gorimbo tells Sportshour’s Caroline Barker how his story of struggle led Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson to buy him a house. As a 16-year-old, Gorimbo became a self-confessed diamond thief in the dangerous fields of Marange following the death of both of his parents. He then moved to South Africa and took up mixed martial arts before landing a contract with the UFC. Facing a must win fight, Gorimbo woke up with flu and after buying medicine was left with just seven dollars in the bank. He won the fight and a screenshot he posted of his bank account led to a meeting with “The Rock”. Estonian open water swimmer Merle Liivand chats to us about breaking world records, collecting garbage from the ocean as she swims and being thought of as a real-life mermaid. And - we hear why it has been a significant week for the Marshall Islands on the road to having a national football team, from their technical director, Lloyd Owers. Image: Themba Gorimbo steps on the scale for the official weigh-in at the UFC Apex for UFC Vegas 73 - Dern vs Hill - weigh-ins on May 19, 2023, at the Sante Fe Station Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, NV. (Photo by Louis Grasse/PxImages/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

England played Scotland this week to celebrate the 150th anniversary of football's oldest international fixture. As is tradition when England play away, sections of Hampden Park in Glasgow were adorned with the flag of St George. For the diehard fans they're a display of patriotism, but for artist Corbin Shaw they're the basis of his work. Instead of displaying the names of English football teams, Corbin's flags have phrases like "Soften up, hard lad" as he aims to challenge the sports aggressively macho culture. He's been telling us about how his families life-long love of Sheffield United has inspired his work Peter Gould, a businessman from England went on holiday to Jamaica and fell in love with the island and it's people. So Peter moved there and invested his time and money into creating the Mount Pleasant football academy. The senior first team won the Jamaican top flight title and recently sold Trivante Stewart to Salernitana this becoming the first Jamaican to play in Serie A. What if exercise could lead to reductions in carbon emissions? Sounds impossible? Well the The EcoAthletes Cup did just that at college campuses across the United States. Every step, stroke or lap completed by students was converted into "environmental currency" and invested in projects to remove carbon from the atmosphere. Clemson University in South Carolina were the overall winners, their captain was rower Anna Klenke With the Rugby World Cup in full flow you might have had your interest in the game piqued... And like many, you may be unfamiliar with some of the terminology used in the game. Or indeed wondering where they come from?! Well Sportshour's very own Caroline Barker has been speaking to Simon Horobin, Professor of English at Oxford University about flankers and scrums Image: "Soften Up Hard Lad" by artist Corbyn Shaw

The Rugby World Cup is underway. From when William Webb Ellis first picked up and ran with a football in 1823 and the sport of Rugby was born, to now, and the playing for the trophy in his name. Alix Popham proudly represented Wales at two World Cups, including the last time it was held in France. Undoubtedly the pinnacle of any sporting career with memories to last a life time. Sadly not for Alix... Because now, aged just 43, he lives with early-on-set dementia When Arcangelo crossed the line first in the Belmont Stakes earlier this year, it was a hugely significant moment in horse racing. The first time a triple crown race - one of the most prestigious in the sport - had been won by a female trainer. Jena Antonucci is her name and as Arcangelo approached the finish line her excitement could be heard by all those around her. What did you do last weekend? Watched some TV? Go out shopping? Maybe a stroll in the country?! Well that's just not enough for some people... Particularly ultra endurance marathon runners! People like Jon Albon. Jon spent last weekend winning the 100 kilometre Courmayeur-Champex-Chamonix, known as the "CCC". He's now won two of the three races that make up the infamous "Ultra-Trail Mont Blanc"... So when in a 100km race dose it begin to hurt!? The US Open will crowns it's champions this weekend. Men's finalist Danill Medvedev said earlier in week he feared "one player is going to die" because of the extreme heat. Meanwhile home favourite and women's finalist Coco Gauff had her semi final victory interrupted for nearly an hour by environmental protesters. Well someone who has long spoken out about the damage to sport climate change is reeking is New Zealand player Marcus Daniell. A member of the EcoAthletes, a collective of likeminded sport stars, he has been telling about the climate and his other off court activities, but also about what it's like to experience that winning moment. In Tokyo last year he doubles partner Michael Venus picked up Olympic bronze for New Zealand... So how did they handle that moment? Some sink to the court on their knees, others straight to the net for the hand shake and a reserved fist bump. For others... you're a blubbering wreck... Like Marcus Daniell did. As you'll hear the two men had very different reactions to their moment of victory! Image: Alix Popham (C) of Wales celebrates as the final whistle blows during the RBS Six Nations Championship match between England and Wales at Twickenham on February 2, 2008 in London, England. (Photo by Tom Shaw/Getty Images)

It was John Lennon who said "Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans!" and that's certainly true for Olympic gold medal winning Triathlete Jess Learmonth. Jess had her sights firmly set on retaining the title she won in Tokyo when Paris rolls around next year, but then an unexpected and wonderful thing happened. She became pregnant! Her due date is in just two weeks time, but that doesn't mean she isn't still eyeing up an Olympic berth in Paris On Thursday the new NFL season kicks off. One man sure to be watching will be Marc Buoniconti. He comes from American football royalty. His dad Nick was a Hall of Famer, a star of the unbeaten Dolphins team of 1972, still the only side to go undefeated throughout an entire season. Marc was all set to carve out his own NFL career when at the age of just 19 he suffered a spinal chord injury whilst playing at college; in that moment his life changed forever. Marc has been telling Sportshour's Shari Vahl about his tragic and yet remarkably uplifting story Imagine scuba diving without a breathing apparatus, diving down hundreds of feet on a single breath and holding it for as long as three and a half minutes. That's freediving and extreme sport that's growing in popularity and interest. But it's also one of the most dangerous. Alessia Zecchini is the world record holder and was recently subject of a documentary " The Deepest Breath " So what drives her to pursue such a dangerous and deadly pursuit? Sportshour's Stefano Montali has been delving deep : TOKYO, JAPAN - JULY 27: Jessica Learmonth of Team Great Britain reacts during the Women's Individual Triathlon on day four of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Odaiba Marine Park on July 27, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

We're at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest catching up on the latest action. Plus, the Women's World Cup has undoubtedly spurred a new generation of fans to the game. Street corners, parks and any where a game can be played is now almost as likely to be filled with youngsters wearing shirts with Carmano, Kerr or Bronze on the back of their shirts as Ronaldo, Messi or Kane. But up until Thursday, and despite her penalty saving heroics in the final, one replica shirt you couldn't buy was that of England Goalkeeper Mary Earps. Well after calls from fans and even a petition, Nike have finally succumbed. In a statement they said "Nike has secured limited quantities of goalkeeper jerseys for England, U.S., France, and the Netherlands... We recognize that during the tournament we didn’t serve those fans who wished to show their passion and support to the squad's goalkeepers. So why does it matter? We speak to Alex Ireland who is the author of the recently published Pretty Poly: The History of the Football Shirt’ Tony Gale won the Premier League with Blackburn in 1995, but started his career alongside the great George Best. No surprise then that Tony was known throughout his career as a bit of a character in the dressing room! He's just released his autobiography called "That's Entertainment" and he told us what it was like to be an apprentice at Fulham in the 1970's alongside some of the biggest names to ever to play the game. Photo: Gold medallist Gianmarco Tamberi of Team Italy celebrates after winning the Men's High Jump Final during day four of the World Athletics Championships Budapest 2023 at National Athletics Centre on August 22, 2023 in Budapest, Hungary. (Credit: Mattia Ozbot/Getty Images)

We preview the Women's World Cup final between England and Spain and review the tournament as a whole. Former Italian international goalkeeper Arianna Criscione, who told us before the tournament she wanted to see plenty of shock results and a narrowing of the gap between the best and the rest, certainly got what she wanted. But what else caught her eye and what room for improvement is still there on and off the pitch It's not just on the pitch that attitudes and actions are changing, but off it too. Belinda Goh is an architect and designer for Populus, an Australian architectural firm and was heavily involved in the design of "the Home of the Matilda's" one of very few training facilities specifically designed for women, by women. It's less than a year until the Olympics in Paris and as always one of the most watched events will be the athletics but this years World Championships are more than just a staging post to the Games in 2024... On man hoping to make his mark is Sam Mattis. Sam has had an interesting route to elite sport, his "sliding doors" moment happened a few years back when he gave up a potentially lucrative career on Wall Street to pursue his Olympic dream. An athlete and a campaigner on social issues, he is part of the EcoAthlete collective (www.ecoathlete.org) Plus, out on the high seas another Olympic discipline is finding it's World Champion and making waves ahead of the Paris Games. (Photo: England celebrate reaching the World Cup final Credit: Getty)

The World Track Cycling Championships have been taking place in Glasgow, and the home crowd have had plenty to cheer. Success included Neah Evans, and her partner Elinor Barker, crowned world champions in the Madison, a team event as much about tactics as strength and speed. A crash in the race threatened to derail everything, but was Neah's previous experience as a veterinarian surgeon the difference in seeing them over the line?! Sport and music can sometimes have an uneasy relationship, from professional athletes with questionable vocals or novelty groups releasing silly songs about winning the World Cup or drinking at the World Cup. Or both. Well with the release of their fourth album 'Grand Salami Time', The Baseball Project have proved that great music and great sport can mix. Hardly surprising though, the group is made up of two members of R.E.M, one of the best known artists of the last thirty years. Scott McCaughey, often referred to as the unofficial 5th member of REM, is also part of the Project and told us about their unique mix of beats and baseball, home runs and hit singles. We are also at the Women's World Cup where New Zealand are preparing to host their last game, the semi final between Spain and Sweden. The co- hosts’ welcome will live long in the memory, as will their win over the former champions Norway in the opening match... but it has also meant an introduction to a Māori traditional dance called Poi. Photo: Great Britain's Neah Evans and Elinor Barker celebrate winning gold in the women's Elite Madison race during the UCI Cycling World Championships in Glasgow, Scotland on August 7, 2023 (Credit: ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP via Getty Images)

It’s a Sportshour special with Caroline Barker at the Netball World Cup in Cape Town. It’s the first time the tournament has been held in Africa and we’ll hear from former Proteas players Zanele Mdodana and Vanes-Mari du Toit about the impact of hosting the event for South Africa. We’ll also hear from Uganda’s Peace Proscovia about how the game lifted her and her family out of poverty. It must be very special to represent your country. Doubly so if you can do it alongside your sister! Well, that's what Sasha and Kadeen Corbin did when they played for England, but as their career come towards a close, they are back - but not for England - this time they are proudly representing Barbados . On the side-line, we speak to arguably the best coach in the business, the defending champions New Zealand’s Dame Noelene Taurua. We hear from a player who says climate change ended her career. Former Australian international Amy Steel says environmental change had a drastic, life changing effect on her health. Amy is part of the EcoAthletes collective, who focus on raising awareness of environmental issues. www.ecoathletes.org We'll also hear from England star Geva Mentor on the only trophy missing in her cabinet - a World Cup. This is a record equalling sixth World Cup appearance for Geva. Photo: Karla Pretorius (Vice Captain) of South Africa and Phillipa Yarranton of Wales during the Netball World Cup 2023, Pool C match between South Africa and Wales at Cape Town International Convention Centre Court 1 on July 28, 2023 in Cape Town, South Africa. (Photo by Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images/Netball World Cup 2023 via Getty Images)

As the Women's World Cup continues we look at the drama behind the French women's national football team have been through this past couple of years. We get a potted history of this unsettling period for 'Le Blues' from author Professor Lindsay Krasnoff This week the UN said this month is on course to be the world's hottest on record... and whilst Southern Europe is suffering with wild fires, catastrophic flooding has affected other parts of the world most recently the US state of Vermont, tucked up high on the countries East Coast. Renowned for it's snow capped mountains, it has produced many a Winter Olympic star, including biathlete Susan Dunklee, who was just one of those who has been affected by the weather Sami Jo Small has always taken on difficult challenges head on... She studied the traditionally male dominated field of mechanical engineering at Stanford University, made an appearance on cult Canadian sitcom 'Letterkenny' playing herself and was part of the first Canadian women's Ice hockey team to win gold at an Olympics, and it's difficult no to admire those achievements even when you consider the level of fortitude she needed to stand a chance of succeeding Photo: Brazil and Panama in action at the Women's World Cup 2023 in Adelaide, Australia. (Credit: Sarah Reed/Getty Images)

We meet some of the character, on and off the field, as the Women's World Cup finally gets underway. What does it take to win a stage of the Tour de France, and could anyone do it?! I think we all know the answer to that, but it hasn't stopped author James Witts. James' new book "Riding with the Rocketmen" is all about his attempt to ride a single stage of the tour, despite being "45 years old with fatty deposits" (his words not ours) So did James complete his challenge, and what did he learn about what athletes have to go through to win that yellow jersey. Photo: USA lift the trophy after victory in the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup (Credit: Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)

This weekend will see the world's most famous Grand Slam crown it's champions but what's it really like to take part in such a momentous occasion? The All England Club has opened a new entrance for the players which sees them head to the dressing rooms and eventually on to centre court  we're given an exclusive tour by the tournament director Jamie Baker. And once you have walked you from the entrance to the baseline?! How do you make sure you perform to the very best of your ability, in the most pressurised moment of your career? Well one person who knows exactly what it feels like, and how to harness that emotion, is Monica Puig. In 2016 she won the women's single title at the Rio Olympics, it was the first ever gold medal Puerto Rico had won. The pressure she faced that day was enormous, but she dealt with it and has been revealing her secrets having been forced to retire from the game in the last year aged 28 The Women's World Cup in Australian and New Zealand gets under way on Thursday. We look ahead to the tournament with the former Italian international and Paris Saint Germain goalkeeper Arianna Criscione. Arianna was not only a top professional, she used her time in football understanding the industry beyond the pitch... Armed now with a Masters in business, she is ready to revolutionise the sport off the pitch, and is just as excited about what's about to happen on it! Arianna is also a passionate advocate for the environment and is a member of EcoAthlete, a collective of athletes raising awareness of climate change. https://www.ecoathletes.org Photo: Detail view of the Venus Rosewater Dish trophy for winning the Women's Singles Final at the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championship (Credit: Gary M. Prior/Getty Images)

We're at Wimbledon hearing about how The Ukrainian tennis project is helping one young player realise her Wimbledon dream after fleeing from her war torn home. Plus we are given a tour of the picturesque ground of the All England Club head gardener Martyn Falconer. Plus, while the biggest stars in tennis are on the court at Wimbledon, Rufus, an American Harris hawk, is there every day to keep an eye out for pigeons. His job is to patrol the skies, scare away pigeons and stop them eating the grass. Jamie Broughton met up recently with Rufus while on patrol with his handler, Donna Davis. And away from SW19, to a sporting event where for some, the hardest part is simply getting to the venue! The bi-annual Islands Games get underway on the Channel Island of Guernsey on Saturday. The Games brings together athletes from some of the remotest islands around the world for a week of sporting competition Jorgen Peterson is chair of the Island Games and lives on the island of Aland in the Baltic Sea in between Sweden and Finland And former world triathlon champion in her age group, Kate Strong who is exactly one month in to a 3 month, 4000 kilometre cycle challenge around Britain on a bike made out of bamboo! She's doing it to highlight the plight of the planet. Photo: Iga Swiatek in action at Wimbledon (Credit: Getty Images)

On this week’s Sportshour, we’re joined by a woman with a claim for having the strongest arm in Africa. Grace Mintah works as a police officer in Ghana but she also happens to be a three-time champion at the African Arm-Wrestling Championship. She tells Caroline Barker about switching from athletics to arm-wrestling, her dream of becoming a “superstar”, and one day winning an Olympic gold medal. The president of the African Arm-Wrestling Federation, Charles Osei-Asibey also discusses the rise in the sport’s popularity. We also meet Claire Lomas, a former equestrian event rider who was paralysed from the chest down after a horse riding accident in 2007. Since then she’s raised over £850,000 for spinal injury charities by taking on sporting challenges, such as walking the London Marathon using a robotic suit, which she completed in 17 days. To mark the start of the 110th edition of cycling’s Tour de France, Sportshour heads back in time to 1989 when American Greg LeMond recovered from being shot in a hunting accident to win cycling’s most prestigious event by just eight seconds. The Last Rider is a documentary film which tells Lemond’s story and Caroline is joined by its director, Alex Holmes. It’s also the start of Wimbledon and apart from the tennis, it’s a competition known for its strawberries. They are grown on a farm in Kent, which has supplied the All England Club for more than 30 years, and Sportshour's Jamie Broughton went down to try them. Photo: Competitors in action during The 14th Annual CT Fall Classic, Arm Wrestling Challenge. (Credit: Corbis via Getty Images)

On this week’s Sportshour, former British athlete Hannah England joins us after having her voice cloned by artificial intelligence. You can hear “Hannah-bot” delivering updates from the European Team Athletics Championships in Poland on YouTube, with tennis’ Wimbledon set to follow suit over the next few weeks. Is a new era of sports commentary being ushered in? This week is World Refugee Week and to mark the occasion we’re joined by 20-year-old Benham, who has been living in the United Kingdom since fleeing Iran in 2019. After the trauma of having to leave his home, family, friends and education, Benham has suffered from anxiety and depression. He tells Caroline Barker that playing sport has been the key to rediscovering happiness, sharing details of his recent trip to Wimbledon where he received tennis coaching and got a glimpse of Centre Court. We’re joined by two of the Woolf Women – an all-female group of downhill skateboarders who, following the sudden death of one of the group’s father, decided to embark on a 3500 mile trip across Europe. A film is being released documenting their journey, with Anna Pixner and Alejandra Cardenas stopping by to tell us all about the sport and their hopes of getting it into the Olympic Games. Plus, after teaching her how to play rugby league over Zoom during the covid-19 pandemic, York Valkyrie’s Lindsay Anfield went to visit her close friend Fortunate Irankunda in Uganda, as the former rugby union player tries to develop the sport in her country. She took half a dozen of her team out with her to run training sessions, school mini-tournaments, referee workshops and provide equipment. We’ll hear how it went. Photo: European Athletics Commentator, Hannah England at work during day two of the European Games 2023 at Silesian Stadium on June 21, 2023 in Silesia, Poland. (Credit: Getty Images)

It’s one of the most historic and fearsome sporting rivalries – The Ashes as World Champions Australia up against a reborn England team – There is no contest quite like it. With the series underway, have you ever wondered why this cricketing duel between Australia and England is called The Ashes? For that we go back to a Test Match at the Oval in South London in 1882 when Australia recorded their first ever win over England. Neil Robinson of the MCC explains the story. Plus, we are on the road with the power couple of Squash, Ali Farag and Nour El Tayeb of Egypt recently won their respective singles titles at the Manchester Open. As often is the case with elite sport, the journey to the top brings its challenges from dealing with setbacks to travelling on tour with their young daughter so how do they juggle family life with being the best Squash players in the world? Ali will explain all. Over the next week, Germany will welcome 7,000 athletes from approximately 190 countries to compete in 26 sports in the Special Olympics. For one athlete, his life would have looked radically different if it wasn't for sport. Seven years ago, Gilmour Borg from Malta, joined the Special Olympics team which he says "transformed him as a person". Gilmour is now an ambassador for The Games and has been telling about those struggles during his teenage years that left him isolated and afraid. If you have been impacted by Gilmour's story, advice and help is available, visit BBC Action Line for more information. Photo: A replica Ashes Urn is photographed prior to an Australia nets session at Edgbaston on June 15, 2023 in Birmingham, England. (Credit: Getty Images)

Turkish runner Emine Hatun Mechaal explains how holding the Champions League final in Istanbul is providing hope to people from her country following February’s devastating earthquake. Mechaal recalls visiting her home city in the aftermath of her emotional performance at the European Indoor Championships in March and tells us she lost 40 friends and family to the disaster. Hari Budha Magar reflects on making history as the first double above-knee amputee to scale Mount Everest. Magar lost his legs in an explosion while he was serving for the British Army in Afghanistan, and says he took on the challenge to change perceptions about people with disabilities. Plus, triathlete Emma Pallant-Browne discusses normalising conversations about periods, after sharing a photo of her competing where she bled through her swimsuit. Photo: A giant replica of the Champions League trophy is seen in front of Taksim Mosque ahead of the UEFA Champions League 2022/23 final on June 9, 2023 in Istanbul, Turkey. (Credit: Getty Images)

Sportsworld’s Lee James joins us live from Wembley ahead of the first-ever Manchester derby in the FA Cup final and Maz Farookhi joins us live from Eindhoven ahead of the Women’s Champions League final. The Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, tells us the fact Manchester United and Manchester City are facing each other proves his area is the biggest football city in the world. We also hear from Alex Rowe and Jack Dormer about how they’ve managed to get to a game in every round of this year’s FA Cup. As he prepares to race in the Epsom Derby for the final time, jockey Frankie Dettori jokes he missed seeing Elton John to speak to us along with describing the emotions around a race he compares to the Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix. Young, strong, and Muslim. We meet powerlifter Tahirah Ali who is becoming a sports role model among Muslim women. Ali tells us how she’s helped get the rules around clothing changed to allow her to wear a hijab while competing in events. And - the four-time freestyle world champion kayaker – Dane Jackson – tells us about tackling the feared Santo Domingo Gorge in Mexico. (Image: A view of the FA Cup trophy prior to the FA Cup Semi Final match between Manchester City and Sheffield United at Wembley Stadium. Photo by Michael Regan - The FA/The FA via Getty Images)

The Philadelphia Eagles set up a girls Flag Football league in 2022, which has subsequently grown to 52 teams and this year they’ll donate over 30,000 sports bras to athletes in need. Palumbo Lady Griffins player Ruth Duink and her coach Chris Donnelly discuss how having access to sports bras has boosted the girls confidence out on the field. Loni Bergqvist tells us how she found love while hiking the famous Camino del Santiago. The American former teacher booked the trip while at a crossroads in her life and met her husband Kjarten, who was also restless in his own life. The couple now live in Denmark with their three children. And - Manchester City and Netherlands defender Kerstin Casparij joins us to chat about her love of gaming. Casparij fell in love with video games by watching her father play Lara Croft: Tomb Raider when she was younger and says at City they try and score “FIFA type” goals. (Photo: Palumbo Griffins at Lincoln Financial Field, the home of the Philadelphia Eagles. Credit: Philadelphia Eagles)

Former Nigeria goalkeeper Carl Ikeme discusses his move into Mixed martial arts and says there is something very humbling about being choked out in the cage. Ikeme’s football career was cut short after he was diagnosed with leukemia in 2017. He reflects on that period of his life and tells us he’s only recently been able to enjoy watching football again. Great Britain sitting volleyball player Nicole ‘Jodi’ Hill chats to us as the team set out on the road to potential qualification for Paris 2024 by playing in the Silver Nations League. Hill tells us she had a leg amputation after nine years of failed attempts to save her ankle after she fell off a balcony. And - Dr Lindsay Sarah Krasnoff explains the phenomenon of ‘Wembymania’, with the French teenage basketball prodigy Victor Wembanyama set to move to the NBA. Krasnoff – who is the author of the upcoming book ‘Basketball Empire: France and the Making of a Global NBA and WNBA’ - has seen first-hand Wembanyama’s popularity in Paris and tells us he’s viewed as a ‘unicorn’ in his home country such is his unique skill set. (Photo by Matthew Ashton - AMA/Getty Images)

Ragnar Klavan joins us to chat about being the spokesperson for Estonia at Eurovision. The former Liverpool defender will deliver the scores of the Estonian jury at the singing contest. He also discusses his time playing for Liverpool and how he felt hearing You’ll Never Walk Alone as a player. Costa Rican surfer Brisa Hennessy believes the health challenges she’s been battling over the last 18 months have given her a greater understanding of who she is. Hennessy had a benign tumour on her brain and has struggled with brain fog, depression, lethargy and heart palpitations. Despite all of that, she has managed to qualify for the Paris Olympics. Babalwa Latsha tells us she has made it her life’s mission to ensure all young girls have access to sanitary products in South Africa and that when she was younger she sometimes went without them. The Springbok also discusses what life was like growing up in a township and how she has been held up at gun point and robbed more times than she can remember. And – amateur hiker Florence Groener tells us about the Cableway Charity Challenge, which she is taking part in for the ninth time. The event sees people climb Table Top Mountain in South Africa as many times as possible between sunrise and sunset every day between May 6th and May 14th in order to raise money for local charities. (Photo: Ragnar Klavan of Liverpool during the Pre-Season Friendly between Blackburn Rovers and Liverpool at Ewood Park on July 19, 2018 in Blackburn, England. Credit: Lynne Cameron/Getty Images)

One of King Charles III’s greatest passions outside of royal duty was polo, one of the world's oldest team sports. It’s a game played on horseback, where a long handled wooden mallet is used to hit a small ball. The King was considered to be a very good polo player and featured in some of the world’s strongest teams. His captain for five years was England international Julian Hipwood. Julian speaks to Caroline Barker about the times the then Prince stayed at his house in order to get a “quiet night”, how he mishit a shot and scarred Julian’s face and explains why he will do a “first class job” as King. We’re also joined by Antony Fanshawe, the director of polo for Guards Polo Club, which was set-up by Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh in 1955. Eleanor Oldroyd is one of the BBC Radio's most experienced sport commentators, but she also commentates on key royal events. Before the coronation of King Charles III, Eleanor joins us to discuss the similarities and differences between commentating on an event like this compared to cricket or the Olympics. Plus, we cross to Arizona to speak to Iain Ward, who is currently cycling across the United States to raise money for cancer research and mental health charities. In 2020, Iain was diagnosed with a brain tumour and was given around five years to live. His positive attitude and physically-taxing adventures have seen him amass over five million followers across his social media platforms.

The five times world champion – Viswanathan Anand – explains his approach to commentating on chess during the World Chess Championship. Anand believes that a fan’s experience of watching a chess game is equivalent to watching a marathon while flying in a helicopter and he aims to fill in the blanks. He also believes the battle between Ian Nepomniachtchi and Ding Liren is among the best matches of the last twenty years. We speak to Birmingham Bulls player Dan Booth about how joining the inclusive rugby club has helped him and about the importance of the Union Cup. The tournament is the UK’s biggest LGBTQ+ rugby tournament, featuring over 47 teams and 1400 players from more than 18 countries in a four day event. Booth discusses the issues he faced when he first revealed his sexuality to former team-mates and recalls how hearing homophobic abuse directed at the Bulls, while he was playing for another team led him to leave that team and join the Bulls. And – Royale Union Saint-Gilloise defender Christian Burgess tells us about his work with refugees in Calais. Burgess is involved with the charity Care4Calais and he says his aim is to help provide some dignity for people living in the temporary settlements in northern France. Image: Viswanathan Anand of India competes against Jeffery Xiong of China during the 82nd Tata Steel Chess Tournament held at the home of PSV football club, Philips Stadion on January 16, 2020 in Eindhoven, Netherlands. (Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images)

Eryn Mathewson tells us about competing for Team USA at the World Transplant Games in Perth this week. Eryn required a transplant and was given just seven days to live after suddenly developing liver failure. She has named her new organ “Salvador”, which is Spanish for saviour as her donor was of Dominican descent. Eryn discusses winning a silver medal in the 4x100 meters relay, her 80 year old teammate winning the 5K race, adapting to her new organ and her hopes of meeting her donor’s family one day. Malawi netball international Towera Vinkhumbo discusses the situation in her home country a month on from Cyclone Freddy wreaking havoc in the southern hemisphere. Vinkhumbo – who plays her club netball in Scotland – initially struggled to contact her family in Malawi. She tells us about the first phone call she had with her five year old daughter, who lives in Malawi and about how she’s using her position to raise awareness of what people need in the country following the storm. And Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt reflects on an extraordinary life devoted to religious service and basketball. The 103 year old tells us how she fell in love with the sport as a young girl and how she has been the chaplain for the men’s basketball team at Loyola University, Chicago since the 1990s. She went viral during March Madness in 2018 and tells us that led to her becoming an international celebrity. Photo: Eryn Mathewson bites her World Transplant Games silver medal (Credit: Eryn Mathewson/Twitter)

Nigeria defender William Troost-Ekong tells us how he ensured his recent transfer to Serie A side Salernitana was carbon neutral and how his interest in climate change began when spending school holidays with his father in Lagos. Jessica Harrington tells us she’ll be watching her horse “Lifetime Ambition” run in the Grand National on television as she’s undergoing treatment for breast cancer. Harrington tells us she is doing well and what it would mean to her to finally train a Grand National winner. Snooker’s World Championship is underway and referee Brendan Moore will take charge of the final in his last match as a professional snooker official. The former bus driver tells us how he got into the sport and how the loss of his father means it will be an even more emotional farewell for him. And – Ceylon Andi Hickman from Football Beyond Borders tells us what more needs to be done to get teenage girls from Inner cities interested in women’s football. Photo: William Troost Ekong of Salernitana in action during the Serie A match between Hellas Verona and Salernitana at Stadio Marcantonio Bentegodi on February 13, 2023 in Verona, Italy. (Credit: Getty Images)

Chloe Abbott tells us how she fulfilled a dream by singing on The Voice and how she’d love to appear in a Broadway Show. The 400m runner also gives us her thoughts on the idea of a musical based on the life of her former training partner and legendary athlete Allyson Felix. Abbott is hoping to make the USA team for the Paris Olympics and tells us how singing helps with her athletic training. Australia’s Kaye Scott wants a rule that sees elite level amateur boxers forced into retirement once they reach 41 years of age to be scrapped or changed. The 38 year old won a silver medal at the recent World Championships in India and will be 40 when the Paris Olympics starts. She tells us she’s coming into her peak years and wants to call time on her career when she’s ready. And David Sullivan tells us how losing four friends to cardiac arrest set him on a path to make golf courses safer. Sullivan’s playing partner died of a cardiac arrest while on a golf course and he himself has saved a mans life who had suffered a cardiac arrest while playing golf. Sullivan was at Royal Dornoch this week to oversee the installation of life saving defibrillators in all golf buggies at the venue. Image: © On/Devin Christopher

It’s the first weekend of the new baseball season, and despite having some of the most recognisable names in world sport playing the game, baseball has suffered a dip in popularity in recent years. Some suggest it's become too slow, even a bit dull. The MLB, the governing body, have introduced new rules this season to speed up the game, but could they take a few notes from the creator of the hugely successful and fast moving Banana Ball? Jesse Cole, is the creator and owner of the Savannah Bananas and explained to Sportshour's Katie Smith how it works, why it's so successful, and why he was wearing a bright yellow tuxedo for the interview!? The Power of Ping Pong: French born Cameroon Olympic table tennis player Sarah Hanffou tells us about the work and remarkable results of her foundation ‘Ping Sans Frontireres’. The foundation uses the sport to create opportunities for communities all over the world to improve local economies and improve daily life. Sarah is also a passionate environmentalist and has made Ping Sans Frontireres a beacon of what can be achieved in sport and business whilst being ecologically friendly. A lawyer by profession she's tells us about her Paris 2024 Olympic dreams and how the her life changing work off the table is only just beginning. March Madness, is the name of the tournament that ends the College basketball season. The NCAA's billion dollar competition sees the very best of men's and women's college basketball compete in March Madness. It might be college level, but it will completely dominate the sports schedules in America So what puts the Mad into March Madness. Someone who knows and has been competing this year is New York University's Belle Pellecchia. She's has also been explaining about competing in the Inaugural EcoAthlete Collegiate Cup, a competition aimed at improving awareness around climate change and feeding off the natural colligate rivalries. Running in a Man’s world: Lauren Fleshman had a long successful athletics career, winning the 5,000m at the USA championships, twice. Drawing on her lifetime of experience Lauren has just published her memoir 'Good for a Girl: A Woman Running in a Man's World'. Lauren has been telling us about just how challenging it can be to be a woman running in a man's world, what's improved in recent years and what still need to be done. Photo: Savannah Banana Malachi Mitchell flips in the air as the team cheers before the start of a banana ball game (CREDIT: Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

This time of year the banks of the River Thames in London are always filled with thousands of people. They line up to watch one of the oldest, hardest and most iconic rowing races in the world. The University Boat race. Crews representing the dark blue of Oxford take on the light blue of Cambridge in men's and women's races. So what does it take to win this gruelling event? Sophie Shapter knows, she was the cox of the winning Cambridge boat in 2018 Carol Waller played in goal for New Zealand in their inaugural match in 1975, but the real challenge was just getting the game. Carol tells Sportshour's Katie Smith about the barriers the women's team had to overcome to be recognised, and the important role she played on and off the pitch to grow the game in New Zealand. It's been a long journey for Carol and the Football Ferns, but now New Zealand is co-hosting the World Cup in July and she can't wait! Marcus Smith II was a first round pick when he joined the Philadelphia Eagles in 2014. His NFL career continued to rise when he signed a lucrative contract with the Seattle Seahawks. It seemed Marcus had everything any footballer ever dreams of. But Marcus also had crippling anxiety, something he had suffered with since he was just 8 years old. Eventually it became too much for him to bear. After seeking help he was able to take a different path and is now helping others struggling with their mental health. Photo: Cox Sophie Shapter (cap) celebrates race victory for Cambridge University Women's Boat Club in the The Cancer Research UK Women's Boat Race 2018 (CREDIT: Jordan Mansfield/Getty Images)

Jerry Schemmel is the voice of baseball’s Colorado Rockies. As a renowned play by play radio announcer for the MLB, Jerry is warming up for a new season that will see him travel all over the USA. Travelling was part of his role when he was working for the Continental Basketball Association back in July 1989 when he got on United Airlines Flight 232 to Chicago… But the plane never arrived, in fact it crashed killing over 100 people. Jerry tells Caroline Barker his remarkable story of survival, loss and heroism. After escaping the plane, Jerry returned to the wreckage to rescue an 11-month-old baby, but could do nothing to help his best friend Jay Ramsdell, who he had been traveling with. Shaunagh Brown recently hung up her boots having been part of the hugely successful England rugby team. Now retired she tells us she’s never been so busy! Not only is she coaching in the Cayman Islands but offering her views on the England men’s team, previewing the Women’s 6 Nations and why now is the right time for the creation of a Women's Lions team. Shaunagh also has a great story of resilience, and overcoming harsh environments. She grew up as a mixed-race child from a single-parent family in Peckham in South London and rugby was not a sport she even considered. She only started playing professionally after representing England in athletics at the Commonwealth Games When Marie-Claude Molnar headed out on her bike one sunny morning in 2005, she had no idea her life would change forever. She was hit by a lorry doing over 100 km per hour and was lucky to be alive, her goal of representing Canada on the international stage over. Marie-Claude not only recovered, but realised her dream by winning a medal at the Paracycling in London 2012. What followed that was a glittering career which only ended recently, and only after multiple world titles. Now Marie-Claude is turning her energy to another of her passions. The environment. She tells us about her new career, and why everyone should think about getting on their bike!! Photo: An engine and debris sit in a corn field after United Airlines Flight 232 crashed and broke into pieces July 19, 1989, while attempting to make an emergency landing at the Sioux City Gateway Airport. Of the 296 people on board, 111 were killed in the crash leaving 185 survivors. The flight was going from Denver to Chicago. Credit: Bettmann/Getty Images

Some of the best male golfers in the world are tackling the iconic Sawgrass course this week in the prestigious Players Championship. One man who knows better than most how to conquer the course is Jeremy Poincenot. The Florida course is regarded as one of the most challenging in the sport and more so for Jeremy, who is blind. Last year the two time Blind World Champion played in the blind version of the Ryder Cup, "The Vision Cup" which was played at Sawgrass including the infamous 17th hole. Did you know that obstacle courses are not just for bachelor and bachelorette parties and the military?! There is in fact a whole world of professional obstacle course racing, and it's even being incorporated into the next Olympics as part of the revamped Modern Pentathlon. So who better to find out a little more about the sport than multiple Obstacle Course Racing World Champion Nicole Mericle. Jasmyne Spencer has played in every season the NWSL, the top flight of professional soccer in the USA, since it started. She now plays for Los Angeles based Angel City FC. The franchise is in just it's second year of existence but the team isn't short of publicity. It's owned by some of the biggest names in Hollywood including Natalie Portman and Eva Longoria, but it's not the glamour that attracted Jasmyne to sign, it's what the club does off the field. Jasmyne is not only a pro footballer, she's an activist, and environmentalist and an entrepreneur, running "Jas It Up" a successful, sustainable clothing brand. Ahead of the new season she's been talking football, fashion and famous film stars. Photo: Jeremy Poincenot being guided ahead of a shot by his caddy, guide and dad (Credit: Jeremy Poincenot)

World Champion triathlete and movie screenwriter, Lesley Paterson, tells us how her athletic career has helped fund dreams of winning an Oscar. Her film “All Quiet on the Western Front” is nominated for best picture at the Academy Awards later in March. She spent 16 years battling to get it made and believes the opening scene of the film is “Oscar worthy”. Paterson also tells us she’s already been working on her speech as she worked as a waitress at the Oscars 17 years ago. South Africa’s Sinalo Jafta explains how issues with alcohol abuse led to her spending time in a rehab facility ahead of the Women’s T20 World Cup. Jafta discusses how alcohol became something she used to block out the noise in her head when she wasn’t getting selected to play, how an intervention by team management led her to seek help and how at the time she thought her career was over. Since returning to the national side, she played in their World Cup final defeat against Australia. Plus, Jenny Nguyen tells us all about the “Sports Bra”, her sports bar in Oregon that only shows women’s sport. Nguyen says supporting women is at the heart of everything the venue does and tells us some customers get emotional on visiting for the first time. Photo: Lesley Paterson celebrates winning the triathlon world title. (Credit: Lesley Paterson)

The line-up is complete for the women's football World Cup taking place later this year in Australia and New Zealand. Haiti have joined Portugal and Panama in making the World Cup for the first time. We will be joined by former New Zealand captain Rebecca Smith who will give her thoughts on these teams and how significant it will be for Australia and New Zealand to host the tournament. Over the next couple of weekend the top leagues in Australia and New Zealand are staging their first ever pride round in their A-Leagues. We will be joined by James Lolicato who is one of the people behind the venture. We are also joined by an Olympian, a World Cup winner and a prince! Panama celebrate their victory and qualification for the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup during the 2023 FIFA World Cup Play Off Tournament match between Paraguay and Panama at Waikato Stadium on February 23, 2023 in Hamilton, New Zealand. (Photo by Joe Allison - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images) Photo:

Ghanian sports broadcaster Michael Oti Adjei and the BBC’s John Bennett pay tribute to Christian Atsu after he was found dead under the rubble of his home almost two weeks after the Turkey earthquake. The Ghana international – who was playing in Turkey for Hatayspor - had spells with Premier League sides Everton, Chelsea and Newcastle and was also well respected for his charity work in Ghana. Photo: Christian Atsu of Newcastle United arrives before the Premier League match between Newcastle United and Crystal Palace at St. James's Park, Newcastle on Saturday 21st December 2019. (Credit: NurPhoto via Getty Images)

A unique look at the most watched annual sporting event in the world the Super Bowl, this year hosted in Phoenix, Arizona. Whilst the Super Bowl is the ultimate dream, sometimes that dream becomes a nightmare. 8 long years of slugging it out in the NFL had made Joe Hawley tired both physically and mentally. When the Tampa Bay Buccaneer’s season ended in 2018, Hawley not only made the momentous decision to give up the game, he also decided to give away all his earthly belongings! He bought a van and for the next 2 years travelled the country with his appropriately named dog “Freedom”. Joe tells about that journey, and what finally stopped him living on the road. Carter Crosland is a high school football coach from Wickenburg, Arizona, but he’s not just any football coach. Born without arms or legs he was determined nothing was going to stop him being involved with the game he loves. He tells us his inspiring story and how he has overcome seemingly insurmountable challenges to flourish in the world of American Football. This will be the first time in two black quarterbacks will play in the Super Bowl. We’ll look at the impact 35 years on from Doug Williams becoming the first black quarterback at a Super Bowl. We’ll preview the Half Time show and find out how it has become such a big event, and look at why companies are prepared to pay $7m for a thirty second advert during the game and what makes a great Super Bowl advert. Plus we’ll be exploring the indigenous people of Arizona and the important role that sport plays in their community and how it has served as a bridge between the indigenous community and the rest of Arizona and with Arizona on the border of Mexico, immigration is a big issue. We speak to the first Mexican to play in the NBA. Horacio Llamas played for the Phoenix Suns and in the process broke down barriers. Photo: A freeway billboard advertising Super Bowl LXII in Phoenix, Arizona (Credit: Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

David Wheeler is a footballer with a difference. The Wycombe Wanderers star is now a veteran of the game having played in all but one of the top 5 tiers on English football. He's also unafraid to use his platform to speak about issues that are close to him, from mental health to the harm gambling advertising in the game can do. He was recently became the first ever Sustainability Champion for the PFA, the announcement coinciding with the official "Green Football Weekend". Do you trust everything you read on the internet?! Of course not, but what about if the internet is getting some really basic facts completely wrong!? "Correct the Internet" is a new campaign to challenge and change the bias the internet has developed against women's sport. Rebecca Sowden, a former New Zealand international footballer, is behind the campaign Presenter: Shabnam Younus-Jewell Photo: David Wheeler of Wycombe Wanderers celebrates scoring the opening goal for Wycombe Wanderers against Sheffield Wednesday (Credit: by Marc Atkins/Getty Images)

Less than 10 weeks after giving birth, Napheesa Collier was back on court with her Minnesota Lynx team mates in the WNBA. A star of the sport, she's not only an Olympic Gold medallist but is kept busy as one of just a handful of players benefiting from a new deal with the league that pays them to help market the sport during the off season. Paul Felder had a long and successful career as an MMA fighter. So how did he come to terms with putting an end to what he loved? He decided to dedicate himself to a new sport, one with less kicking and punching! Paul has entered a new Pro Am Triathlon competition the "PTO" A new documentary is chronicling his attempt to swim, cycle and run back to the top. Roger Robinson knows a thing or two about running. He represented both England and New Zealand on the international stage, and the older he got, the more records he set, continuing to do so into his eighties! He also happens to be married to the iconic runner Katherine Switzer and is a prolific author. He's been telling me about his latest book "Running Throughout Time The Greatest Running Stories Ever Told" which focuses on some of the finest female runners of all time And finally to someone who could very easily fit into Roger's next book! A long distance runner who has used the sport to help heal personal wounds, but also as a tool to bring awareness to the issues that affect her community. Jordan Marie "Brings Three White Horses" Daniel is a proud Lakota Winyan, an indigenous tribe in South Dakota, USA and has been telling me about the challenges she and her community face, and how running is helping. (Photo: Napheesa Collier of Team United States bites her gold medal during the Women's Basketball medal ceremony at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic games. Credit: Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

Warning! If you are not good with heights, look away now. Canada's Lysanne Richard is one of the best high divers in the world. The former World Champion excels at throwing herself from extraordinary heights, and as she plummets from the tops of cliffs she can reach speeds in excess of 75 kilometres per hour... So how does she overcome fear and exactly how high is high diving? The city of Liverpool has a reputation for producing the very best in British culture and sport, from the Beatles to Anfield to Everton and beyond... but recently the city has been blighted by gun crime including the murder of several innocent people, mostly women. Now an initiative called 'Weapons Down Gloves Up is encouraging the community to come together and use boxing to reduce violence on the streets. One of those involved is UFC fighter Molly 'Meatball' McCann, a proud Liverpudlian Is it possible to combine high quality motor racing, scintillating battles around some of the most far flung corners of the earth alongside a desire to help the planet? Well that's what "Extreme E" is trying to do. The Motor sport championship sees electric SUVs competing in extreme surroundings already affected by environmental issues, highlighting the damaging effects of climate change around the world. However does it's green credentials get in the way? Not according to Extreme E Founder and CEO, Alejandro Agag. Footballer Millie Farrow first tore her anterior cruciate ligament aged just 15. It happened a year after she was diagnosed with the mental health condition Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. The chances of her fulfilling her dream of becoming a professional footballer were slim, to none... but Fast forward 10 years or so and Mille has some how managed to over come several more physical injuries and also learned how to live successfully with her OCD... something she has detailed in her new book "Brave Enough Not to Quit: How I Realised My Football Dream" So, all in all quite a lot for anyone who is only 26 years old! PHOTO: Lysanne Richard of Canada dives from a rock cliff prior to the third stop of the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series on May 29, 2019 at Polignano a Mare, Italy. (CREDIT: Dean Treml/Red Bull via Getty Images)

Sweden's Lucy Wildheart tells us about the difficult choice she had to make as to which of her to loves, boxing and ballet, she should pursue professionally. Lucy tells us about her journey from giving up school aged 14 to finding ballet which she credits with changing her life having suffered from eating disorders and issues around body image. She also explains how she transitioned from the dance hall to the boxing ring and how her dance background helps give her an advantage over opponents. Photo: Lucy in action in the ring. Credit: Phillip Sharkey/Richard Maynard/Strike Sports Management

Orlando Magic’s Mo Bamba is one of the most recognisable names in basketball, and not just because rapper Sheck Wes named his viral song after him. He was born in New York City to parents who emigrated to the United States from Ivory Coast, and grandparents from Mali. He joins Sportshour's Caroline Barker to discuss the importance of keeping in touch with your roots and developing basketball in the place he says feels like "home". It's FA Cup third round weekend and Wrexham are the third-lowest ranked side left in the competition. It's been a whirlwind couple of seasons for The Red Dragons which has seen them taken over by Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney. Despite their newfound global fame, Wrexham have been a force to be reckoned with in the FA Cup for a long time. In 1992, they caused one of the greatest shocks in its history as they beat reigning league champions Arsenal. We hear from Mickey Thomas, who scored in that game 31 years ago. After the death of fellow runner Agnes Tirop, Kenya's half marathon world champion Mary Ngugi decided that enough was enough. She's taken it upon herself to try to create a safer environment for women and girls across the country. She tells us about setting up what is believed to be Kenya's first ever women's-only training camp. When 13-year-old Makar Marynoshenko left his home and his father in Ukraine because of the war with Russia, he also had to leave his football team Dynamo Kyiv, where he had ambitions of turning professional. After finding a new home in Omagh, Northern Ireland, he's keeping his dream alive. Plus, we pay tribute to American motorsport legend Ken Block and footballing icon Gianluca Vialli, who both passed away earlier this week. (Photo by Nic Antaya/Getty Images)

A look back at some of our favourite stories from 2022 Photo: A view of SoFi Stadium as workers prepare for Super Bowl LVI on February 01, 2022 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

We preview the World Cup final between Argentina and France in the company of two football journalists. Argentina's Seba Ongarelli and Sara Menai for France. Plus we hear about some of the more than 130 players taking part in the World Cup but whom represent countries they were not born in. Dr Gijs van Campenhout from the University of Utrecht has been writing about the subject of migrant footballers for many years. So is this a new phenomenon? Photo: Pyrotechnics explode around a giant Fifa World Cup trophy prior to the semi final match between France and Morocco. Credit: Buda Mendes/Getty Images)

We’re in the small Spanish town of Coria del Río where 700 residents have the surname "Japón", which translates to "Japan". So where better to watch the crucial Group E match between Japan and Spain!? Photo: Fans gather at a bar in Coria del Río to watch the World Cup Group E match between Japan and Spain Credit: Stefano Montali

Nicole Kozlova plays for the Ukrainian Women's national team - earlier this year, whilst the team were still celebrating winning the Turkish Cup, back in her native country, everything had changed and the world had been turned upside down. Suddenly, there was war in Ukraine. Kozlova plays her domestic football in Denmark, whose men's national team have spoken out about some of the issues around the World Cup being hosted in Qatar. Nicole tells whether there is an appetite in Denmark for the World Cup and her hopes for the future. Ever since Leeds Rhino's Rugby League player Rob Burrow was diagnosed with motor neurone disease in 2019, former England and Leeds captain Kevin Sinfield has dedicated his time and energy in raising money for MND charities. He’s just completed his toughest challenge yet... seven ultra marathons in just seven days. That's 482km from Edinburgh to Manchester, via, Newcastle, York, Leeds and Bradford. Kevin was also running for former Scotland rugby player Doddie Weir and former Bradford City captain Stephen Darby, who also live with the disease, which affects the brain and nerves. Kevin reflects on what was a physically and mentally exhausting week. Sporting Witness goes back to the 1982 World Cup for Kuwait's one and only World Cup appearance but it was their camel mascot that became their star player. We are live in Sydney for the Women’s Big Bash final between Sydney Sixers v Adelaide Strikers, we are in Qatar to reflect on an eventful opening week of the World Cup plus we head to a fans park in Tunis as Tunisia face Australia at the World Cup in Qatar. (Photo: One Love armband pictured ahead of the game between Belgium and Canada. Credit: AFP/Getty Images)

On this week’s Sportshour with Katie Smith, we take you live to downtown Doha as we get the latest on the ground ahead of the start of the Fifa World Cup in Qatar from Sportsworld’s Delyth Lloyd. Fans have travelled from all around the world for the marquee event of the football calendar and we speak to a couple of Welsh fans who have taken a very unusual route. Former Cardiff City footballer Scott Young and Nick Smith attempted to travel the 5,000 mile distance to the tournament solely by electric car, which they named Morris, in time for Wales’ first match against the USA. After covering 18 countries, they fell at the final hurdle of Saudi Arabia, who refused to let them through in a right-hand drive car, forcing them to fly the final leg from Jordan to Qatar. Former Australia captain turned broadcaster and human rights advocate Craig Foster stops by to tell us why he’s decided to donate all of his broadcast fees for the World Cup to the families of deceased migrant workers in Qatar, as well as LGBT & women’s rights charities. He says every footballer involved in the World Cup should make a stand of some sort and insists that sport is capable of impacting change, some of which we have already seen. We preview both the women’s and men’s Rugby League World Cup finals with Australian commentator Andrew Voss, who has been enjoying a culinary tour of the United Kingdom in between matches. Next up is a chat about the finals over a BBC canteen breakfast. When Switzerland’s Jan Scherrer won a bronze medal in snowboarding at the Beijing Winter Olympics, his jubilation quickly included a realisation that he would have to honour a deal with his wife, Sasha. They agreed that if he were to medal, he would have to get a tattoo of Sasha’s choosing. You won’t believe what she came up with…. Sporting Witness takes you back to 1994, when Motown legend Diana Ross missed a penalty in front of 67,000 fans at the USA World Cup opening ceremony. Alan Rothenberg, the man in charge of organising the tournament, speaks to Matt Pintus. Plus we head to the York Barbican ahead of the semi-finals of snooker's UK Championship. (Photo: World Cup football. Credit: Claudio Villa/Getty Images)

Six years after a performance at an agricultural show in Zimbabwe in 2016, a Pakistani comedian’s impersonation of the fictional character Mr Bean hit the headlines. Just as Zimbabwe were about to take on Pakistan in the T20 World Cup, one Zimbabwean Twitter user predicted revenge for his country over Pakistan for sending a fake Mr Bean. He was correct. Zimbabwe won a thrilling match by one run, prompting tweets from the President of Zimbabwe and Prime Minister of Pakistan, both referencing the impersonator. We tracked down the man at the heart of it, comedian Asif Muhammad. The only problem? As Caroline Barker attempted to find out the full story, he stayed in full character as Mr Bean. We also speak to an Afghan refugee basketballer who has just been given resettlement in the United States of America after nine months of living in Eastern Europe. The woman, who wished to be known as 'Maryam' in order to protect her identity, along with 18 other female refugees will begin their new lives in America next month. Their acceptance into the country comes over a year on from the devastation of being turned away from Canada, after they chose to flee Taliban rule. Elsewhere, ahead of his attempted defence of snooker's second biggest tournament, the UK Championship, we hear from Chinese star Zhao Xintong. One of his favourite hobbies is karaoke, so we managed to get him to belt out a tune for us. Plus, we get immediate reaction from the final of the women's Rugby World Cup in Auckland, we stop by the world's first vegan rugby club, plus we cross live to the Etihad Stadium ahead of Manchester City against Brentford in the English Premier League. Image credit: Asif Muhammad

At the age of 13, just as his love for skateboarding was flourishing, Dan Mancina was diagnosed with a condition that would eventually leave him blind. Over twenty years later, he supports his family by skateboarding as a full-time job, with the long-term goal of getting it into the Paralympics. He joins Sportshour’s Caroline Barker to tell her about the highs and lows of the last decade. Having never climbed a mountain in her life, Nadhira Alharthy was suddenly inspired to ascend Mount Everest. She succeeded and became the first woman from Oman to complete the feat. Nadhira shares her experience and talks about her role in changing attitudes towards women doing endurance sports in Oman. We’re also joined by Manchester City and Australia forward Mary Fowler, who at the age of 19 is preparing for her first World Cup next year. She says she’s settled in well to Manchester despite the notoriously poor weather and is attempting clay sculpture in her free time. Sporting Witness takes a trip to meet Championship Manager cult hero Tonton Zola Moukoko. The Swedish-Congolese footballer found fame as one of the best players ever in the computer game series, but he failed to make a mark in English football and in his personal life there were moments of immense tragedy. Plus, we check in at the women’s Rugby World Cup in New Zealand, the men’s T20 World Cup in Australia, and the wheelchair Rugby League World Cup in England. Image: The Familie / Dan Mancina

As a professional goalkeeper for Al-Karamah, one of Syria's biggest clubs, Fahd Saleh had won numerous trophies but then war came to Syria and his house, his life, all he'd known until that point, was destroyed. Fahd decided to move to England to rebuild his life and cling on to his footballing dream, he even went to a job centre and told them how he wanted to work for a football club. Hear his story of how he became Mansfield Town’s Goalkeeping Coach and working with Nigel Clough. Barbara Hernandez is known as the Ice Mermaid. The swimmer from Chile is currently attempting to swim the seven seas... That's 127 miles through - the North Channel, the Cook Strait, the Moloka’i Channel, the English Channel, the Catalina Channel, the Tsugaru Strait and the Strait of Gibraltar. Barbara is number one in the world at ice swimming - the first Latin American swimmer to take the crown. She tells us, she is hoping to inspire more women from South America to take up sport and to follow their dreams. Since former Premier League footballer Steven Reid decided to announce that he will be pursuing a career in counselling, he’s had current Premier League players and coaches reach out to him for support. Reid also revealed, he has had people opening up in tears on zoom calls and how footballers are in fear of speaking up about how they are truly feeling. He also explained to Caroline that despite playing in the top flight for Blackburn Rovers, there wasn’t much enjoyment in the game but he is now hoping to help others through his own experience. Photo - Fahd Saleh

Greece made their Rugby League World Cup debut this week following years of turmoil in the sport, which saw the team effectively banned from playing matches in their home country. Journalist and Greece team manager Terry Liberopoulos describes his emotions as the side ran out to face France and explains how they managed to fool the authorities and escape the attentions of the Police in order to play Malta in 2018 on their way to qualifying for the tournament. Adebayo Akinfenwa is swapping the football pitch for the wrestling ring. The forty year old was a cult figure as a footballer and used the catch phrase “Beast Mode”. He’s taking that into the ring with him, with plans for a “Beast Barge”, which is a wrestling move based on a shoulder barge in football. The Women’s Indian Open golf is underway and providing many opportunities for golfers from the country. However, it hasn’t always been that way as Simi Mehra explains to the BBC’s Giles Goford. Mehra was India’s first female professional golfer and she recalls moving to the USA in the nineties to play on the LPGA tour. Jasmine Harrison tells us about her encounter with a Basking shark, swimming with dolphins and encountering a live military exercise as she became the first woman in the world to swim the full length of the UK from Land's End to John O'Groats. In Sporting Witness we go back to 1972 when Llanelli rugby club - a semi-professional side made up steel workers, teachers and dockworkers in south Wales - took on the most decorated international side in rugby history – the All Blacks, and won. And – the BBC’s Juliette Ferrington joins us live from the City Ground as Nottingham Forest host Liverpool in Saturday’s early game in the Premier League. Image: Peter Mamouzelos of Greece during Rugby League World Cup 2021 Pool A match between France and Greece at Keepmoat Stadium on October 17, 2022 in Doncaster, England. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)

What's does the future look like for women in motorsport after the W Series ended its season early because of financial difficulties Race winner Jamie Chadwick, second placed Nerea Marti of Spain and (L) and third placed Alice Powell celebrate on the podium during race 2 of W Series at Miami International Autodrome May 2022 (Credit: Clive Mason - Formula 1/Formula 1 via Getty Images)

From playing barefoot, surviving being poisoned and growing up in a country that discouraged women’s sports. Proscovia Peace, captain of the Uganda Netball team, tells us the crucial role netball played in saving her life. PHOTO: Proscovia Peace of Uganda (L) and Ngwira Loreen of Malawi (R) compete in the Netball match between Uganda and Malawi on day three of the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games (Credit: Phil Walter/Getty Images)

We hear from Roger Federer on what he plans to do after his retirement from tennis Photo: Roger Federer celebrates victory with the trophy after the men's singles final match against Andy Roddick July 5, 2009 (CREDIT: Paul Gilham/Getty Images)

We look ahead to the start of the new Women's Super League season and what impact England's Euros success might have on the growth of domestic women's football Photo: Chelsea lift the Barclays FA Women's Super League Trophy (Credit: Henry Browne/Getty Images)

We look back at the sporting life of Queen Elizabeth II Image: Queen Elizabeth II (wearing her Cartier diamond Palm Leaf Brooch, which belonged to Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother) attends day 5 of Royal Ascot 2021. (Credit: Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)

As acting president of the Ukrainian Athletics Federation Yevhen Pronin main task is to be a focal point, to ensure Ukrainian athletes have what they need to perform to their best ability on the world stage. In the past few months Yevhen has juggled his duty to Ukrainian athletics, including leading the team at the World Championships in Eugenie and in Munch last month at the European Championship and the war. Today he is on the front line of the war with Russia. Today he is operating deadly drones. Today is a totally different day in the life of Yevhen Pronin. He's has been telling Caroline Barker just how different his life is now and his hopes for the future. The World Para Athletics championships, should be taking place in Kobe, Japan. The city was due to host both the International Paralympic Committee (the IPC) championships and the IAAF World Championships. The IAAF reorganised their competition, taking place in Eugenie in July, but the IPC were unable to do so meaning para athletes were left without any tournament. Triple gold winning Paralympic sprinter Nick Mayhugh tells us about not competing, on why it's so important to have big characters in the sport, even if that means some people don't like you. Plus the importance of educating people about para-sport and challenging stereotypes about cerebral palsy Hockenheim is the venue this weekend for the first race of the GT World Challenge since it's return from a summer break. It's only been a month, but for the women of Iron Dames it must seem like a life time ago. Denmark's Michelle Gatting was part of the team that recently became the first all-female team to win their class at the historic 24 hours of Spa. She been telling me about entering the history book, the challenges she's faced throughout her career and what this victory could mean for women in motor sport (Photo: Yevhen Pronin in uniform Credit: @pronin_law_you/Instagram)

Cyclist Luis Angel Mate, who has already planted 100 trees, tells us why he will plant a tree for every kilometre he's in a breakaway group in this years Vuelta a España. The pledge will be matched by race organisers and his team Euskaltel - Euskadi. Mate has seen first hand the damage that wild fires can do after his home town was badly affected last year. It will be particularly poignant when he rides through the town on the 12th stage of this years race. He's been explaining his passion for the environment and how he believes "bikes will save the world". US golfer Morgan Hoffmann was diagnosed with a form of Muscular Dystrophy, a condition that causes his muscles to weaken, back in 2017. Since then he has been on a journey of self discovery that has seen him make a home in the mountains of Costa Rica. Hoffmann explains what he has discovered and how he has adapted his lifestyle and diet in an attempt to manage his condition. He now intends to open a retreat in order to help others. In the meantime the now 32-year old who recently played a number of tournaments, hasn't ruled out a return to professional golf too Arsenal legend Paul Davis talks about his new book Arsenal and After. The book covers the midfielder's career on and off the pitch and once his playing days were over. We hear about the importance of black role models to his success and how he was affected by racism inside and outside of the game. We also hear about what has changed and what significant issue still remain. Plus the incident Davis believes cost him his chance to play for England. Photo: Luis Angel Mate of Spain and Team Euskaltel - Euskadi competes through gravel road in Ubeda, Spain. (Credit: Tim de Waele/Getty Images)

Copenhagen is hosting the latest round of Sail GP. The competition not only pits some of the best known sailors against each other on the water but also and uniquely offers its competing teams rewards for their actions taken off it. The idea is to make a competition out of being as environmentally friendly as possible, alongside thrilling action on the water. We hear from Hannah Mills, the most successful female sailor in Olympic history, who would be part of the British boat were she not 8 months pregnant! She tells us about the need for action on climate to save future generations. Plus, how much money can you make throwing frisbee? The answer might surprise you. Ahead of the World Team Disc Golf Championships in Croatia we speak to Robert "Nob" Rauch, president of the World Flying Disc Federation about the growth of the sport and his hopes of an Olympic future. And we are live in Saudi Arabia ahead of the big Heavyweight title fight, we're in Munich as the European Championships come to an end and we'll pop into the Tottenham Hotspur stadium where wolves are the visitors in the early kick off. Caroline Barker presents

We preview the new Serie A season as starts and hear a cautionary tale of the cost of chasing a footballing dream from former player Martin Bengtsson whose life has recently been turned into a film. We're in the English West Midlands where fresh off the back of hosting the Commonwealth Games, Coventry is the venue for the 54th International Children's Games. 1,500 athletes will compete in seven different sports and there's cultural events too. It's been held all over the world since the late 1960s and is endorsed by the International Olympic Committee. We hear from organisers and those taking part. Although the Commonwealth Games are over, you may have been inspired to get a bit more active... Maybe you've dug your running shoes out of the closet and you're thinking hard about using them in anger! Well prepare to gain that extra little inspiration you might need. Mara Yamauchi won Commonwealth gold and competed in the Olympics and now the marathon runner has a new book out "MARAthon Wisdom An Elite Athlete’s Insights on Running and Life". Image: Alessandro Florenzi (L) and Giovanni Di Lorenzo of Italy celebrate after victory in the UEFA Euro 2020 Championship Final between Italy and England at Wembley Stadium on July 11, 2021 in London, England. (Credit GES-Sportfoto/Getty Images)

As Women’s T20 cricket is showcased in Birmingham for the very first time, we speak to the Australian coach Shelley Nitschke on whether the sport can be an integral part of the Games and even the Olympic movement in the future. Photo: Team Australia take to the field ahead of the Cricket T20 Preliminary Round Group A match between Team Australia and Team India on day one of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games (Photo by Alex Davidson/Getty Images).

We are live at the Commonwealth Games where Katie Smith is joined by former GB 1500m runner Hannah England. they'll be sampling the atmosphere on the streets of Birmingham as the marathon takes place. We’ll hear competing athletes from all over the world from Imranur Rahman, the fastest man in Bangladesh, to the volleyballers of Vanuatu. Plus we preview the final of the Women’s European football championships. Photo: Commonwealth Games branding, including Perry the games mascot, is seen on buildings in the city centre of Birmingham. (Credit: PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images)

On a big weekend for women’s football we are in Morocco ahead of the final of WAFCON between hosts Morocco and South Africa. Plus we'll preview the last of the quarter final match at the Euros in England. We saddle up with Louise Vardeman cyclist & team manager of InternationElles as the Tour de France Femmes gets underway for the first time in its current incarnation. Ahead of the Commonwealth Games we catch up with secretary general of the Tanzania Olympic Committee Filbert Bayi. He has telling us how he hopes his heroics of 1500 m gold in the 1974 games, a race in which he set the current Commonwealth record, can one day be repeated by a new generation of Tanzanian athletes. Photo: Morocco's players celebrate winning the 2022 Women's Africa Cup of Nations semi-final (CREDIT: AFP via Getty Images)

Could Alex Wrigley's secret weapon at The Open be his caddy? Johanna Gustavsson is after all a professional golfer as well as his wife. We are finding out about the small city of Eugene and the reasons behind why the World Athletic Championships are being held there. We delve a little deeper into the Tour de France with Sophie Smith, author of Pain and Privilege: Inside Le Tour. The book details the sacrifice and chaos of the race, and threw up some challenging issues about one of the world's most gruelling events. Plus we preview the last games in Group B of the Euros. Photo: Thomas Detry of Belgium tees off from the 18th hole during Day One of The 150th Open at St Andrews Old Course on July 14, 2022 (CREDIT: Harry How/Getty Images

We are live on Centre Court at Wimbledon on Women's Singles final day. Tunisia's Ons Jabeur is attempting to become the first African woman and first Arab to win a grand slam. She faces Elena Rybakina who became the first player from Kazakhstan to make a major final... So whatever the result history will be made. We also preview the days action at Euro 2022 as Netherlands start the defence of their title and get the latest on US basketball star Brittney Griner's detention in Russia Photo: The Venus Rosewater Dish, the Ladies' Singles trophy ahead of The Championships Wimbledon 2022 at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club (Credit: Rob Newell - CameraSport via Getty Images)

It is a big month for women's football with four continental championships. The Women's Africa Cup of Nations kicks things off on Saturday before the hosts England take on Austria in the opening match of Euro 2022 on Wednesday. Gill Coultard was part of the England side that lost to Sweden in the first ever final in 1984 and tells us how far the game has come in the past 38 years. As the Tour de France gets underway we are joined by the man with the best seat in the house. Seb Piquet watches the race from a communications car ahead of the riders relaying important information to teams, broadcasters and fans. British sprinter Anyika Onuora stood on the podium at every major championship in athletics. However, her new book My Hidden Race does not detail her sporting achievements. In the era of the Black Lives Matter and Me Too, it is a powerful account of what it takes to pursue your dreams as a Black woman in Britain. Nothing is off the record as Anyika is determined to finally speak out and use her story to inspire and heal others. Plus we are live at Wimbledon and at the much delayed Fifth Test between England and India. Presenter: Caroline Barker (Photo: Uefa Women’s Euro England 2022 organisers unveil giant women’s table football players on London’s iconic Carnaby Street. Credit John Phillips/Getty Images)

Is there something in the water, in the mountains, in the fjords of Norway that creates super human athletes? Norway is the most successful Winter Olympic nation of all time yet they had a surprisingly successful Summer Games in Tokyo. Norway won gold on the track in world record time, the fastest Paralympian on earth is Norwegian, they even picked up gold in beach volleyball! They also have one of the most sought after players in men's football in Erling Haalandand, and Ada Hegerberg is an icon of the women's game. Norway have just had their first tennis grand slam finalist and boast the reigning chess world champion too. Katie Smith investigates what we can learn from the secrets of how this small nation famed for its skiing and snow has also found the formula for gold in the summer Games and beyond. PHOTO: Norway's Karsten Warholm reacts after winning and breaking the world record in the men's 400m hurdles final during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo on August 3, 2021. (Credit: JAVIER SORIANO/AFP via Getty Images)

We look ahead to the final day of Royal Ascot by speaking to the most successful female jockey in the history of the meeting. Hollie Doyle has been competing at the course all week, and joins us ahead of her ride in the big race of the day - the Platinum Jubilee Stakes. Kathrine Switzer reflects on how she helped pave the way for female runners following the 50th New York mini marathon. Switzer co-founded and competed in the first event back in 1972 and recalls the barriers women runners faced at that time - including how she was attacked by a race official during the Boston Marathon in 1967, when females were prohibited from entering the race. Nathan Fluellen tells us about “A great day in the Stoke”, which he believes was the biggest gathering of Black surfers in history. He says the idea for the recent event in Los Angeles came to him in the aftermath of 2020's racial reckoning, when Black surfers staged “paddle outs” following the killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor. Andrea Mason explains her motivation for attempting to break four world records next month, when she'll attempt to swim the three longest lakes and climb the three highest mountains in Wales, England and Scotland, and cycle between them too. Mason is doing the challenge in order to raise awareness about menstrual health. In 2017, she was diagnosed with severe endometriosis and cervical cancer and underwent a hysterectomy. And in Sporting Witness, we travel back 48 years to the revolutionary surgery that saved baseball pitcher Tommy John's elbow and career. He was the first to have it done - and he paved the way for thousands of others. He became known as the Bionic Man and the operation was named after him. Photo: Hollie Doyle celebrates winning The Coventry Stakes onboard Bradsell during Royal Ascot 2022. (Credit: Getty Images)

As the NBA finals continue we hear the remarkable story of three generations of the Grunfeld family, from their escape journey from Nazi persecution to Olympic glory and beyond. A former pro baller himself Dan Grunfeld has written "By The Grace of the Game: The Holocaust, A Basketball Legacy, and an Unprecedented American Dream". Ahead of the 50th anniversary of Title IX with the help of Dr Bonnie J Morris we look at the impact the legislation has had in levelling the playing field in women’s sports, and how its influence spread far beyond the USA and into global professional sport. Ending a professional sporting career is one of the hardest things an athlete will ever have to do. Paul Felder had a long and successful career as an MMA fighter. So how did he come to terms with putting an end to what he loved? He decided to dedicate himself to a new sport, one with less kicking and punching! Paul has entered a new Pro Am Triathlon competition the PTO and a documentary is chronicling his attempt to swim, cycle and run back to the top. Photo: Dan Grunfeld and his grandmother Anyu who escaped Nazi Europe and found a home for Dan's father Ernie in America, and specifically the NBA Credit: Dan Grunfeld)

We celebrate Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee by looking at the evolution of sport during her reign and some of the world’s most significant and iconic sporting moments of the last 70 years. We discuss the Queen’s influence on sport and what her legacy might be. Plus we head live to Epsom ahead of one of the Queen’s favourite sporting events, The Derby We catch up with New Zealand star Rosie Elliot ahead of the Oceania Athletics Championships. She tells us about how she turned to running to help with crippling anxiety, and it turns out she’s quite good at it as she’s now the New Zealand 400 metres champion. Plus When Leon Schaffer was growing up he dreamed of becoming a footballer. Aged just 12 he lost his leg through cancer and he thought his chances of being a professional athlete had gone, until he met a fellow German amputee who just happened to be a Paralympic long jump world record holder. Proving that if you can see it, you can be it, Leon has now achieved just that. Photo: Queen Elizabeth II attends Royal Ascot 2021 at Ascot Racecourse on June 19, 2021 in Ascot, England. Credit: Chris Jackson/Getty Images

As Liverpool prepare to face Real Madrid in the Champions League final in Paris, we head back 40 years to the 1982 competition. Aston Villa ruled Europe that year, and on their return to Birmingham went on a tour to show fans the trophy. That's where the trouble started. Shari Vahl tells Caroline Barker about how the European Cup was stolen... and retrieved! Ahead of the Championship Play-off final at Wembley, we hear from footballer Dominic Ball. Playing in the Premier League is the ultimate goal for most footballers, one that drives them from an early age. In that regard Dominic Ball is not that unusual, nor any of his five close friends, all of whom started their footballing journeys together. Dom has got closer than most, for the past three years he's played for Queen's Park Rangers in the Championship, and his goal is still in reach, but what about his friends? Dominic has written "From Winning Teams to Broken Dreams" a book which not only tells that story, but is a guide to those who want to follow the same dream, and what challenges and pitfalls lie in await. Sunday sees the 106th running of the Indianapolis 500 with 33 drivers, 200 oval shaped laps and 500 hundred miles. One woman who knows exactly what it requires to take on the challenge of Indianapolis Motor Speedway is Sarah Fisher. Sarah is not only the fastest woman in Indy 500 history, she is a former team owner and this year will be back on the track as the pace car driver. (Photo: A banner of the Champions League trophy in front of Aston Villa fans prior to kick off of the Aston Villa v Crystal Palace match at Villa Park, 15 May, 2022, England. Credit: Marc Atkins/Getty Images)

One of golf's most prestigious events, the USPGA, is taking place in Oklahoma. The tournament has come a little too early in the career of 14-year-old Ukrainian Lev Grinberg, but could his name one day be on the trophy? Last week Lev became the second youngest player to make the cut at a professional tournament. We hear from Lev and his dad Illya. It's been a big week for men's football. Jake Daniels, who plays for Blackpool in the second tier of the professional game in England became the first openly gay player in thirty years. The fact that he is the first man in such a long time to come out whilst still playing, highlights just how difficult and challenging it still is for gay men in professional sport. For many different reasons, they can't be their authentic self in a sporting setting. Ryan O'Callaghan had a successful career in the NFL, but despite coming out to his family while still playing, it wasn't until after his retirement he felt comfortable telling the world. He tells us his story. Plus we are live in Turin ahead of the Women's Champions League final. We'll review the Premier League season with Flo Lloyd Hughes and Sachin Nakrani, and find out what referee Jon Moss has planned once he hangs up his whistle for the last time on Sunday. Photo: Lev Grinberg of Ukraine, (L) winner of Best Amateur with Sam Horsfield of England, winner of The Soudal Open at Rinkven International Golf Club on May 15, 2022 in Antwerpen, Belgium. (Credit: Warren Little/Getty Images)

We preview the Men's and Women's FA Cup final taking place at Wembley this weekend. We'll speak to the BBC's Ian Dennis, get the full match day experience on board the Liverpool supporters coach and revisit some of the classic FA Cup team songs. Then on Sunday it's the women's final. The competition has come a long way in a relatively short period of time. This is only the seventh year in its more than 50 year history the game has been played at Wembley. The progress of the women's game is in no small part down to women like Patricia Gregory, founder of the Women's FA and Lorraine Hoey captain of the Fulham's 1985 cup winners. We bring them together for their thoughts. After Covid caused its postponement, the biggest sporting event for the deaf community, the Deaflympics, have been taking place in Brazil this week. Deaf sport isn't part of the Paralympic Games and as such hasn't seen the same kind of growth in interest, publicity and funding for its athletes, many of whom are struggling with the financial burden. We speak to British swimmer Nathan Young and CEO of the Organising Committee Richard Ewald. The classically French sport of Pétanque is hosting its world championship, we drop into see what all the fuss is about! Image: Juergen Klopp, manager of Liverpool (L) and Thomas Tuchel, manager of Chelsea. Chelsea and Liverpool meet in the Men’s FA Cup Final on Saturday at Wembley CREDIT: LEFT IMAGE (Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images) CENTER IMAGE (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images) RIGHT IMAGE (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)

Ukrainian footballer Vova Kubrakov opens up about how football helps him cope with the war in his home country. He was part of a mixed charity game with teams made up of Portland Timbers and Thorns players that raised more than half a million dollars for UNICEF's relief efforts in Ukraine. We also hear from Valeriy Sushkevych, the President of Ukraine's Paralympic Committee who's told the BBC they don’t know how much longer they’ll be able to carry on. We're in Miami as F1 makes it's debut in the city at a Super Bowl worthy setting. US Racewalker Robyn Stevens tells Caroline Barker about the eating disorder that forced her to give up athletics and the journey that led her back to the sport and helped her achieve her Olympic dream 17 years after walking away. As the WNBA season gets underway all 12 teams will have the initials and number of Brittney Griner on their courts to show support for the Phoenix Mecury star who is “wrongfully detained” in Russia. The Mercury will continue to support BG’s Heart and Sole shoe drive in her honour, we’ll hear from the Phoenix Rescue Mission, the charity Brittney worked with to set that up about the difference she’s made in the city. And Sporting Witness takes us back to 2012 and the nail biting finish that led to Manchester City's first Premier League title. Photo: Team Blue and Team Yellow celebrate after the PTFC For Peace Charity Match at Providence Park in Portland, Oregon. Credit: Steph Chambers/Getty Images.

As former Wimbledon champion Boris Becker starts his prison sentence for hiding more than 3 million dollars-worth of assets, we look back on his brilliant, but also troubled life. Olympic gold medal winning sports climber Janja Garnbret joins us to talk about a new film which followed her quest for gold in Tokyo and the physical and mental preparations and challenges she had to overcome on the way to that success. We’re in Germany where Dynamo Kiev have continued their "Match for Peace" tour this week, playing against Borussia Dortmund to raise money for Ukrainians affected by the war in their country. As the NFL Draft takes place we’ll speak to two-time Super Bowl Champion Osi Umenyiora about the pathways that are being created to help bring more players from Africa to the top level of the sport. Plus we’re in New York ahead of an historic night for women’s boxing as Katie Taylor against Amanda Serrano headlines at Madison Square Garden. (Photo: Boris Becker during a match at Wimbledon. Credit: Chris Cole/Getty Images)

Professional table tennis player Wally Green opens up about he went from being a 13-year-old caught up in Brooklyn Gangs to a table tennis pro on a trip to North Korea for ping pong diplomacy. Big wave surfer Sebastian Steudtner tells us how he was brought in by Jurgen Klopp to help Liverpool’s players deal with stress ahead of their last Premier League title win, and explains how he’s trying to use surfing to help children impacted by the war in Ukraine. World Record rower Victoria Evans joins us to explain why she set herself the challenge of rowing across the Atlantic Ocean having never set foot in a boat before. Sporting Witness tells the story of Pakistani squash player, Jahangir Khan, who went undefeated for five years during the 1980s. Plus we’re at the Crucible to hear about the pigeon at the Snooker World Championship and at Wembley for heavyweight boxing as Tyson Fury looks to defend his world title against Dillian Whyte. Photo: Wally Green watches a game of Table Tennis. Credit: Paul Conrad/Getty Images for SPiN Seattle

Lesia Tsurenko discusses the guilt she feels about not being in Ukraine and the impact the conflict has had on her mental health. Tsurenko says she considered ending her playing career before a chat with Alex Dolgopolov made her see she could help Ukrainian’s by continuing to play and earn money to send home. Along with Elina Svitolina, Tsurenko has donated money to buy a tractor for the Army, which she believes will help save lives. Beau Greaves reflects on becoming the youngest ever World Champion in Darts. The 18-year-old predicted she’d win a World Title when she was just 13 years old and tells us winning the WDF World Championship was for her family members that didn’t live to see her achieve her dream. She also says she’s now hoping to pass her driving test if she can master roundabouts. The first blind person to lead climb the iconic Old Man of Hoy – Jesse Dufton – tells us how he got into the sport and how his wife helped him adapt his climbing as his eyesight deteriorated. Dufton says his next challenge is the “Prophecy of Drowning”, which is located on a remote Scottish island. In Sporting Witness, we tell the story of the cricket club which pulled off what is believed to be the first tour of North Korea. We hear from Jon Newton, who is the president of Shanghai cricket club and the man who brought the sports tradition of cucumber sandwiches to a pariah state. Russell Fuller joins us live from Prague with the latest on the Billie Jean King Cup, Shabnam Younus-Jewell is at the World Snooker Championship for us and John Murray is with us ahead of Manchester City’s FA Cup semi-final against Liverpool at Wembley Stadium. Image: Lesia Tsurenko hits a shot during second round of the Miami Open on March 25, 2022 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, FL. (Photo by Aaron Gilbert/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Verna Volker – the founder of Native Women Running – says it acts as a safe space for Native women, who run for healing, ceremony and medicine. She believes a lot of the women are carrying historical trauma and running has become a way to grieve and heal. She has run previously to highlight the plight of Missing and murdered Indigenous women and says non-Native people don’t realise that Native American people view these women as their own relatives. Volker wants to inspire little girls to run and says the prospect of completing the Boston marathon with her own team of runners is unreal. We hear the story of how sport is helping a refugee from Ukraine living in Poland. Yuliia describes her arduous journey from Kyiv to Tychy, leaving her husband behind in Ukraine and the generosity of Polish people. The American Football team her husband plays for in Poland have been providing her with support and a place to stay. She’s a dance teacher by trade and has been teaching classes in Poland and sending any money she makes back to Ukraine. The head of academy sports medicine and science at Tottenham Hotspur – Laurence Gant – joins us to discuss his bike ride across Great Britain in memory of his friend and former Spurs Under 23s coach Ugo Ehiogu. Ugo passed away five years ago and to mark the anniversary, Gant has cycled between all the football clubs that Ugo played for across a five-day period this week. He started at Glasgow Rangers and we speak to him before he sets off on the final leg of his journey to Aston Villa. John Hunt joins us live from Aintree Racecourse ahead of the Grand National, Iain Carter brings us the latest from the Masters at Augusta and Juliette Ferrington is live at Goodison Park ahead of Everton’s game against Manchester United.

We reflect on history being made in the Women’s Champions League after a record crowd of 91,553 people attended the second-leg of Barcelona’s quarter-final against Real Madrid at the Camp Nou. Maz was at the game and we hear from fans, Ballon d’Or winner Alexis Putellas, and from the club about their vision for women’s football moving forward. Courtney Winfield-Hill tells us about her plans to represent England at the Rugby League World Cup. The Australian-born former cricketer tells us she feels at home in England and how she’ll be supporting her wife, England batter Lauren Winfield-Hill, in Sunday’s Cricket World Cup final against Australia. Liz Mills discusses being a pioneer in men’s basketball in Africa. Mills is the only woman coaching at this season's Basketball Africa League - which is a joint NBA-FIBA competition. She's leading Morocco's AS Sale - which also makes her the first female coach in the Arab World. She previously made history by leading Kenya at the men's AfroBasket in 2021. This weekend the iconic University Boat Race - between Oxford and Cambridge - is back on the River Thames in London the first time since 2019. Lebby Eyres, will compete in the veterans race and she tells us about the significance of the race and how she rowed across the Atlantic Ocean recently, while Siobhan Cassidy from the organisers of the race tells us who to look out for in a field stacked with Olympians. Mani Djazmi joins us live from Qatar to reflect on the draw for the Fifa Men’s World Cup, Juliette Ferrington is live at Anfield ahead of Liverpool’s game against Watford and Iain Carter brings us the latest on the Chevron Championship. (Photo by Eric Alonso/Getty Images)

Leonid Grigoriev tells us how he returned to his home city of Mariupol to rescue his parents this week. Grigoriev – who swims for Ukraine’s national team – describes the devastation brought about by the Russian Army and says his car was almost hit by a bomb during his rescue mission. He says residents of the city looked like they were ready to give up their lives and that he also helped evacuate a woman and her child to Poland. Former Australia netball and Australian Rules Football player Sharni Norder gives us her thoughts on what could be next for Ash Barty after she announced her retirement from tennis this week. Barty has already enjoyed success in cricket, so could she make the move to Netball or Aussie Rules next? Faye West tells us about being one of only two women on Great Britain’s wheelchair rugby team at the recent European Championships and how her long-term goal is to make the team for the next Paralympics. Lavonte Stewart and Jalil Anderson from Lost Boyz explain how they use baseball to tackle youth violence and positively change the lives of boys and girls in Chicago. Stewart was inspired to start the project after a little league team he was coaching witnessed gun violence. And – In Sporting Witness we go back to March 1981, when women were allowed to compete for the first time in the Vasaloppet race in Sweden, the world's most popular cross-country skiing event. Image: Leonid Grigoriev

Oleksiej Zorin is an American Football player and team owner. His family are in Poland under the care of the team he plays for, while he is unable to reach players based in Mariupol, who play on the team he owns, after the city came under heavy attack from Russia. He admits he is scared for the players he can’t reach and grateful his team in Poland got his family out of Ukraine. He tells us about the work he is doing to help the people of Kyiv and how he has considered joining the army. Zorin says he doesn’t fear death but he does fear for the future. Lowri Norkett joins us in a week which saw her make her debut for Wales and then be selected for their 6 Nations squad. Norkett only took up rugby union after her sister Elli – who was a Wales international – was killed in a car crash five years ago. Lowri tells us about wearing her sisters boots and how she is always with her. The incoming NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman tells us about rebuilding trust between the league and the players following allegations of sexual misconduct against a former coach last year. She also says demand for tickets for Angel City FC’s first home game is akin to a Super Bowl and that bringing more new teams into the league is among her top priorities. And - In Sporting Witness, we hear from the cardiologist who saved Fabrice Muamba’s life, ten years after he went into cardiac arrest and collapsed on the pitch in a Premier League match. Image: Getty Images

The vice president of Wisla Krakow, Maciej Bałaziński and Anna Mioduska, who is the chair of Legia Warsaw’s foundation, tell us how their clubs are helping people displaced by the conflict in Ukraine. Both clubs have been aiding the effort to collect supplies for Ukrainian refugees, while Wisla have also given sanctuary to the youth team players from Dynamo Kyiv. Legia have been providing football sessions for children and have plans in place to provide a creche for young children and their mothers. Katie Smith brings us the latest news from the Winter Paralympics and we hear from Canadian legend Brian McKeever. Camille Herron tells us her attitude to ultrarunning is a mix of the fictional characters Ted Lasso, Forrest Gump and Billy Elliott. The American recently broke her own 100-mile women’s world record averaging around 7:37 minutes per mile over the 12 hours and 41 minutes run. And - David Diamante joins us to reflect on the motorcycle accident that could have cost him his life and making his return to ring announcing. Diamante was told by doctors he could have been left paralysed by the accident, which resulted in him having emergency surgery and nine screws inserted in his back. Image: Legia supporters during the PKO Ekstraklasa match in Warsaw, Poland. (Photo by Foto Olimpik/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Ukrainian Olympic Swimmer and World Record holder Andrii Govorov tells us about getting his wife and young child out of the country just before Russia invaded. Govorov - who was born in Crimea – also gives us an insight into the Russian Psyche and believes people have been brainwashed to accept the conflict. He explains why he believes all Russian athletes should be banned from international competition and tells us how he feels seeing Ukrainian athletes sign up to fight in the war. Sweden’s Minister for Sports - Anders Ygeman - tells us sporting boycotts do work and that Vladimir Putin holds the key to getting Russia readmitted into the international sporting fold. Adelaide United striker Fiona Worts tells us about the challenge of combining a job in McDonalds with firing her side into the A-League Women play-offs for the first time. Worts is the competitions top scorer and recently hit a record-equalling five goals in a match against Brisbane Roar. And - Andy Stevenson brings us the latest news on the Winter Paralympics and Alistair Bruce-Ball is live at the King Power Stadium ahead of the Premier League’s early kick-off between Leicester City and Leeds United. Image: Photo by Tobias SCHWARZ / AFP) (Photo by TOBIAS SCHWARZ/AFP via Getty Images

We speak to the Ukrainian Tennis player Illya Marchenko who tells us that, for him, this is sadly all too familiar. His war started eight years ago when he was forced to flee from his home in Donetsk. He and his wife packed a bag and have never returned. Despite what Russia is doing as a country, Illya explains why he wouldn’t necessarily support a ban on Russian sportspeople competing internationally – he says he has Russian friends in the Tennis world and they don’t necessarily agree with what their country is doing. After Uefa announced that the 2022 Champions League Final would be taken away from St Petersburg, and Formula One stated it would be “impossible” to stage the Russian Grand Prix, we examine the future of sporting events – both those due to feature teams representing Ukraine, and also those events that would normally be welcoming Russian participants or relying on the country as a host. Would sporting sanctions work? Richard Mills, an Associate Professor in Modern European History from the University of East Anglia, explains the parallels already apparent behind the events of this week and what happened during the wars in Yugoslavia in the 1990s. Away from the events in Ukraine, we’re joined by the Beijing Olympic Ice Hockey gold medallist, Brianne Jenner. She explains what Canada’s victory on the ice means for women’s Ice Hockey in North America, as well as what it’s done for wider issues around representation and LGBTQ visibility and how, hopefully, it’s changing the world that her baby daughter June will grow up in. This week, US Soccer settled it’s long-running legal dispute over equal pay with the US Women’s National Team. An American soccer legend, Brandi Chastain, tells us just how significant this moment is and what should happen next. Staying in the States, the new MLS season kicks off on this weekend – with the League welcoming a brand new franchise. Christian Fuchs is among those that Adam Samuel has spoken to for a package all about Charlotte FC. And … why not join us in the metaverse? What are we talking about? It’s Manchester City’s plan to create a ‘virtual stadium’ in which fans from all over the world can watch City’s live matches. Nuria Tarre from the City Football Group does her best to explain. Image: Roman Yaremchuk of SL Benfica celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal during the Round Of Sixteen Leg One - UEFA Champions League match between SL Benfica and AFC Ajax at Estadio da Luz on February 23, 2022 in Lisbon, Portugal. (Photo by Gualter Fatia/Getty Images)

We speak to a female athlete, who fled Afghanistan after the Taliban retook control of her country. She managed to leave on a flight with the help of paperwork, which she thought would lead to her starting a new life in Canada. That hasn’t proved to be the case and she’s currently living with other evacuees in eastern Europe. She tells us she believes she would have been killed if found by the Taliban and about her fear for her family still living in Afghanistan. Henry Cabelus explains what the sport of extreme pogo involves ahead of him performing at the NBA All-Star weekend. Cabelus, who holds a number of world records – including the most consecutive back-flips in a row – tells us he hopes his sport will be included in the X Games in the future. Olivia and Chandler McDaniel discuss their new found fame after they helped the Philippines reach next year’s Fifa Women’s World Cup. They have been stopped for selfies in the supermarket and been to meet boxing legend Manny Pacquiao. Olivia was the star performer in their penalty shoot-out victory over Taiwan at the Asian Cup that qualified them for next year’s World Cup. She saved two spot kicks and then scored a penalty herself and the sisters reflect on that dramatic shoot-out. Katie Smith brings us the latest from the Winter Olympics, Ade Adedoyin looks ahead to the fight between Amir Khan and Kell Brook and John Southall is at the London Stadium ahead of West Ham United’s game against Newcastle United in the Premier League. Image: The Equality League

All the excitement and colour from LA ahead of the most watched annual sporting event anywhere in the world. We look at what the Super Bowl means to America through the eyes of three former NFL players. One who only got to the game once he retired, one who lost on the day but won a bigger prize and one who ended up a champion but paid an incredibly high price for his success. And all three have gone on to have a great impact off the field. Former San Francisco 49er George Visger tells us about the horrific cost of winning his Super Bowl ring. During the course of his career he suffered many concussions and now years later and after several brain surgeries, he has been left fighting not only for his memory but for his medical bills to be paid. He lost his house, his business and his family, but despite all of that and his severe medical condition George is a leading campaigner and advocate for the protection of athletes in sport. Jeff Rohrer never made it to the Super Bowl as a player, but as one of TV’s most regarded advert commercial directors he has had almost as much impact on Super Bowls as any of those who won a ring! He’s behind some of the most iconic Super Bowl adverts of all time. Jeff also happens to be the first NFL player, past or present, to enter into a same sex marriage. He tells us about his life and how he hopes he is inspiring a new generation of players and change the reasons why so few men feel comfortable being out in professional sport. You can see Jeff and husband Josh on social media @joshuaandjeffrey Garry Gilliam tasted defeat to Tom Brady’s Patriots in 2015 and gave up the game in his twenties. Having grown up in poverty Garry was sent away for schooling at the famous Milton Hershey school, just a few miles from where he was born in Pennsylvania. The experience of the school’s “whole child” approach led him to dedicate his life to creating and empowering under represented communities. He explains his practical and achievable urban regeneration plans, aimed at lifting people out of poverty. A view of SoFi Stadium as workers prepare for Super Bowl LVI on February 01, 2022 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

We join our correspondent Alex Capstick live in Beijing with the Winter Olympics well underway. We also hear from Olympic skiing Gold medallists Lindsey Vonn and Picabo Street about their friendship and the new documentary Vonn has co-directed about Street’s life. Vonn discusses her first meeting with her idol as a 9 year old child, while Street opens up on the difficult issues in her personal life that are explored in the film. United States men’s Ice Hockey coach – David Quinn – discusses the challenges of putting a team together without National Hockey League players and Simon Gleave from the data company Gracenote tells us who he expects to do well in Beijing. Sporting Witness has a Winter Olympics theme as we hear from Vonetta Flowers. At the 2002 games in Salt Lake City, she became the first black athlete to win a Winter Olympic Gold medal, as she and Jill Bakken topped the podium in the two-woman Bobsleigh event. Iceland midfielder Dagny Brynjarsdottir opens up on combining motherhood and a career as a professional footballer. She welcomes the recent introduction of maternity pay for players in the WSL but argues there should be more support for players going forward. Brynjarsdottir also explains how she became a West Ham United fan as a child and tells us about her dream move to the club last year. And - Katie Higgins tells us about becoming part of the first ever women’s camel racing team in the United Arab Emirates. The 29-year-old art teacher made history in the country when she competed in its first licensed female camel championship race at Al Marmoom Racetrack. The National Stadium, also known as the Bird's Nest, the venue for the opening and closing ceremonies of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, is illuminated at night on February 2, 2022 in Beijing, China. Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics will open on February 4. (Photo by Yi Haifei/China News Service via Getty Images)

On this week's Sportshour with Caroline Barker, we speak to the President of the Ukrainian Paralympic Committee, Valeriy Sushkevych, about the tensions at the Russian border and how this is affecting the countries athletes ahead of the Winter Paralympics in Beijing. Plus, we’ll hear from Jack Jablonski who was an aspiring ice hockey player, who suffered a terrible spinal injury ending his chances. Despite his injury, he’s now working for a professional ice hockey team in the US. Photo: A view of Humvees given to the Ukrainian Armed Forces. (Credit: TASS via Getty Images)

Saudi Arabian women competed in the Dakar Rally for the first time in 2022, with Dania Akeel and Mashael al-Obaidan completing the race earlier this month. They join us to reflect on making history and discuss how competing in one of the world’s most gruelling automobile rally races has changed them. They also give their thoughts on whether they see themselves as inspirational figures for women in their country. Shanwayne Stephens tells us about helping Jamaica qualify a four-man bobsleigh team for a first Winter Olympics in 24 years. Stephens is the team’s pilot and discusses his hopes for the Beijing Games, what he makes of his team being compared to the 1988 team, which inspired the film Cool Runnings and who would play him in the movie if they made a sequel. Vegan endurance runner Robbie Balenger joins us to discuss pushing his body to its limits while maintaining a plant-based diet, his spiritual connection to running and to reflect on some of the challenges he has completed. Balenger holds the record for most finished laps around Central Park and has previously completed a transcontinental run across America, averaging 43 miles per day across the 75 day run. And we are live at the Australian Open tennis and at Goodison Park ahead of Everton’s first game since they sacked manager Rafa Benitez.

We speak to a refugee held in the Park Hotel about life as a detainee. 24-year-old Adnan Choopani left Iran to seek asylum nine years ago and has been held in a variety of Australian detention facilities ever since. He explains the impact living at the Park Hotel has had on his mental health and how he hopes the world doesn’t forget the residents now Novak Djokovic has left. Adnan is joined by David Glanz from the group Refugee Action Collective, who details the poor conditions people face in the hotel – including a lack of fresh air and maggot-infested food. Two-time Olympian and double Commonwealth Games Heptathlon silver medallist Jessica Zelinka explains the barriers women athletes face when transitioning into coaching. Zelinka – who is head track and field coach at the University of Calgary – explains why she feels more women don’t take up coaching, the unique perspectives women can provide and discusses the work Commonwealth Sport Canada are doing to prepare more women for high performance coaching roles. Defending Olympic Alpine Combined Skiing Champion Michelle Gisin tells us how she got into crochet after being struck down by Epstein-Barr virus last year. Gisin says it was the only thing she had the energy to do and that she was fearful she may not make it to the Beijing Games. She discusses how her family got her into the sport and the strength of the field she will have to overcome to win a second Olympic Gold medal in China. And – the BBC’s football correspondent – John Murray – joins us live from the Etihad stadium ahead of the Premier League game between Manchester City and Chelsea. (Photo by Darrian Traynor/Getty Images)

Ice Hockey fan Nadia Popovici tells us how she helped save the life of Vancouver Canucks assistant equipment manager Brian Hamilton after she spotted a cancerous mole on the back of his neck during a game between the Canucks and the Seattle Kraken. She warned him about the mole by banging on the plexiglass and typing a message on her phone. Popovici says she’s grateful Hamilton took her advice and had the mole removed as it was found to be cancerous. The Canucks and Kraken have then come together to award Popovici a ten thousand dollar scholarship to help with her costs at medical school. The president of World Netball – Liz Nicholl – tells us she believes the sport still has a huge role to play across the Commonwealth as we approach the 2022 Commonwealth Games. The event in Birmingham is the last Commonwealth Games in which Netball – along with a host of other sports – is guaranteed a place. Craig Bromfield joins us to discuss how a chance encounter with Brian Clough as a child led the legendary football manager to take Craig and his brother under his wing. The pair ended up travelling to games on Nottingham Forest’s team coach, sitting in the dug-out and spending holidays with the Clough family. On FA Cup third round weekend, we’re joined live by the manager of Kidderminster Harriers. Russell Penn’s side go into their tie against Reading as the lowest ranked team still left in the competition. Image: Nadia Popovici and Vancouver Canucks Brian Hamilton (Photo by Christopher Mast/NHLI via Getty Images)

A look back on some of the athletes we met at the Tokyo Games and look ahead to Beijing including Switzerland’s Jolanda Neff who won the cross-country mountain bike event, Spanish Paralympian Desirée Vila who was competing at her first Games and Georgie Cohen who will be representing Israel at the Winter Games in February, and honouring the legacy of her grandfather Maurice Cohen. Image: Tokyo 2020 Olympic Stadium. (Photo by Toru Hanai/Getty Images)

We look back at some of the stories we covered and people we met in 2021 including Haley Carter the former assistant coach of the Afghan women's team and also a US Marine veteran. We hear from Janelly Farias, who was called "the Mexican Rapinoe" on social media for her willingness to bring to light the prejudiced faced by the LGBTQ+ community in Mexico. Nav Bhatia who was inducted into the NBA Hall of Fame an honour normally confined to those who perform on the court, tells us about devotion to his beloved Toronto Raptors. Australian cyclist Lachlan Morton on the challenge of completing his own remarkable Tour de France. Photo: Haley Carter coaches the Afghan women's football team (Credit: Haley Carter) Photo supplied and used to ensure no players can be identified

UFC strawweight Kay Hansen opens up about how she discovered she had an eating disorder and how she believes it could be linked to the trauma she endured as a teenager. Hansen was sexually abused in her teens and says not eating and over training was her way of coping. Her issues around food came to a head when she was forced to pull out of a fight in March as her body was effectively shutting down on her. We explore the world of pillow fighting ahead of PFC 3, which will be broadcast on pay per view television across the globe, with FightPFC chief executive Steve Williams and professional pillow fighter Terrell Jenkins. Williams believes pillow fighting is set to become the next big combat sport and explains how it works, while Jenkins tells us how he sent his last opponent to the hospital. Stacey-Lee May tells us how being bullied during childhood led to a career in motorsport. The South African competes in spinning, which is a more extreme version of drifting, with the driver hanging out of the car as it is doing donuts. She is known as the “Queen of Smoke”, her signature move is the “superwoman” and her skill has led to her performing on a number of global television shows. Sporting Lisbon women’s manager – Mariana Cabral – explains how she went from football journalist to football manager. Cabral also discusses how conversations with other managers when she was a journalist have influenced her and her approach to dealing with the media now she’s a football manager. And in Sporting Witness, we go back to 1971 and a story about sport and politics. Farhana Haider explains how the Bangladesh football team played an important propaganda role as the country fought a bloody war for independence from Pakistan. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)

The BBC’s Formula 1 reporter Jennie Gow joins us from Abu Dhabi, ahead of the final race of the season, with Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen fighting for the Drivers World Title. Verstappen is aiming for his first world title and we hear from his mentor when he started out in Formula 3. Frits Van Amersfoort tells us it became clear, within one hour of working with Max, that he was a special talent, says he hasn’t changed his approach since racing for him and compares Verstappen’s rivalry with Lewis Hamilton to the one Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost shared. Van Amersfoort also tells us he’s worked in motorsport for forty years and he’s never known people in the Netherlands as interested in the sport as they are now because of Verstappen’s success. Paddy Lacey joins us ahead of his fight on the undercard of Katie Taylor’s defence of her undisputed lightweight titles against Kazakh challenger Firuza Sharipova. Lacey played in the same Liverpool youth team as Wolves and England defender Conor Coady before a failed drugs test ended a promising spell in the Football League. During his ban from playing football, Lacey was arrested and subsequently jailed after being found in possession of drugs and counterfeit money at the Glastonbury Festival. He’s now playing for Chester City in England’s sixth tier and forging a career as a professional boxer. US runner Molly Seidel tells us about her route into marathon running and discusses her journey of recovery from anxiety, depression and disordered eating. Seidel won bronze at the Tokyo Olympic Games, in what was only her third ever race over the marathon distance. In Sporting Witness, we tell the story of how a group of Tibetan exiles and a Danish ex-footballer teamed up to create the Tibetan national football team twenty years ago. Michael Nybrandt and team captain Sonam Wangyal recall the obstacles they faced, which included threats from China, and discuss their first ever game against Greenland. Melinda Farrell brings us the latest news from the Ashes series between Australia and England and the BBC’s Juliette Ferrington joins us from the Etihad Stadium ahead of Manchester City’s game against Wolves in the Premier League. Photo: Red Bull driver Max Verstappen looks on at the Red Bull Racing team photo during previews ahead of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. (Credit: Formula 1 via Getty Images)

The Football Association director of the Women’s Professional Game – Kelly Simmons - tells us 5 December was chosen as the date for this year’s women’s FA Cup Final between Arsenal and Chelsea as it marks the 100 anniversary of the governing body banning women’s football. Simmons describes that decision as probably the lowest point in the history of the game and says the FA are keen to be positive about the day and celebrate how far the women’s game has come in the years since. Simmons also discusses what needs to change in international football following a series of one sided Fifa World Cup Qualifiers – including England’s 20-0 win over Latvia this week. Jamaica netball captain Jhaniele Fowler tells us how she didn’t let a serious heart condition she developed as a child, stop her pursuing a career in sport. Fowler has only just stopped taking medication for rheumatic heart disease. She also tells us how her playing schedule and the Covid-19 pandemic have combined to keep her and her daughter apart for the last two netball seasons. Fowler describes surprising her daughter by arriving home from overseas unannounced and how her dream is to have her on the podium with her at a Commonwealth Games or World Cup. Fiona Brady, a Special Olympian who has represented Ireland in Basketball, Tenpin Bowling and Floorball, joins us to discuss the impact of not being able to play sport during the Covid-19 pandemic has had on her. This week saw International day of persons with disabilities take place and a new campaign called "Faces of Basketball" is aiming to give people with intellectual disabilities the confidence to return to sport. In Sporting Witness, we return to 1961, when England’s top players threatened strike action in order to force the Football League to scrap its limit on wages of 20 pounds a week. Their victory was a turning point for the sport as it ushered in the modern era of football mega-salaries. The late England captain Jimmy Armfield, gives us his recollections of the period. And – we’re live in Saudi Arabia with Jennie Gow ahead of the first ever Formula 1 race in the country, John Southall is at the London Stadium ahead of West Ham United v Chelsea in the Premier League and Jamie Broughton joins us with the latest from the UK Snooker Championship. (Photo: FA Women’s Super League match between Arsenal and Chelsea, London, 2021. Credit: Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)

The world’s only blind cricket commentator - Dean du Plessis - tells us he is now losing his hearing and discusses the impact it is having on his life and career. Du Plessis says not being able to hear properly is more frightening to him than the sky dive he completed in 2007 and the journey he took on the back of a motorbike that was travelling around three hundred kilometres an hour. Du Plessis is Zimbabwe’s most recognised voice in cricket but says he may need to consider moving to a country were conditions are better for blind people. However, he is staying positive and he even sings a bit of his favourite band - Def Leppard - for us. Thalea Smidt joins us in the week her team – Mamelodi Sundowns – completed an historic treble, including them winning the first ever Women's African Champions League. The midfielder tells us becoming champions of the continent is amazing and the reality of the achievement is still sinking in. She also believes the South African sides success could open the door for more girls and women to play football in Africa and discusses how some of her team-mates overcame the doubts of their own families to become footballers. One of the world’s best netballers Lenize Potgieter speaks to Sportshour’s Maz Farookhi about her decision to temporarily make herself unavailable for selection for the South Africa national squad, after the team’s doctor diagnosed her with a major depressive disorder. Potgieter discuss her relief at her diagnosis and why she went public with her struggles. In Sporting Witness, we go back to 2009 and remember when Zenyatta became the first – and only – mare to win the Breeders Cup Classic, one of the most prestigious horse races in America. Zenyatta was hugely popular with the public; she was as well-known for her dance moves in the paddock as she was for coming from behind to snatch victory at the last moment. And on a busy day of sport, we discuss the Women’s Big Bash League final with Melinda Farrell, Tim Vickery looks ahead to the Copa Libertadores final, Jonathan Overend is at the Emirates ahead of Arsenal’s game against Newcastle United in the Premier League and Jamie Broughton brings us the latest from the UK Snooker Championship. (Image: JEKESAI NJIKIZANA/AFP via Getty Images)

As rugby union's Autumn Internationals end we look at England women's success ahead of World Cup year in 2022 with the woman who lifted the trophy for England in 2014, Katy Daley-McClean MBE. We'll also hear from South Africa's World Cup winning captain Siya Kolisi ahead of the men's clash with England. Venus and Serena Williams, Phil and Gary Neville, Yaya and Kolo Toure. Have you ever noticed how many sporting siblings there are?! But are you born with it? Is it down to hard work? Or is it something completely different? Sportshour’s Rachael Rhodes has been finding out about new research into the area and hearing from MMA legend Ken Shamrock. The Jamaican bobsleigh team that competed at the 1988 Winter Olympics, and had a movie made about them, have become the standard by which all unusual sporting endeavours are judged! Well despite the 2022 games in Beijing coming just a little too soon, the next chapter of unlikely sport combinations isn't too far away. Cool Slidings. It's time to meet Alistair Fyfe, originally from Scotland and the man behind the push to get Saudi Arabia to the top of the curling podium! James Simpson, captain of the Great Britain Wheelchair Rugby League team on why it's not all bad that the World Cup has been postponed by a year. With men's football taking a break from domestic action to focus on qualification for the World Cup, many fans took the opportunity to go to a women's match, some for the first time. So what, if anything, is different between derby day in Manchester when it's the women and not the men in action? Katie Smith went along to find out. Image: Autumn International match between England Red Roses and New Zealand at Sandy Park (Photo by Catherine Ivill - RFU/The RFU Collection via Getty Images)

Has has the past two weeks been a decisive moment for athlete climate activism? As COP26, the United Nations climate change conference, ends what impact has sport had on delivering for the future? Athletes, organisations and members of the sporting community have signed a manifesto calling on, amongst other things, net zero and to protect communities and natural habitats. We hear from English cricketer Joe Cooke, one of those who signed the manifesto. Plus Fiona Morgan is the Global Director of Purpose & Impact at SailGP, a championship that races all over the world but has added a sustainability aspect to the action, rewarding teams as much for their speed on the water as their impact on the environment. She told us about the role sport is playing at COP26 and what it's like to take part in one of the panel discussions at the summit. It's been a busy month for Vivianne Miedema, banging in the goals for Arsenal, nominated for the BBC Women's Footballer of the Year and alongside her partner, West Ham's Lisa Evans, joined the "Common Goal" movement. Created by Manchester United's Juan Mata, people donate 1% of their wages to support those in need all over the world. Viv and Lisa reveal a little bit about their life off the field and explain why they wanted to get involved. As a star of the NFL Mark Pattison knew what it was like to hit the heights of professional sport. When, in retirement, that feeling disappeared Mark was left asking himself questions about much more than sport. It lead him on an extraordinary adventure that saw him conquer the seven highest peaks on earth. We also hear from the recently retired international footballer, famed for saving a Leo Messi penalty at the World Cup finals and for being part of the Icelandic team who made it to the quarter-finals of Euro 2016 by knocking out England. So what do you do if you're Hannes Thór Halldórsson and it's time to hang up the gloves? Go back to your original love... movies! Cop Secret is his first full-length film. The goalkeeper-turned-director explained all. This time last year Germany's Andreas Seewald was an electrician but always sparked into life by sport... and eventually, he found the funding to give his first love, mountain biking, a go professionally. This time last month Andreas was crowned Mountain Bike World Champion, he explained how. Image: Lasse Schöne of Genoa under a big banner concerning climate changes issues during a Serie A match (Photo by Paolo Rattini/Getty Images)

The NHL, the professional ice hockey league in North America, has been rocked by allegations of sexual abuse and failure to investigate them when they were first made. It revolves around a law suit a former Chicago Blackhawks player has brought against the team after he allege he was abused by one of the coaches. That player, Kyle Beach, spoke out publicly this week in an emotional interview with TSN journalist Rick Westhead. We hear part of that interview and from Rick on exposing sexual abuse in the NHL and the cover up. As COP26 continues in Glasgow we look at what role sport can play in protecting the planet. And whilst Baseball's World Series crowned its champion this week, for Milwaukee Brewer’s pitcher Brent Suter the work on making the sport environmentally conscious continues. Proudly known as the "greenest man in baseball" he tells us about the challenges he's faced trying to change minds and habits of team mates and fans. Seeing our favourite stars doing their bit does have an impact because as fans we love our teams! After all the word 'fan' is short for fanatic. We hear from one group harnessing that deep passion in order to help the environment. Planet Super League gives fans the chance to represent the clubs they support in a sustainability league, the inaugural champions have just been crowned, we hear from the leagues CEO Tom Gribbin. (Photo: Former NHL player Kyle Beach Credit: Getty Images)

As Namibia's men continue to make history at their first T20 Cricket World Cup we speak to Dr Rudie van Vuuren, a two-sport international for the country. These days Dr van Vuuren combines his passion for sport with a passion for conservation. He recalls playing at both the Cricket and Rugby World Cups in 2003 and tells us what he would like to see come out of the COP26 Climate Change Conference. We put the same question to Seyi Smith. He’s a Summer and Winter Olympian who's co-founded 'Racing to Zero' in his native Canada. The aim is to make small-scale, local sporting events carbon neutral. Seyi was a sprinter who represented his country at London 2012 and then at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Bobsled. But he’s also an engineer by trade. Once his track career had ended, it was a speech by the former US President Barack Obama which convinced him he needed to encourage grass-roots change to tackle the climate crisis. Great Britain Rower, Melissa Wilson, joins us as she prepares to attend COP26 as a representative of the athletes’ group ‘Champions for Earth’. What does Melissa want the summit to achieve? This week, we passed 100 days to go to the Winter Olympic Games in Beijing. Uganda's Brolin Mawejje is hoping to become the first African to snowboard at the Olympics. He was born in Uganda, who've never been represented at the Winter Games. He only saw snow for the first time at the age of 12, after moving to the United States. Having originally targeted qualification for the 2018 Winter Olympics, a heart attack suffered whilst being treated in hospital ended those hopes. Image: Namibia's Rudie van Vuuren leaves the field after the match against England in The ICC Cricket World Cup at St George's Park stadium in Port Elizabeth 19 February 2003. (Photo credit: ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP via Getty Images)

When the first whistle blows in the Premier League most players will drop to one knee as a way of highlighting racial injustice and supporting positive change. It's something that has happened at Premier League matches since the death of George Floyd in 2020. But has 'taking the knee' lost its impact? We hear from former athlete Michelle Moore whose new book 'Real Wins' is described as an urgent call to action from one of the most influential women in sport. With the UCI Track Cycling World Championships taking place in France we hear from Canadian sprint legend Gordon Singleton, the only man to hold all three sprint world records at the same time, about just how special it is to win a world title. Plus as the W-Series, the premier women’s driving championship comes, to an end this weekend we preview the final round of races with one of the drivers, Jessica Hawkins. But you won’t just see Jessica on the track she’s on the big screen too, in the latest Bond film! Jessica tells us how she juggles being a racing car driver and a Hollywood stunt woman. One of the most significant people in football history was honoured earlier this month with a special plaque on his grave, but you've most likely never heard of him. Andrew Watson played back in the 1880's when the game itself was still developing. Watson played a crucial part in making football the sport we'd recognise today. What makes Watson's story all the more remarkable was that he was black. In fact he was the first black man to play international football when he captained Scotland in 1881. Llew Walker has written a book about this remarkable man and why his story had previously been lost to history. It's been a busy week in Basketball on Thursday the NBA released it 75th anniversary team, a list of the great and good from today and yesteryear. The season's opening has been somewhat overshadowed by the issue of Covid vaccination with Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving refusing to take the jab, meaning he cannot play. All this after the WNBA completed it's thrilling season with victory for the Chicago Sky. So plenty to get our teeth into with Basketball journalist Lindsay Dunn. (Photo: Players take the knee in a Premier League match Credit: Rob Newell/Getty Images)

For a number of years up to 2020, Kelly Lindsey was Head Coach of the Afghan women's football team. Recently she's taken up a position in England with Lewes FC, the first club in the country to pay its female players exactly the same as it's male players. It's no surprise that Kelly should be at such a progressive club, she's always lead by example, and as she explained her experiences in Afghanistan were life changing. In what’s been a difficult week for American football, we look at the fallout from Jon Gruden's resignation as the Las Vegas Raiders' head coach after allegations of the existence of numerous inappropriate emails surfaced. Plus on the weekend London hosts Miami Dolphins and the Jacksonville Jaguars, we’ll look at the NFL’s plan to expand its International Series to Germany with former NFL star Markus Kuhn. Before the Olympics in July much of the talk was of whether athletes would use their time on the podium to protest against injustice. As it turns out there was hardly any athlete activism on display in Tokyo, which makes what Raven Saunders did when she received her silver medal in the shot put even more noteworthy. Saunders explains why during the medal ceremony she raised her arms and crossed them in the shape of an X to show support for "oppressed" people. We drop in on the final day of action at the Huntsman World Senior Games which have been taking place this week in Utah, and we're live at Watford as Claudio Ranieri returns to the Premier league. Photo: A player of Afghanistan national women football team arrives for a training session at Odivelas, outskirts of Lisbon on September 30, 2021 (Credit: PATRICIA DE MELO MOREIRA/AFP via Getty Images)

We explore the aftermath of the shocking allegations of abuse in women's football in the USA. The news from the NWSL was particularly distressing for former Irish international Ciara McCormack, because for many years in Canada, Ciara tried to be heard and taken seriously when in 2008 she highlighted alleged mis-conduct by her coach at the Vancouver White Caps, Bob Birarda. In 2019, McCormack wrote a blog post called "A Horrific Canadian Soccer Story – The Story No One Wants to Listen To, But Everyone Needs to Hear." Birarda, who was also the coach of the Canadian women's under-20 team, was charged with multiple sex offences in 2020, which he denies and is await trial. Ciara started by explaining about the atmosphere and power dynamic at the club. The first new sickle-cell treatment in 20 years was announced this week. It's expected to help keep thousands of people out of hospital and reduce health inequalities for black people, who are predominantly affected. Like Nigerian Rugby League star Ade Adebisi, or the "London Flyer" as he was known in his playing days. Ade holds a unique place in the history of the sport as he is the only person to have played the game professionally whilst also managing the condition. Plus we hear from Libyan International footballer Mo Bettamer as the nation looks to qualify for it's first ever men's world cup preview the big fight in Las Vegas, Fury v Wilder III and look ahead to the Manchester derby in the Women's Super League Photo Credit Getty Images

Ken Green had a good career as a professional golfer, he was a five time winner of the US Tour and reached 15 in the world. For Ken however it was much more than a sport, because his life off the course had seen so much trauma. Here in his own words he explains what he as been through and how golf "saved me... Twice!" The final race of the Triathlon Super League season took place last weekend in Malibu California. We thought it would be a good opportunity to catch up with Taylor Spivey who was racing in front of her family in her home race. And we did talk about that, and about her recovery from a serious bike crash in 2014 which still to this day affects her, but that's the most compelling part of the conversation was when talking about the Olympics and the emotional cost of just missing out on a dream. Football, She Wrote is a new book where women have written a chapter on the game they love. It's a fascinating collection of memoirs and interviews covering all sorts of topics. Fudumo Olow is one of the contributing authors having penned a chapter on former England international Rachael Yankey. Who is the most important person at any sporting event? The athlete, right? Well apart from them you can list a whole load of people who can make or break your enjoyment... perhaps the most crucial person is the commentator? I mean if you aren't at the stadium the commentator can transport you there... and the art of commentary is the subject of a new book by broadcaster Michael Schiavello Credit: (Photo by Marc Serota/Getty Images)

Tiara Brown is one of the leading names in women's boxing and until a year ago was an award-winning police officer in Washington DC. Back in December, she told Sportshour she left the department feeling they were unwilling to instigate change following the murder of George Floyd. Now, in the first case of its kind, Tiara, and nine other black female officers, have filed a lawsuit against the capitols Police Department citing allegations of sexual harassment and marginalisation. We hear from lawyer Pamela Keith and Tiara. We find out what it's like to sink the winning putt for Europe in the Ryder Cup played in the USA. That's what Irish golfer Phillip Walton did in 1995. He tells us about that experience and why it was bittersweet. It is the AFL Grand Final between Melbourne and the Western Bulldogs. Despite this year's final being between two teams based in Melbourne, the game is being played in Western Australia because Melbourne is in a Covid lockdown and Perth is not. We are joined by Cheryl Critchley who runs the AFL fans Association. (Photo: Tiara Brown between rounds against Vanessa Bradford at Generoso Pope Athletic Complex on October 24, 2019, in New York City. Credit: Edward Diller/Getty Images)

Athletes Unlimited is a collective promoting a new way of thinking about professional sport, placing the player at the very heart and doing away with team owners. It's currently running leagues in women’s volleyball, lacrosse and softball. Jon Patricof, the CEO at Athletes Unlimited, told us how this revolutionary new concept works. Could the development of AI help players avoid injury? That’s one of the claims made by technology companies who operate automated video recording system that records the entire field without the need for a camera operator. Victoria Rich is the Director of Operations for the NWSL, where the technology is being used. Meanwhile, the system has also allowed some teams and leagues without any television contracts to stream their matches to fans and raise some revenue. Patrik Olsson, co-founder & CEO at Spiideo, explained how it works. Two times Paralympic archery gold medallist Danielle Brown explains how she used archery as a coping mechanism to deal with her chronic pain. Now retired, she has become an author and with the aim of inspiring other women, she has gathered 50 stories from different talented sportswomen in her latest book Run Like A Girl: 50 Extraordinary and Inspiring Sportswomen. Photo: Getty Images

On the 20th anniversary of the 11 September attacks on the United States, we reflect on the role that Sport played, and continues to play, in helping to rebuild the lives of those affected and in remembering those who died. Mary Wittenberg was assistant race director for the New York Marathon in 2001. Going ahead just a few weeks after the attacks, it was the city’s biggest mass gathering since the losses suffered on September 11. US Sport’s big team franchises had already resumed playing but, says Mary, this was the first chance for ordinary New Yorkers to do something for their family and friends; either in remembrance or in solidarity. We also look at the lasting legacy of Mark Bingham, who died over-powering those who had hijacked United Airlines Flight 93. The Bingham Cup, set up in his honour, is one of the premier International Gay Rugby competitions. Karl Ainscough-Gates, the chair of International Gay Rugby, joins us to remember Mark’s sacrifice and celebrate how he continues to change lives to this day. Plus, The Washington Post’s Jerry Brewer weighs the question of whether the relationship between sport and patriotism in the United States, which grew as a result of 9/11 and the subsequent ‘War on Terror’, has become – in the 20 years since – something toxic. We are also joined by … Endurance Swimmer, Lewis Pugh, who has just completed a 7.8km swim in Greenland's Ilulissat Icefjord. The distance was covered in 14 sessions over 12 days. He did it to highlight the rapid melting of the Greenland Ice Sheet as a result of climate change. The mouth of the Ilulissat Icefjord measures 7.8 km, and is fed by the world’s fastest-moving glacier. Tokyo Paralympics Wheelchair Basketball gold-medallist, Mariska Beijer, discusses how victory for the Dutch team in her event can help to grow Para Sport in the Netherlands… and tells us about having afternoon tea with the country’s King and Princess! Piers Edwards, from BBC Africa Sport, tells us about footballer Jean-Pierre Adams, who died this week, having slipped into a coma in 1982 when he went into hospital for a routine operation. Piers, as a younger reporter, spent time with Adams’ family and learned about how they managed every day, knowing that Jean-Pierre would never wake up. We hear what the now double Olympic marathon champion, Eliud Kipchoge, wants to achieve with his new foundation. Kenya’s world record holder has been speaking to Ed Harry about building libraries and planting forests. (Photo: New York City night. Credit: Getty Images)

As the Paralympics come to a close we hear from Japan’s Deputy Chef de Mission Miki Matheson on whether the games have been a success. Plus the hidden heroes of the Games. Jose Bernardino is one of the official Otto Bock prosthetic technicians offering support for free to athletes. Their work not only helps performance on the track but to change lives off it. Plus proving age is just a number, 60-year-old Carol Cooke picked up a silver in Tokyo to go along with the three golds she won at the last three Games. Plus, ahead of the American Football season we look at how the NFL have managed to get over 93% of the league's players fully vaccinated without mandating or forcing players to get the jab. But for those refusing to be vaccinated, will it cost them their job? We hear from Tim Elcombe, Associate Professor at the Balsillie School of International Affairs. Plus we preview the Women’s Super League as the new football season in England kicks off, and find out about the first Dutch Formula One Grand Prix for more than 35 years, and why it was very nearly cancelled. Photo: Jhoan Vargas of Team Colombia at the Wheelchair Basketball event (Getty Images)

We’re live in Tokyo on Day 5 of the Paralympics, hearing from Spanish Paralympian Desirée Vila. An elite gymnast, she thought her sporting career was over after an injury that ultimately resulted in her losing her leg… but not only did she find Paralympic sport and is competing at her first Games, she’s also a powerful voice advocating positive body image in the Spanish-speaking world. Swimmer Abbas Karimi, who is competing under the IPC’s refugee team, tells us why he had to flee Afghanistan when the Taliban first rose to power. We also hear from the man who won Japan’s first gold of the Games, swimmer Takayuki Suzuki, who tells us what life's like for the disabled community in Japan. Mina Ahmadi, a member of the current Afghan women’s national team, tells us about her fears for those players who have not been able to leave the country. Plus, reaction to the Netball Grand Final, the biggest prize in club netball in Australia. Photo: Bartlomiej Zborowski

For many years the players of the Afghanistan women's football team were seen as beacons of hope and empowerment in the country. Now they are in hiding and in fear for their lives. Haley Carter is the former assistant coach of the Afghan women's team and also a US Marine veteran. She is in daily contact with players and desperately trying to help them. Ahead of the Le Man's 24 hour race, we hear from Amanda Stretton who knows exactly what it takes to be part of one of the most iconic races in motor sport. As it turns out, her journey to the start line took as much endurance as the race itself. We hear from cricketer Nicole Harvey, who a year ago was hospitalised whilst pregnant. She had contracted sepsis and nearly died. A year on she has been one of the stars of the inaugural season of The Hundred. Plus ahead of the Paralympics we gather the presenters of BBC World Service podcast On The Podium, Paralympian Scout Basset, comedian Eliza Skinner and BBC athletic commentator Ed Harry to preview the event. (Photo: Haley Carter coaches the Afghan women's football team, Credit: Haley Carter)

Swimmer Markus Rogan was a double Olympic silver medallist in 2004 in Athens and a world record holder, before it all fell apart. He learnt the hard way about what can happen when the Olympic flame is extinguished. For some like him, when their sporting careers end a new unexpected challenge arises. Markus tells us about his struggle for a new identity and purpose away from the sporting arena, and his advice to other athletes facing that same challenge Kaleigh Gilchrist was badly injured in an accident when the balcony she was standing on collapsed. That almost cost her her place at the Games, and much more. Thankfully she made a full recovery and with the additional year delay to the Olympics, she was ready to take her part in what would eventually turn out to be a gold medal for her and the rest of the USA Women's water polo team. Her second Olympic gold Plus we preview the new Premier League season Photo: Markus Rogan in action in 2006 (Credit: Friedemann Vogel/Bongarts/Getty Images)

Athlete's mental welfare has been one of the main topics of the Olympics, and winning a gold medal doesn't always mean peace of mind. The down after the high of becoming a gold medallist, can be real to some athletes... Helen Richardson Walsh won gold in Rio and knows exactly the potential difficulties that comes after the Games have ended Melanie Smith Taylor, gold medallist in LA in 1984 recalls a unique and funny moment when receiving here gold medal from Prince Phillip on the podium Away from the Games we meet Abhimanyu Mishra who at the age of 12 has became the world's youngest Grandmaster in chess history. Abhi's love of the game started even earlier - after he was introduced to it by his dad Hemant at just 2 and a half! and as FA Cup holders Leicester City face Premier League champion Manchester City in the Community Shield, we hear about another team from the city starting their journey to Wembley. Leicester Nirvana face Deeping Rangers as this year's FA Cup competition as the Extra Preliminary Round takes place... We speak to chair of the club Zac Hajat. Photo Eleanor Patterson of Team Australia competes in the Women's High Jump at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. Credit: Getty Images

Switzerland’s Jolanda Neff reflects on winning the gold medal in the cross-country mountain bike event at the Tokyo Olympics. Neff and her team-mates made history as Switzerland won all three medals in the event. The 28-year-old says it will take some time to comprehend what they have achieved. Neff also tells us how she broke her hand just six weeks before the Olympics and explains how she did not start riding and jumping her bike again until she arrived in Japan. We look ahead to the women’s 100m final with the 2004 Olympic silver medallist Lauryn Williams. The former USA star tells us how to execute the perfect race, recalls how she felt winning an Olympic medal and gives us her thoughts on what gymnast Simone Biles has been through this week. Biles pulled out of the women’s team final to protect her mental health and Williams believes the situation will shine a spotlight on athlete welfare. We also hear from former USA swimmer Ella Eastin on the pressure elite athletes are under, South Africa’s first black female Olympic gymnast Caitlin Rooskrantz and the BBC’s Ade Adedoyin is with us throughout the programme with all the latest news on day eight of the Olympics. Plus, Sporting Witness heads back to the London 2012 Olympics to tell the story of 400m runner Zamzam Farah. Having grown up in war-torn Somalia, even reaching the Games was a huge personal achievement. (Image: Jolanda Neff, of Team Switzerland, celebrates winning the gold medal during the Women's Cross-country race, at Izu Mountain Bike Course, Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. Credit: Getty Images)

We’re live in Japan on day one of the delayed Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. The BBC’s Ed Harry reflects on the opening ceremony and rounds up the best of the action so far, while Japanese Olympic historian, Roy Tomizawa, gives us a sense of how the local population feel about the event taking place against the backdrop of the coronavirus pandemic. We also hear from Mayar Sherif who makes history as the first Egyptian woman to play tennis at an Olympic Games and from USA water polo player Kaleigh Gilchrist, who is in Tokyo two years on from being injured when a balcony collapsed in a nightclub she was in. Simon Gleave from Gracenote tells us which nations are predicted to do well in the medals table and in Sporting Witness, wrestler Yojiro Uetake recalls his memories of competing in the Tokyo Olympics of 1964. And Australia bowler Amanda-Jade Wellington tells us about her excitement about playing in new cricket format, The Hundred. The Southern Brave player tells us it doesn’t need to try and replicate the Big Bash League as she’s confident the new tournament will make a name for itself. She also tells us of her hopes of seeing cricket return to the Olympic Games and about her love for Pokemon. Image: Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on July 23, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Toru Hanai/Getty Images)

Divina Galica, on being the last woman to enter the British Grand Prix and how the former 4 time Olympian is still very much involved in the world of motorsport. We talk to Australian pro cyclist Lachlan Morton, who has completed his remarkable journey of riding not only every stage of the Tour de France, but also cycling all of the transfers in between the stages too! He has completed a 5,500 km journey all by himself raised more than £450,000 for World Bike Relief. Cuban born American Ileana Rodriguez talks to us about being Chef de Mission for the first ever refugee Paralympic team. We hear from one athlete whose Olympic dream has been dashed by the pandemic. Jamaican swimmer Michael Gunning had achieved the qualifying time for Tokyo when the Games were postponed last year, fast forward to now and with a change to the number of places available on the team, he finds himself facing the cold, harsh reality that his Olympic dream is over. Image: Divina Galica of Great Britain sits aboard the #14 Olympus Cameras with Hesketh Racing January 1978 at Silverstone (Photo by Getty Images)

We join home favourite Elisa Longo Borghini on the start line of the Giro d'Italia Donne, the most prestigious road race in women's cycling. She tells us why seeing her family cheer her on will be extra special this year, and what it would mean for an Italian to take the title. The opening ceremony of the Olympics is now just a few weeks away and whether Evy Liebfarth grabs gold or not, she is guaranteed to make history. Alongside her fellow competitors, Liebfarth will be one of the first women to ever compete in canoeing at the games. She'll also be one of the younger competitors in Tokyo, but that's not to say she's new to the sport. Under the guidance of her father, the 17-year-old has been waiting for her moment for years! Everyone dreams of gold, but for many simply getting to the Games marks a huge achievement. Ahead of the Rio Games in 2016, we met Houry Gebeshian who was set to become the first Armenian woman to compete in artistic gymnastics. She told us about her gruelling schedule, so was it worth the effort? Almost 17 years to the day after Greece won Euro 2004, American-Greek film maker Christopher Andr' Marks tells us about arguably the biggest shock in football history. His new documentary 'King Otto' examines how Otto Rehhagel, the German manager who spoke no Greek, led Greece to a most improbable victory. Plus, we're live at Wimbledon assessing all the action from the first week and look ahead to what might happen in the final stages; and we're also at the Euro's ahead of the two remaining quarter-final matches. Photo: Elisa Longo Borghini of Italy and Team Trek- Segafredo during the 5th Liege - Bastogne - Liege 2021. (Credit: Getty Images)

We preview the knockout stages at the Euros. As the Tour de France begins, we’re on the start line with former England footballer Geoff Thomas, as he attempts to complete the exact course of cycling’s greatest competition, a week ahead of the race. We’ll look at the environmental impact of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. We’ll hear from ‘ecoathletes’, one group of athletes who are at the forefront of bringing attention to climate change thought their sporting platform. After Pele called for snooker to be included in the Olympics we speak with Igor Figueiredo, the only professional snooker player from Brazil. As the Women’s PGA takes place in Atlanta, Georgia, we look at why some sports are shunning the state and others aren’t. Image: Getty Images.

Exactly a year ago the hockey player Darcy Bourne left her home in London to take part in the Black Lives Matter protests. Darcy who represents England at Under 21 level and studies at Duke University in North Carolina, had in her hand a placard that read "Why is ending racism a debate?" An image of her holding that simple message went viral. It was shared and viewed by tens of millions of people, and as it turns out completely changed her life. We explore what it means to be English and the important role football plays in national identity after Gareth Southgate penned a heartfelt letter to England fans ahead of Euro 2020. That theme is also being explored in a play being performed for the first time next week. ENG-ER-LAND is written and performed by Hannah Kumari who used her experiences of being a young, female, mixed race football fan in the 1990's to explore what it means to be accepted. The International Gay and Lesbian Football Association, IGLFA, have announced their World Cup in 2024 will take place in Argentina, and significantly it's being backed by the Argentine football association. For Gus Penaranda, President of the IGLFA, the decision has a personal connection, he tells us why. Plus we preview the final of the women’s French Open and the European football championships. Photo: A Minnesota Twins player wears an End Racism shirt during batting practice before the game against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium on June 3, 2021 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Kyle Rivas/Getty Images)

As part of Belarus women's basketball team, Yelena Leuchanka twice represented her country at the Olympics, but last year she was jailed for protesting the re-election of President Alexander Lukashenko. She tells us about protesting, prison, and player power. The Derby, one of the most famous horse races in the world takes place on Saturday. As well as previewing the race we’ll look at the new statue of suffragette Emily Davidson due to be unveiled at Epsom… More than 100 years ago Davidson lost her life, in one the most controversial moments in sport history moment, when she threw herself under the King’s horse to protest for woman’s equality Chris Mosier reacts to Ron DeSantis, Republican Governor of Florida, signing a bill banning transgender girls and women from competing on female sports teams at high school and college level. Chris recently took part in the 50km walk for team Team USA at the Olympic trials. It was the first time a transgender male had competed in any Olympic qualifier alongside other men. We chat to Toronto Raptors super fan Nav Bahatia who has become the first fan to ever be inducted into the basketball Hall of fame. (Photo credit ANDREJ ISAKOVIC/AFP via Getty Images)

We take a glimpse into the past, present and the future, of one of the world’s most famous motor races. The Indianapolis 500, form parts of the sports "Triple Crown" and it takes place on Sunday. We discuss the upcoming Champions League final taking place in Porto. And we hear from Welshman Harry Cromwell, he is a family man and a fisherman who is hoping to surf his way straight to the Olympics. (Photo by Brian Spurlock/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

We’ve brought together a Sportshour mini panel of experts to discuss what Sport could look like in the next thirty years to tie in with the BBC’s Sport 2050 project. We’re joined by Claire Poole, who is the Founder and CEO of Sport Positive, Madeleine Orr, who is an Assistant Professor of Sport Management at SUNY Cortland and founder The Sport Ecology Group, and Tanya Aldred, who is a journalist writing and campaigning about cricket and the environment. Our guests discuss the impact climate change is having on events and athletes now, how next year’s Winter Olympics could be affected, how we could see fewer top athletes emerge in Africa and the Caribbean in the future and the impact that could have on events like the Marathon and Major League Baseball. We also talk about the importance of athletes speaking out about climate change and we discuss some imagined scenarios of how sport could look in the year 2050. Throughout the discussion we hear from current and former athletes including: Ski cross Olympic champion Kelsey Serwa Rey and Tottenham and England footballer Eric Dier. The world’s best in Powerchair football – Australia’s Abdullah Karim – joins us to discuss being compared to Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, his hopes for next year’s World Cup on home soil and how his mother has helped him achieve what he has. Karim was born with severe scoliosis and limb deficiency and he credits his mum with helping him adapt to using his feet, which he relies on to do pretty much everything in his daily life. And in Sporting Witness – we tell the inspirational story of Maria Mutola, one of only 4 athletes to compete at six Olympic games and the winner of Mozambique’s first Olympic gold medal. Image: BBC Sport.

Leicester City face Chelsea in the FA Cup Final at Wembley with the Foxes aiming to win the trophy for the first time. BBC Football correspondent John Murray and Peter Trenter, from the Chelsea Supporters Group, join us ahead the game. The first Black American woman in professional cycling – Ayesha McGowan – tells us her sport needs to change and explains what she is doing to help. McGowan has awarded mini-grants to support nine women of colour to race at next month’s Tour of America’s Dairyland in Wisconsin. She also tells us how she went from seeing riding bikes as simply a mode of transportation to something she could make a career from and how she would love to compete at the women’s Tour de France in 2022. Great Britain’s Jude Hamer tells us how the new women’s professional wheelchair basketball league will help grow the sport, the realities of playing in mixed sex teams and how she is hoping to win a medal at the Tokyo Paralympics. Hamer and her partner, the rower Lauren Rowles, are both heading to Tokyo and Hamer is keen to win a Paralympic medal at her third attempt. Hellah Sidibe joins us as he nears the end of his transcontinental run from California to New York. The Mali-born former Major League Soccer Player started his run in March and is doing it to raise funds for a charity that tackles poverty by recycling and reusing old shoes. Sidibe reflects on his early life in Mali when shoes were a scarce resource and tells us how he went from hating running to taking on this challenge. And in Sporting Witness, we go back to 1989 and one of the most dramatic climaxes to an English football season. On a remarkable night at Anfield, Arsenal with the odds stacked against them, overcame Liverpool to claim the league title. (Photo: The Emirates FA Cup Trophy is seen inside Wembley Stadium. Credit: Getty Images)

Club America defender Janelly Farias tells us how taking a stand on social issues has led to people in her home country likening her to USA star Megan Rapinoe. The comparisons were intended as an insult but Farias takes them as a compliment and the two women have exchanged messages on social media this week. Farias – who is LGBTQ+ - also tells us her family didn’t want her to be a footballer and that they rejected her when she got her first girlfriend. They’ve since reunited and she’s targeting playing for Mexico at the 2023 World Cup. Anna Rutherford joins us to reflect on smashing the record for running the two hundred and twelve mile Southern Upland Way in Scotland. She completed the run in sixty two hours and thirty four minutes to break the previous record by seventeen hours. Iddrisu Ismael – who could be the biggest Tranmere Rovers fan in Ghana – tells us about supporting a club in the fourth division of English football and how it would be a dream to see a game at Prenton Park. Fellow Rovers fan – Richard Davies – also joins us to discuss his friendship with Iddrisu and how he’s trying to raise money to help his footballing dream come true. Tom "Gordy" Drury recently skateboarded four thousand kilometres along the eastern coast of Australia from Melbourne to Cairns to raise money to help build a skate park in Laos. He tells us about run ins with deadly snakes, near misses with traffic, why he’ll never do it again and what his next adventure is. In Sporting Witness, we go back to the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona for the story of Indonesian badminton legend, Susi Susanti, who made history as her country’s first-ever gold medallist. Former New Zealand captain and host of The Players podcast - Rebecca Smith – looks ahead to this weekend’s title decider in the Women’s Super League and the BBC’s Vicki Sparks is live at Elland Road ahead of Leeds United’s game against Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League. Photo via Getty Images: Janelly Farias Rodriguez of Mexico in action during the friendly women football match played between Spain and Mexico at Municipal Marbella Stadium.

In the week the NFL draft takes place, former number one pick Alex Smith joins us to discuss how he overcame a life-threatening injury and two years out to end the 2020 season voted as “comeback player of the year”. In 2018 Smith suffered a serious leg injury during a game against the Houston Texans and following corrective surgery, infection was discovered. The focus then switched from saving his leg, to saving his life. Doctors managed to save both and what followed was two years of surgeries, gruelling rehab and question marks over whether he would ever play the sport again. He returned for the 2020 season and helped the Washington Football Team reach the play-offs before announcing his retirement. Smith talks us through the days his life was in danger, why he made a comeback and his plans for the future. Kei Kato joins us after her rabbit went viral at a San Francisco Giants baseball game. Kato uses Alex the rabbit as a therapy pet after her business was forced to close due to the covid pandemic. Alex was a big hit at the baseball and even reduced one fan to tears of joy. Swiss-American BMX freestyle rider Nikita Ducarroz explains how talking openly about her anxiety has helped her. Ducarroz – who is set to compete for Switzerland at the Tokyo Olympics – has struggled with anxiety since she was in Primary School and says finding her bike helped set her free. She’s now involved in helping other extreme sport athletes open up about their issues. Former India cricketer Snehal Pradhan joins us live from Pune with the latest from the Indian Premier League after a number of Australian players left the tournament due to concerns over the coronavirus pandemic in the country. In Sporting Witness – we tell the story of American college wrestler, Anthony Robles whose success was all the more remarkable because he achieved it with only one leg. The BBC’s Snooker reporter Jamie Broughton joins us live with the latest from the World Championship and the BBC’s John Southall joins us live from Selhurst Park as Manchester City look to take another step towards the Premier League title against Crystal Palace. Photo: Washington Football Team quarterback Alex Smith scrambles during his comeback game against the Los Angeles Rams. (Credit: Getty Images)

Former WNBA player Tamara Moore tells us about her relief and hope for the future after a US jury found former police officer Derek Chauvin guilty of George Floyd’s murder this week. Chauvin was filmed kneeling on Floyd's neck for more than nine minutes during his arrest on a street in Minneapolis last year and his death sparked Black Lives Matter protests across the globe. Moore, who is from Minneapolis and coaches men’s college basketball at Mesabi Range College in Virginia, Minnesota, watched the verdict come in alongside her players. We look at how plans for a proposed European Super League – which was set to include many of the continents biggest football teams – fell apart in just 72 chaotic hours this week. The BBC’s John Bennett explains what happened and we’ll be in Germany to find out why Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund had no interest in joining the breakaway. Chris Carline – who is the grandson of the legendary former Liverpool manager Bill Shankly – explains why his family are opposed to the plans. Georgie Cohen joins us to discuss how her dream of becoming Israel’s first female Skeleton athlete at a Winter Olympics is being driven by the memory of her late grandfather. Georgie’s grandfather, Maurice Cohen, was denied the opportunity to compete at the 1936 Summer Olympics as his team-mates felt it was too dangerous for a Jewish man to compete in Adolf Hitler’s Germany. Michaela Onyenwere reflects on being drafted number 6 by New York Liberty and how her grandma went viral on WNBA draft night. Onyenwere’s grandmother wore traditional Nigerian dress and danced for the camera’s shouting “I’m Grandma” after Michaela was selected. She also tells us how her father represented Nigeria in track and field at the Olympics and reveals her excitement about moving to New York. Photo: A banner in honour of George Floyd is seen in right field during the game between the Minnesota Twins and the Pittsburgh Pirates. (Credit: Getty Images)

Canadian professional figure skater Elladj Baldé tells us how he’s bringing the sport to a new audience through social media. Videos of Baldé performing unconventional routines to artists including Rihanna and Labrinth, have been viewed millions of times. He was born in Moscow to a Russian mother and a Guinean father and tells us he hasn’t always found it easy to express himself in the sport. Baldé also explains how we was once told to cut his hair to fit in with perceptions of how a figure skater should look and about his hopes for increasing diversity in skating. Gerda Steyn joins us to reflect on breaking the South Africa national marathon record, which had stood for twenty five years. The 31-year-old confirmed her place at a first Olympic Games, with her performance in Italy last week. We’re live at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield on the opening morning of the World Snooker Championship. The BBC’s Jamie Broughton brings us the latest action and we hear from the world number three, Neil Robertson. The Australian tells us how a second world title could cement his legacy in the sport and why superstition means he’s keeping his lockdown hair for the tournament. In the week that marked 100 days to go until the Tokyo Olympics, we speak to New Zealand rugby sevens star Tyla Nathan-Wong. She explains how she battled perceptions about her height and heritage to make it in rugby and how her Chinese grandfather is her inspiration. Nathan-Wong also tells us about chasing the gold medal in Tokyo and why she couldn’t turn down the chance to be featured on postage stamps ahead of the games. In Sporting Witness – we tell the story of the Spanish hurdler - Maria Jose-Patino - who was forced to quit the sport in the 1980s after a test found she had male chromosomes due to a rare genetic condition. Maria fought a two year legal battle, successfully proving it did not improve her athletic performance. The case is seen as a milestone in the debate around genetic variation in sport. And the BBC’s Vicki Sparks joins us live from St James Park ahead of the early game in the Premier League between Newcastle United and West Ham United. (Credit: Getty Images)

The former England cricket captain David Gower, the BBC’s racing commentator John Hunt, the five time Paralympic champion Hannah Cockroft and Andrew Counsell from British Carriage Driving reflect on Prince Philip’s life through his love of sport. The Duke of Edinburgh passed away at the age of 99 this week. Gower recalls his many meetings with Prince Philip, while Cockroft tells us just how much she gained by completing the Duke of Edinburgh Award. Andrew Counsell discusses how Prince Philip internationalised the sport of carriage driving and John Hunt informs us of the Grand National’s plans to mark his passing. Maddie Phaneuf joins us to discuss how she balances life as an Olympic Biathlete and an environmental advocate. The American tells us she’s come under heavy criticism on social media for her stance on climate change and explains how poor air quality can affect an athlete. Phaneuf is hoping the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing could act as a catalyst for China to clean up their air. In Sporting Witness - we go back to the 1982 football World Cup and the first - and only - appearance by Kuwait. The Kuwaitis made a big impression at the tournament in Spain, because they had of the most memorable mascots in sporting history. The BBC’s John Murray joins us to reflect on the first two rounds of the Masters at Augusta National and the BBC’s John Bennett joins us live from the Etihad Stadium ahead of Manchester City’s game against Leeds United in the Premier League.

US Paralympic Gold medal winning swimmer Mallory Weggemann joins us to discuss her hopes of competing in Tokyo and reflects on her turbulent journey in the sport following the release of her autobiography. Weggemann – who was 18 at the time - was left paralysed in 2008 after receiving an epidural injection to treat back pain. She went on to win gold at London 2012, before a serious arm injury in 2014 left her contemplating her future in the sport. Weggemann competed in Rio in 2016, but missed out on the podium. She’s since walked down the aisle on her wedding day and is targeting another gold medal in Tokyo. Just over a week on from becoming a two-time Olympian and new dad at the age of 39 Great Britain marathon runner, Chris Thompson, joins us to reflect on clinching his place in Japan, balancing fatherhood with training and the prospect of competing in the Olympic Marathon as a 40-year-old. This week marked World Autism Awareness Day and we hear how the Philadelphia Eagles have been doing their bit to help by hosting a coronavirus vaccination centre for people on the spectrum. Ryan Hammond from the Eagles Autism Foundation explains what went into hosting the event and how difficult the pandemic has been for people with autism. Paris Saint Germain and Denmark forward Nadia Nadim tells us about the research she is conducting on the impact of urinary incontinence on female athletes. Nadim is currently studying to become a reconstructive surgeon and says she has been shocked by how many footballers are affected by the condition. She also says attitudes need to change around players being on their menstrual cycles. We look ahead to the University Boat Race between Cambridge and Oxford, with Siobhan Cassidy, who was part of Cambridge women's winning crew back in 1995 and is now a director for the Boat Race Company. She explains why the race has been moved from its traditional route and the importance of it going ahead after last year’s cancellation due to the coronavirus pandemic. In Sporting Witness, we tell the incredible story of how two of Ghana’s top sprinting talents defected during the 1990 Commonwealth Games in Auckland. The Maori family who helped them forge a new life in New Zealand remember the story for us. Photo: Mallory Weggemann of USA competes in the women's 100m Breaststroke - SB7 at the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio. (Credit: Getty Images)

We hear from New Zealand and Brighton defender Rebekah Stott in the week she started chemotherapy for Stage 3 Hodgkin's Lymphoma. Stott tells us she’s undergone IVF treatment to give her the option of having children in the future, given the severity of the treatment she’s facing. She tells us about having learned of her diagnosis while in hotel quarantine in Australia and discusses her plans to take control of the situation by shaving off her hair for charity. Stott is hopeful of playing again for Brighton in January and reveals her aim to play in the 2023 World Cup on home soil. We look at the rise in violence against Asians and Asian Americans in the United States during the Coronavirus pandemic. Cynthia Choi from the group, Stop Asian American and Pacific Island Hate, and Tim Kawakami from the Athletic join us to discuss the situation. Tim has written a column entitled “The Attacks on Asian Americans are attacks on us all,“ and he explains the significance of basketball star Jeremy Lin speaking out on the issue. Cynthia’s group was formed in 2020 at the height of the pandemic, and they documented almost 4,000 hate crimes against their community in the past 12 months. American football cornerback Josh Norman joins us to discuss his charitable works and whether he has a future in the NFL. Norman – who played for the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl 50 – is currently a free agent, having spent last season with the Buffalo Bills. He’s raised over a million dollars to open a youth centre in his hometown in South Carolina. In addition to his work at home, he raised money to support business hit by the covid pandemic in Buffalo and visited camps housing migrant children at a detention centre in Dallas. The BBC’s Jennie Gow joins us on the opening weekend of the new Formula One season, and former England defender Lindsay Johnson joins us as Manchester United’s women’s team prepare to make club history playing on the hallowed Old Trafford turf for the first time. Photo: Canberra United and Sydney FC players pose with a banner supporting New Zealand defender Rebekah Stott ahead of her treatment for cancer. (Credit: Getty Images)

Josh Nisbet is the shortest player in the A-League, standing at 160 centimetres tall or just under 5 feet and 2 inches. He tells us about how he dreaded getting his height taken as a child and how a team in Spain suggested he take growth hormone as a teenager. He also recalls making his debut for the Central Coast Mariners alongside Usain Bolt and tells us of his hopes of playing for Australia. The UK's first female Muslim referee - Jawahir Roble - joins us to look ahead to the female only taster session she’s running for aspiring referees on Saturday. The session – which will be held via Youtube - will see women from all over the world take part. Roble tells us what participants can expect, how she deals with sexism on the pitch and how becoming a referee can help empower women and girls. British Bangladeshi - Ruqsuana Begum - tells us about her remarkable life story, which includes becoming a kick boxing world champion, an arranged marriage that ended in divorce, a battle with depression, training in secret and her move into boxing. In Sporting Witness – we tell the incredible story of when Italian football club, Perugia, shocked the world by signing Al-Saadi Gaddafi, the son of the Libyan dictator Colonel Gaddafi. Former India cricketer Snehal Pradhan joins us ahead of the decisive Twenty20 International between Virat Kohli’s side and England. And the BBC’s Mark Scott is at the Vitality stadium ahead of Bournemouth’s game against Southampton in the FA Cup. Photo-Josh Nisbet. Credit- Getty Images.

Jasmine Harrison joins Sportshour to reflect on making history as the youngest woman to row solo across the Atlantic Ocean. The 21-year-old completed the trip from the Canary Islands to the Caribbean in 70 days, 3 hours and 48 minutes. She tells us about capsizing twice, a close encounter with a drilling ship, being at one with nature and how she burnt her hand at the end of her journey. United States Olympic Gold medal winning ice hockey player Hilary Knight tells us about playing in the first Women's professional game to be held at New York's famed Madison Square Garden. She also discusses the difficulties of making a living in the sport and looks ahead to next year’s Winter Olympics. Brendan Lawlor discusses his hopes of becoming the 'Tiger Woods of disability golf' and how he wants to set up a disability golf tour. The 23 year-old made history by becoming the first disabled golfer to play on the European Tour. He was born with a hole in his heart as well as the rare limb-limiting condition Ellis-van Creveld Syndrome, which means he stands at 4ft 11in. John Gunning of the Japan Times tells us about the impact of the covid-19 pandemic on amateur sumo wrestling, and how the first national “Sumo Technique Tournament” is helping to plug the gap. Children and sumo clubs across Japan were invited to submit video entries in categories including: Japan’s most beautiful shiko (foot stomp) and Japan’s best “Air Sumo”, which sees one person battle an imaginary opponent. We get the latest from day three of the final Test between India and England in Ahmedabad, and the BBC’s Juliette Ferrington looks ahead to the early game in the Premier League, as Burnley host Arsenal. Photo: Record breaking rower Jasmine Harrison celebrates crossing the finishing line in Antigua. (Credit: Atlantic Campaigns)

As part of LGBT+ History Month, Sportshour presenter Caroline Barker is joined by a panel of guests from the football community to discuss how inclusive, or not, the sport really is and what can and is being done to address those areas where it falls short. We’ll also hear from Caitlin Rooskrantz, the first person of colour to be selected for South Africa’s Olympic gymnastics team. As part of Black History Month across the BBC World Service, Caitlin describes her route into the sport and why – on the day of what would have been her Olympic final last summer – she performed a routine that was streamed across the country. As the Great Britain men’s basketball team celebrates a rare success – qualifying for the EuroBasket finals – Caroline speaks to Teddy Okereafor. Teddy reflects on equalling the team’s record for consecutive appearances, a mark which had stood for 45 years. He discusses the lows and the current highs of the team, as well as how a walk through a Newham park with his Mother set him on course for everything that’s happened since, and his Mum – Natasha Hart – on the pathway to an MBE. Photo: A banner of former footballer Justin Fashanu is seen draped across the seats at Carrow Road, Norwich City's home ground. (Credit: Getty Images)

We hear from the first Wallabies player to come out as gay, Dan Palmer. Last year he wrote a powerful column in the Sydney Herald saying that his ‘own death felt preferable to anyone finding out that I was gay’. Since this he has had hundreds of people messaging from around the world to say they have encountered similar problems with their sexuality. A few months on he speaks to Caroline about his decision to come out, his battle with his own sexuality and being a gay sportsman. We also speak to the first woman to officiate at the Super Bowl. Sarah Thomas made history as a down judge when the Tampa Bay Bucaneers beat the Kansas City Chiefs and began her officiating career in 1996. Sarah will tell us what it is like to be a history maker, how it feels to be at the pinnacle of her career and how she is blazing a trail for many more women to come. Sportshour's Katie Smith tells us the story of two Ironman trailblazers. Alistair Brownlee is trying to become the first man to complete an Ironman in under seven hours and Lucy Charles-Barclay is trying to become the first woman to accomplish this feat in below eight hours. We find out more about why they are trying to take on this mammoth task. We are live at the Australian Open to see which female will win the Grand Slam. Plus, can Southampton get their first win in the Premier League since 4 of January? They take on Chelsea in the lunchtime kick off and we will be live at the match. (Photo: Dan Palmer poses during an Australian Wallabies portrait session at Crowne Plaza, Coogee on May 30, 2012 in Sydney, Australia. Credit: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

This week’s Sportshour focuses on Super Bowl LV between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Kansas City Chiefs. The BBC’s Blaire Toedte is on the ground in Florida for us as the Bucs aim to make history by becoming the first team to win a Super Bowl in their home stadium. Seven and a half thousand vaccinated health care workers have been gifted tickets for the game as a thank you for their work during the covid pandemic. RJ Gardner is an ICU nurse with Aya Healthcare and tells us about running a covid ward in New Jersey at the start of the pandemic and the pressures involved with his current role in Atlanta. He discusses losing a patient he got close to, being away from his family and his shock at being told he’d be going to the Super Bowl. Brad Johnson was Tampa Bay’s quarterback when they won their first and up to now only Super Bowl in in 2003. He tells us the Bucs were known as “the yuks” when he joined the team, such was their lowly reputation. Johnson also reflects on winning the Super Bowl and gives us his thoughts on Tom Brady and Patrick Mahomes. The Mayor of Tampa, Jane Castor tells us how she’s been confident from the outset that the Bucs would win the Super Bowl, discusses rumours the city could be renamed in Tom Brady’s honour and tells us about a bet she has on the game with the Mayor of Kansas City. John Biever will make history on Sunday as he becomes the only photographer to have worked at every Super Bowl. He recalls shooting his first, alongside his father, as a fifteen year old and how they worked together at the first thirty five Super Bowls before ill health and age forced his father to stop. He also talks about the importance of keeping his streak going and why he has a soft spot for the Kansas City Chiefs going into this game. We hear from Bucs assistant defensive line coach, Lori Locust. She made history when she joined the team as she became the first woman position coach in the NFL and is part of a diverse coaching staff at the organisation. Jay Ajayi also gives us his thoughts on diversity in the NFL. Ajayi won the Super Bowl with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2018. He was born in London and has Nigerian heritage. The NFL is the focus for Sporting Witness on this Super Bowl weekend as we bring you the story behind a landmark policy for diversity in sport. It's called the Rooney Rule and it was introduced by the NFL to require its teams to interview minority candidates for jobs as head coaches. And – we’re joined live by fans of the Bucs and the Chiefs. Photo: Tom Brad of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Getty Images)

“It strips you entirely of your dignity, of your feeling of any kind of self-worth” – Shaka Hislop on receiving racist abuse Former Newcastle United and Trinidad and Tobago goalkeeper Shaka Hislop joins us in the week that Show Racism the Red Card launched in South Africa. The organisation is the UK’s largest anti-racism educational charity and it was formed twenty five years ago following a donation from Hislop. He recalls his own experiences of racism and discusses the abuse Manchester United’s Axel Tuanzebe and Anthony Martial suffered this week. Hislop is joined by Ged Grebby from Show Racism the Red Card and Busisuwe Nkosi from their new partners in South Africa – the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation. Together the three of them discuss their hopes for the new partnership and Nkosi gives us an insight into how racism still pervades a post-apartheid South Africa. With the Winter X Games underway in Colorado, we hear from Olympic gold medallist Anna Gasser on her hopes for the Big Air competition. The Austrian snowboarder competes in the event on Saturday and tells us she may attempt a cab triple underflip, which has never been done in competition before. Australian tennis player Li Tu joins us to talk about his hopes of replacing Andy Murray in next month’s Australian Open. Tu was a top junior player and represented his country in Davis Cup before falling out of love with the sport and taking a six year break. The 24-year-old returned to competition in August and is the in-form domestic player in Australia after winning a number of tournaments. He doesn’t have a world ranking, but that hasn’t stopped people in Australia calling for him to receive the wildcard that Murray has given up. British Para Powerlifter Zoe Newson tells us about forming a support bubble with her parents so she can continue to train ahead of the Tokyo Paralympics. The two-time medallist also discusses her journey into the sport, how she balances competing and motherhood and how she’s trying to ignore all the noise around a possible cancellation of the games. In Sporting Witness, we go back to 2004 when Mianne Bagger of Denmark became the first transgender woman to play in a professional golf tournament. Bagger reflects on playing in the Australian Women's Open in Sydney, in what was a landmark moment for trans sport and made headlines around the world. And – the BBC’s Vicki Sparks joins us live from Goodison Park ahead of the early game in the Premier League between Everton and Newcastle. Photo: Trinidad and Tobago's goalkeeper Shaka Hislop dives for the ball during a training session at " In der Ahe " stadium in Rotenburg, northern Germany, 18 June 2006. Trinidad & Tobago will face Paraguay on 20 of June for their last game in the first round of group B for the 2006 Fifa World Cup. AFP PHOTO / ARIS MESSINIS (Photo credit should read ARIS MESSINIS/AFP via Getty Images)

We look at why a 100 or so former basketball players are living in poverty. The players are from the ABA, which was a major rival to the NBA in the 1960's and 70's before a merger in 1976. The ABA helped modernise the NBA including the style of play that has made the league a billion dollar industry, but now some of the biggest names of their day are dying in poverty. Darnell 'Dr Dunk' Hillman campaigns on behalf of the "Dropping Dimes" charity who are asking for the NBA to step in. Plus it’s exactly a year before the Winter Games of the Special Olympics take place in Kazan. We speak to Olga Slutsker the chair of the organising committee on why it’s so important Russia is hosting this event. We’ll also catch up with skier Jack Hale, a member of the British team set to compete in Kazan. Swedish top flight footballer Philip Haglund tells us about his hugely successful app Gimi, which focuses on teaching kids about finance and how young footballers could also learn about financial responsibility to avoid the issues some footballers get into financially. Plus we check in at the Cricket as Sri Lanka host England in the second Test, find out about what shocks might occur in the 4th round of the FA Cup and find out how Netball’s series between England and the Super League rest of the world All Stars team is progressing. Photo: Darnell Hillman, number 30 of the Denver Nuggets, attempts a pass against Alonzo Bradley. (Credit: Getty Images)

It's the third round of the FA Cup and Chorley FC who are in the sixth tier of English football travel to Championship team Derby County. We will speak live to the club ahead of the fixture. Plus we hear from Paul the FA Cup fact file on some of the most weird and wonderful stats on the competition and speak live to lifelong Crawley Town fan Carol Bates ahead of their FA Cup match against Leeds United. She also tells us how she will be staying entertained during lockdown 3.0. Away from the FA Cup, it is wildcard weekend in the NFL and Caroline speaks to the BBC's Osi Umenyiora about what we can expect and why it is being dubbed 'Super' Wildcard weekend. Back in 2018, the Czech Republic's Ester Ladecka made history - the first person to compete in snowboarding and skiing at the Olympics in Pyeongchang. But she wasn’t done there - and would go on to become the first woman to win two golds in different disciplines at the same Games. She speaks to BBC Sportshour's Katie Smith. We are live in Sydney where the third test between Australia and India is taking place. Finally we pay our own tribute to Gerry Marsden, whose version of You'll Never Walk Alone became a football terrace anthem for his hometown club of Liverpool. The voice of Anfield George Sephton tells us about when he met Gerry and what the song means to not just Liverpool but sports fans around the world. Photo: The FA Cup trophy on display prior to The Emirates FA Cup first round match between Eastleigh FC and Swindon Town at Silverlake Stadium on November 4, 2016 in Eastleigh, England. (Photo by Jordan Mansfield/Getty Images)

We speak to former Buffalo Bills coach Phoebe Schechter ahead of the Divisional round of the NFL. Teams, including the Bills, are just two victories away from the Super Bowl. Plus in the week that President Donald Trump leaves office we head back to the early 1980s and his departure from professional sport. One of Trump’s ambitions was to own a sport franchise and he converted an NFL team. Unable to make this happen, he purchased the New Jersey Generals American football team of the newly formed USFL. Within two years the league had collapsed and many blame Trump for its demise. Germany's Julia Gorges graced the world’s top ten, earned 10 million dollars in prize money and reached the semi-finals at Wimbledon but she tells us why the pandemic made her realise she didn't need tennis in her life and decided to retire from the sport last year. Plus all the reaction following the second day of the final men's Test match between India and Australia and the latest in Galle where England's men are taking on Sri Lanka in the first Test. And we'll be live to Molineux and the Black Country derby as Wolves take on West Brom in the English Premier League. Photo: Donald Trump (R) at a press conference for the New Jersey Generals of the USFL (Associated Press)

2020 was a sporting year like no other. The coronavirus pandemic forced global sport into an unprecedented shutdown, with Euro 2020 and the Tokyo Olympics among the events postponed. Liverpool won the Premier League and Bayern Munich the Champions League behind closed doors as sport returned without fans. In this first Sportshour of 2021 we catch up with those sports people from around the world who told us how the pandemic impacted on their lives. What happened after we first spoke? And what are their hopes for the sporting year ahead? Photo: Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games CEO Toshiro Muto (R) speaks during a press conference following a Tokyo2020 Olympics Executive Board meeting on December 22, 2020 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Carl Court/Getty Images)

This special programme explores the sad and controversial life of Jim Thorpe - the American Indian who was the star of the 1912 Olympics in Stockholm, where the Swedish King famously told him 'Sir, you are the greatest athlete in the world'. Thorpe had grown up on the Sac and Fox Indian reservation in Oklahoma and then, as a teenager, was sent 1500 miles away to a boarding school in Pennsylvania whose purpose was to 'civilise' Indian children by eradicating their culture. Its motto was 'Kill the Indian and save the man'. The pupils were forced to wear military uniforms, have short hair, and were punished if they spoke their own languages. 'The last phase of the Indian wars was fought in the classroom', says one contributor. Thorpe was saved by sport and became the school's great star at both athletics and American football. He's often described as the 'first international sporting superstar'. But in 1913 it came out that he had been paid a few dollars to play minor-league baseball and the elite amateurs who ran US athletics rushed to condemn him as a professional. He was summarily stripped of his medals. But the public were on his side and his status in America is that of a popular hero victimised by those in power. He went on to become the first great professional football player, but he could never cope with fame and died in near poverty in 1953. His widow arranged for him to be buried in a small town in Pennsylvania which offered to build a memorial to him. They town even changed its name to 'Jim Thorpe', but his Indian tribe are pursuing a legal battle to have his remains returned to Oklahoma. Photo: American athlete Jim Thorpe (1888 -1953) at an athletics meeting at the Parc Pommery in Reims, France, 23rd July 1912. Thorpe is competing in the 110 yards Hurdles. BRA-75991. (Photo by Branger/Roger Viollet via Getty Images)

Bubba Wallace joins us to reflect on a turbulent 2020 and to look ahead to racing for his new Michael Jordan owned team in 2021. Wallace led the successful calls for his sport to ban the confederate flag before a subsequent incident in Alabama prompted an FBI investigation. A member of his team found what looked like a noose hanging in his racing stall, with the authorities finding that no hate crime had been committed. As the only black driver at the top level of Nascar, Wallace tells us why it was important to speak out this year and how he feels about what happened in Alabama. He also tells us how excited he is to be working with Michael Jordan and that he’s been enjoying playing Call of Duty with Lewis Hamilton. Mary Annette Pember of the Red Cliff Ojibwe tribe joins us to give her thoughts on the decision of Cleveland’s baseball team to drop the term “Indians” from their name. Pember – who is National Correspondent for Indian Country Today – dismisses the idea that teams using Native American terms and imagery are in some way honouring indigenous people. She also recalls having her home vandalised and receiving threatening phone calls when she spoke out against her local school’s Native American mascot. Ahead of the WBA world super-middleweight champion Callum Smith facing Mexico’s Saul “Canelo” Alvarez in Texas we look at just what the Liverpudlian is up against. Canelo is widely regarded as the finest pound for pound boxer on the planet and is unbeaten in seven years. Former title holders Matthew Hatton, Rocky Fielding and Ryan Rhodes all tried and failed to beat the Mexican. They recall their encounters with him and tell us what Smith needs to do to win. Professor Tony Belli joins us to talk about concussion in football. Belli is leading a study into concussion among Premier League players, which involves those who have suffered head injuries having samples of their saliva tested and compared to that of uninjured players. Research by Belli’s University of Birmingham has already found that saliva contains certain testable biomarkers if a concussion has occurred. He tells us about the test, his hopes for a wider roll-out and his belief that football's lawmakers approving trials for concussion substitutes from January is just the start of the process. Alex Capstick has a special report on hopes for a green men’s football World Cup in Qatar in two years time. The sport’s world governing body FIFA and the tournament organisers are promising a net-zero sustainable event. But can the world’s biggest sporting event, let alone one in a desert nation rich on fossil fuels ever be sustainable? In Sporting Witness – we mark 20 years since the Northern Irish motorbike racing champion – Joey Dunlop – was killed in a high-speed crash in Estonia. Dunlop was loved by fans across the sectarian divide. NBA journalist Lindsay Dunn tells us what to look out for when the new season gets underway on Tuesday and Lizzi Doyle from the Anfield Wrap gives us her thoughts on Liverpool ahead of their game at Crystal Palace in the Premier League.

“Enough was enough – I felt like I was on the wrong side” – Tiara Brown on leaving the police Unbeaten professional boxer Tiara Brown joins us following her recent decision to resign from the Metropolitan Police Department in Washington D.C. The former “DC Officer of the Year” tells us she became increasingly disheartened by some of the behaviour she witnessed from fellow officers when working at the protests that followed the death of George Floyd and the shooting of Jacob Blake. Brown believes law enforcement can’t be changed from the inside and says she’s been targeted on social media following her resignation. South Africa’s Devon Petersen tells us about his journey into darts and how he visualises winning the world championship during practise sessions ahead of next week’s PDC World Darts Championship. The crowd favourite also explains his walk on routine and laments the fact fans aren’t allowed to wear fancy dress this year. Petersen tells us in a normal year it’s not unusual to see “Santa having a pint with Smurfs”. We speak to champion bodybuilder Rene Campbell about the reality of going against societal norms, when it comes to how some people think a woman should look. Campbell suffered with an eating disorder due to her wish to be slim before she got into bodybuilding. A photograph of her is currently featured in a six-month exhibition in west London called "Womanhood." In Sporting Witness, we travel back to the winter of 1969-70, when anti-apartheid campaigners disrupted 24 matches during a tour of the British Isles by South Africa’s Springboks rugby team. The campaign forced the cancellation of a planned tour by the South African cricket team later in 1970, and then of all future visits by South African teams until the end of Apartheid. We hear from Peter Hain, who organised the protests and later became a British MP. And – the BBC’s Alistair Bruce-Ball joins us from Molineux ahead of the day’s early game in the Premier League between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Aston Villa. Photo: Tiara Brown poses after her victory against Vanessa Bradford at Generoso Pope Athletic Complex on October 24, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Edward Diller/Getty Images)

Slovenia’s Alenka Artnik joins us after she set a new world record in freediving by descending 374 feet below the surface of the Red Sea. Just off the coast of Egypt, she secured a four-pound weight around her neck and fastened herself to a thin line before holding her breath and going for the record. Artnik tells us about the pressures on her body, how a traumatic past led her to try freediving and how seeing a vision of her dead brother on a previous dive helped her come to terms with his passing. USA striker Jessica McDonald tells us about the challenges she has faced in balancing her sporting career with motherhood as FIFA prepare to bring in new maternity cover regulations. McDonald was the only mother in the USA’s World Cup winning squad in 2019. The North Carolina Courage player tells us she’s had coaches in the past who have used her son as a reason to criticise her when she’s had a bad game and that she knows plenty of players who have given up on football in order to start a family. The coach of the PNG Hunters – Matthew Church – explains how the coronavirus pandemic means they’re relocating from Papua New Guinea to Australia for the 2021 season. The Rugby League side play in the Queensland League and usually travel between Port Moresby and Australia for matches. Chris Nikic became the first person with Down's syndrome to finish an Ironman event - swimming 2.4 miles, cycling 112 miles and running a 26.2-mile marathon in Florida last month. In Ironman's 42-year history, no athlete with Down's syndrome - a genetic condition that can cause varying degrees of learning disability and slower physical development – had ever attempted an event, let alone finished one. Chris and his father Nick reflect on the achievement and Chris says he's targeting Ironman Hawaii next. In Sporting Witness – we tell the story of Learie Constantine, who became the first West Indian cricketer to sign a professional contract in England. Whilst being a star, Learie helped improve race relations in Britain and later became the first black person to be awarded a peerage. And the BBC’s Juliette Ferrington joins us from Turf Moor ahead of the early kick-off in the Premier League between Burnley and Everton. Photo: Alenka Artnik freediving

Arguably the greatest footballer of all time, Diego Maradona, passed away aged 60 this week after suffering a heart attack. Maradona won the World Cup with Argentina in 1986 – scoring the 'goal of the century' and becoming renowned for his controversial ‘Hand of God’ goal, both of which came against England in the quarter-final of that tournament. The footballing world has been brought to a standstill with tributes flooding in from across the globe. Argentina announced three days of national mourning and there were huge celebrations of Maradona's life in the capital Buenos Aires and in the Italian city of Naples, where Maradona became a hero for delivering Napoli's only two league titles. Sportshour explores the legacy that Maradona leaves; bringing you reaction from around the globe to his death from the people he impacted the most. Director of the acclaimed 2019 Diego Maradona documentary, Asif Kapadia, tells the story of Maradona’s sensational life. He discusses Maradona’s difficult upbringing in poverty, how the 1986 World Cup lifted him to superstardom and how he ended up in the hands of the Mafia in Naples. Our search for Diego's legacy even takes us to the second tier of Scottish Football, and the Alloa Athletic winger Adam Brown. At the age of 13 and playing for Celtic, Brown had an unforgettable chance encounter with Diego Maradona that involved the Hand of God lifting him into the air. We also hear from Jon Smith, Maradona's agent during his time at Napoli. Smith tells us there were two people; Diego and Maradona. And he reveals how he managed to help Maradona get special dispensation from the Naples police to skip red traffic lights. Maradona’s legacy is undoubtedly cemented in football but what about other sports? He was often seen cheering on the Pumas, the Argentina men’s rugby union team. We go to Argentina and speak to rugby journalist Frankie Deges to see how the country has reacted to Maradona’s passing and to discuss the impact he had on the sport. And Sporting Witness relives the infamous story of that World Cup quarter-final against England in 1986 in Mexico City, with former England striker Gary Lineker telling us what it was like to see the 'Hand of God' and the 'goal of the century' in the flesh. Photo: Diego Maradona at the 1986 World Cup for Argentina (Getty Images)

New England Patriots quarterback Cam Newton is known for his love of fashion and Alberto Hernandez is the man responsible for making his hats. Hernandez makes Newton a new fedora or Fez every week and tells us they began collaborating after Pharrell Williams recommended him to Newton. He breaks away from making Newton’s hat for Sunday’s game against the Houston Texans to tell us how his grandfather taught him to make hats back in Mexico, the inspiration behind his designs and why you can’t buy copies of any of Newton’s hats. He also gives us an exclusive ahead of this week’s hat being revealed. Dee Caffari is the first woman to have sailed single-handed and non-stop around the world in both directions. She tells us how people can use what she learned at sea to help themselves deal with feelings of isolation and loneliness during the covid-19 pandemic. The president of Netball South Africa – Cecilia Molokwane – joins us ahead of the three-test series against Malawi. Molokwane tells us how the covid-19 pandemic has affected netball in South Africa, where they are in their preparations for hosting the 2023 World Cup and how she feels lucky to be alive after contracting coronavirus earlier this year. Magnus Carlsen is the highest ranked chess player of all time. Ahead of playing in the new 1.5 million dollar Champions Chess Tour, he speaks to us about how long he’ll continue in chess and how he hopes the Netflix show “The Queen’s Gambit” will inspire more people to play chess. Staying with chess and in Sporting Witness - we go back to 2002 when the Hungarian prodigy Judit Polgar finally defeated World Champion Gary Kasparov at a major tournament in Spain. Kasparov had previously incensed Polgar by ridiculing the idea of women chess champions and it took her several attempts to finally beat him. And - the BBC’s tennis correspondent Russell Fuller joins us ahead of semi-finals day at the season ending ATP Finals in London and we’re at St James Park, with the BBC’s Vicki Sparks ahead of Newcastle playing Chelsea in the Premier League. Image: Quarterback Cam Newton then of the Carolina Panthers wears a hat with "One Love" stitched on the side during a press conference after the game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Getty Images)

Former boxing world champion Heather Hardy – gives us an insight into the realities of making a living from boxing ahead of a huge night at Wembley Arena, which sees two women’s world title fights on the same bill. Hardy believes the sport still has much to do in terms of the gender pay gap and that the time has come for women to stop thanking men for opportunities to showcase their skills. Hardy says women need to co-headline big shows and admits her own career may be over. She lost her world title in her last fight and says she’ll never fight again for “a pay check that doesn’t make sense”. However, despite her own struggles in the sport, Hardy does believe boxing is a viable career choice for young girls and women that are coming through now. We also hear from promoter Eddie Hearn, who addresses Hardy’s concerns about pay and promotion for female fighters and the BBC’s boxing correspondent, Mike Costello, gives us his views on the pay gap and looks ahead to the night's action. Gia Peebles and Lesleigh Mausi from the Ebony Anglers join us to talk about friendship, fishing and what it’s like being part of an all-Black, all-female competitive angling team. The team was set up earlier this year and they’ve already won a major tournament. Peebles and Mausi talk us through their big haul and explain how they’re hoping to inspire young girls and boys to take up the sport. We hear how long-covid has affected former world number three tennis player Grigor Dimitrov. He’s been speaking to the BBC’s Laura Scott after he contracted coronavirus back in June. Sporting Witness charts the remarkable career of the Argentina blind football captain Silvio Velo - who's still finding the net in his late forties and is credited with raising the profile of his sport in South America. And the BBC’s golf correspondent, Iain Carter, joins us with all the latest news ahead of the third round of the The Masters at Augusta National. (Photo: Heather Hardy celebrates after winning her featherweight bout against Paola Torres in 2018. Credit: Getty Images)

Seth Gottesdiener has spent the last six weeks cycling across America to gauge the mood of his nation in 2020. He started in Los Angeles, where he owns a gym, and finished in Washington D.C in time for election night. Along the way he spoke to a cross section of society and asked each person the same ten questions – including: Are you proud to be an American? The conversations will form the basis of a documentary he’s making. Gottesdiener tells us polling night in the nations capital city was “very eerie”, this year has served as a catalyst for change, his belief that most people are moderate and his feeling that whichever way the election result goes, it will take time for both sides to come together and move forward. Paris St Germain and Canada striker Jordyn Huitema tells Nesta McGregor about being a star on the football pitch and social media. She explains her early days in the sport, how she lived in a hotel for six months when she arrived at PSG and the steep learning curve at the club. Huitema also tells us what life is like as one half of a footballing couple with Bayern Munich’s Alphonso Davies. We also hear how young Brazilians in one of the poorest favelas in Rio de Janeiro have been able to access better education, healthcare and employment opportunities through playing rugby. The founder of the World Gay Boxing Championships - Martin Stark – tells us he hopes the event in Sydney will help break down barriers, his ambition for it to be as big as rugby union’s Bingham Cup and how boxing helps him cope with Addison's disease. Stark tells us he developed the idea for the championships while he was on a drip in hospital and that he feels the best way to tackle homophobia in sport is through participation. Francesca Bunting joins us a year out from the women’s Rugby League World Cup to discuss her journey in the sport. Brazil will make history as the first South American team to play in any Rugby League World Cup when they face England on the opening day of the tournament. Bunting qualifies to play for Brazil through her grandmother. In Sporting Witness we head back to 2004 to tell the story of Indian long-distance swimmer Bula Choudhury as she became the first woman to complete the challenge of crossing the straits of the world’s seven seas. Her adventure took her to five different continents. And the BBC’s football correspondent - John Murray - joins us live from Goodison Park ahead of Everton facing Manchester United in the Premier League. Photo: Seth Gottesdiener

Former three-time Olympic gymnastics medallist - Danell Leyva - revealed his sexuality on National Coming Out Day in the United States earlier this month. The 29-year-old tells us his mum is the only member of his family he is out to and he feels he is “almost cheating” by talking to us, because most of his family can’t speak English. He recalls things family members have said, not knowing his sexuality, that have had an impact on him. He also tells us people have reached out to him on social media to tell him that his story has helped them. Leyva – who represented Team USA during his athletic career – has now moved into acting. He’s not keen to put a label on his sexuality and adds he would like to create a television show where a bisexual male is the main character as he feels historically bisexuals have not been taken seriously. One year on from South Africa’s men winning the Rugby World Cup we speak to Nolusindiso Booi, who is captain of the women’s team. She reflects on the men’s achievement and tells us about her involvement in a campaign to raise the profile of the women’s game. Booi wants girls to take up the sport in primary school and says it would be a dream to see a women’s professional league in the country. Booi is targeting playing in a third World Cup in 2021 and says the whole of South Africa will be screaming if they can emulate the men’s achievement in New Zealand. Staying with rugby union and Murray Kinsella from the 42.ie gives us his thoughts and explains the permutations ahead of Super Saturday in the men’s Six Nations. Photographer Kelly Gavin joins us to reflect on covering baseball’s World Series. The LA Dodgers ended a 32-year wait for the title and Gavin was there to capture the historic moment, which she describes as “nerve wracking” but also a dream come true. One of her images was used for the front cover of Sports Illustrated. Gavin also describes the moment she was hit on the skull by a ball travelling 96 miles an hour in 2016. She now wears a helmet when covering baseball. Natasha Jonas tells us all about a week that saw her and her brother provide free boxing lessons and food parcels to children in need over the October school holidays in England. Jonas – who boxed at an Olympic Games and is chasing a world title in the professional ranks – says she relied on things like free school meals when she was growing up in Liverpool. In Sporting Witness we tell the story of the Polish table-tennis player Natalia Partyka, who in Sydney 20 years ago became the youngest athlete in the history of the Paralympics when she competed at just 11 years of age. And – the football journalist and broadcaster Vaishali Bhardwaj joins us to look ahead to Manchester City’s game at Sheffield United in the Premier League. (Photo: Silver medalist Danell Leyva of the United States celebrates at the medal ceremony for the Horizontal Bar, Rio 2016 Olympic Games, in Brazil. Credit: Alex Livesey/Getty Images)

With the both the men's and women's NRL Grand Finals taking place this weekend, we preview both matches which will be played as a double header in front of a 40,000 person crowd. Current captain of the Brisbane Bronco's Ali Brigginshaw joins us to look ahead to what we can expect from both matches and how Brisbane are looking for their third win a row. How diverse is the sport of cheerleading? Caroline Nyemi-Tei founded Cheer from Head to Toe to address poor representation in the sport. She tells us about a new video she has released which documents athletes and coaches experiences of racism in the industry and how the sport can be more inclusive. We also look at the link between sport and elections. A study conducted ten years ago argues that the fate of the person who holds a seat can be influenced by other matters like whether the local sports team wins or loses in the weeks prior to an election. We explore if this is still relevant with Stanford University Professor Neil Malhotra who conducted the research. From SuperBowl winner to sommelier -Will Blackmon won the SuperBowl in 2012 with the New York Giants but retired in 2018 to pursue another passion he had… wine! He tells us more about what he does now and he is the 'Wine MVP'. Plus in this week's Sporting Witness as part of Black History Month we go back to 1978 when Viv Anderson became the first Black Footballer to play a full England international. Photo: Broncos captain Ali Brigginshaw celebrates with team mates after winning the 2018 NRL Women's Premiership Grand Final match between the Sydney Roosters and the Brisbane Broncos at ANZ Stadium (Credit: Getty images)

Former Kenyan Premier League player Jacob Viera tells us how a Tanzanian gang almost killed him after he refused to be a drugs mule. He was electrocuted in the attack and his doctor felt he would need a miracle to survive. A subsequent trial at Newcastle United led to him seeking asylum in England. While waiting to gain UK residency he suffered a serious injury that ended his hopes of becoming a professional footballer. He’s now living in Liverpool and doing his refereeing qualifications. He aims to become a Fifa elite referee and says it would be a dream to take charge of a Merseyside Derby. Legendary South Africa all-rounder Lance Klusener joins us in the week he completed a 200km endurance race on the dry salt pans of the Verneukpan in the Northern Cape. He was part of “Team Cricket” in the Battle of the Sports event to raise funds for covid relief in South Africa. He tells us how they battled the terrain, mental fatigue and sleep deprivation. Klusener also explains why he needed to do something to help people affected by the pandemic. Leonessa Brescia won the Italian Baseball for the Blind Championship last week. Their assistant coach Michele Bianchi tells us why it was the biggest achievement in the club’s history. We also hear from one of the founders of blind baseball, Lorenzo de Regny, who tells us how the sport came about and what it means to see blind athletes competing in such a liberating sport. And Mariela Gonzales from the World Baseball Softball Confederation tells us their aspirations for blind baseball to one day feature at the Paralympic Games. Kyra Condie is one of the first American women to qualify for climbing at an Olympic Games but her career nearly ended before it began. Shortly before she turned fourteen years old she had to have major surgery on her back as a result of Scoliosis. She tells us the first hospital she visited told her to forget about climbing and that she still keeps in touch with the surgeon who fixed her back, which she describes as having been like an “s” shape previously. She also explains her unique climbing style and how she burst into tears when she qualified for the Tokyo games. Sports broadcaster Rikki Swannell joins us live from New Zealand as the All Blacks prepare to face Australia in front of a crowd of forty seven thousand people at Eden Park on Sunday. The country, with a population of 4.8 million people has been so successful in combating Covid-19 that it had only one new case in the 24 hours leading up to 13 October. Swannell also brings us the latest news ahead of the Super Netball Grand Final in Australia. In Sporting Witness, we tell the story of the American Garrett McNamara, who pioneered surfing the colossal waves at Nazaré in Portugal and broke the world record for the biggest wave ever surfed. And – the BBC’s football correspondent – John Murray – joins us live from Goodison Park ahead of Premier League leaders Everton facing the reigning champions Liverpool. Photo: Jacob Viera refereeing the Merseyside County Cup Final at Goodison Park in 2019

“I don’t see it as trying to hit new milestones as a female” – Joy Neville on making history. The Irish referee will become the first woman to take on Television Match Official duties in a men's international game when Wales face Georgia next month. Neville tells us how she initially needed some convincing to become a referee, how other people’s doubts over whether a woman could make it as a top official have driven her on and she explains her approach to being a TMO. Maryam Shojaei joins us one year on from three and a half thousand women attending Iran’s men’s World Cup qualifier against Cambodia in Tehran. Apart from a few exceptions, women had effectively been banned from stadiums where men were playing since just after the 1979 Islamic revolution. Shojaei ran a campaign -- first anonymously and later publicly -- that led to Iran allowing women to attend men's football matches. She gives us her memories of the day and tells us about her hopes for the future. To celebrate Black History Month we speak to a pioneer of the American Football scene in Great Britain. Gerry Anderson played between 1984 and 2000 for clubs including the London Monarchs and London Olympians. He reflects on a career that saw him win the Eurobowl . He also tells us about the cultural differences he encountered when American players came to play in the UK – including the revelation he was asked if there would be black people in London. Anderson tells us their question was based on the fact that the Royal Family were the only English people they had ever seen on television. The third edition of the Hindukush Mountain Bike Challenge took place in Afghanistan earlier this month. The two-day event aims to grow the Afghan domestic racing scene and empower young boys and girls. Shikeba Aryan finished third in the women's race and says she hopes her success encourages other young girls in Afghanistan to take up cycling, having overcome resistance from her own family when she started out. In Sporting Witness we tell the story of an Ivory Coast football team which is credited with revolutionising the sport in Africa. We hear from Kolo Toure, who was one of the players on the team and later a star in the English Premier League. And – we’re live in Paris with our tennis correspondent – Russell Fuller – ahead of the women’s singles final at the French Open. Photo: Joy Neville (Getty Images)

Los Angeles gym owner Seth Gottesdiener is cycling across America to assess the mood of his nation as they approach the 2020 presidential election. Following the death of George Floyd and the subsequent protests, he’s speaking to a cross section of society to see if America has more that unites it than divides it. His conversations will form the basis of a documentary, which will be released in time for the presidential inauguration. Brazilian surfer Maya Gabeira joins us to reflect on surfing the biggest wave of the year. She tells us the sound of the 22.4 meter high wave crashing at the bottom will live with her forever as she has never been so scared. Gabeira also recalls how she was almost killed by a wave at the same beach in 2013 and how she battled self-doubt in her recovery. Only ten people have run every London Marathon and Chris Finill is one of them. Ahead of Sunday’s race he tells us about his love of running, how the covid-19 pandemic has affected his preparation and about the highs and lows he’s encountered going the distance over the last 39 years. We take in the ultimate social lockdown sport moment by joining a 24 hour global netball marathon. We hear from one of the coaches running a live session and from Australian player and founder of Netfit Sarah Wall. In Sporting Witness, we go back to the London Olympics in 2012 when Sizwe Ndlovu became the first black African to win rowing gold. And with live sport continuing: the BBC’s tennis correspondent Russell Fuller joins us from Roland Garros to discuss the French Open and we’re at Stamford Bridge with Alistair Bruce-Ball ahead of Chelsea’s game against Crystal Palace. Photo: This combination of pictures created on September 29, 2020 shows Democratic Presidential candidate and former US Vice President Joe Biden (L) and US President Donald Trump speaking during the first presidential debate (Credit: JIM WATSON,SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images)

Madison Hammond is the first Native American woman to sign a professional contract with an NWSL club. She joins us ahead of OL Reign’s opening game of the season and her potential debut against Utah Royals to discuss how she is hoping to inspire more Native American girls to play the sport. She also tells us about the financial barriers players from ethnic minority backgrounds can face as they try to make it in soccer and how the Black Lives Matter movement has sparked conversations with her team-mates. “I’m sort of like the canary in the coal mine – there’s a lot less ice in the winter, everywhere I go” – Canadian ice climber Will Gadd tells us how climate change and a trip to Mount Kilimanjaro have led him to consider his future in the sport. Gadd had hoped to scale the famous Messner Route earlier this year, but he was unable to as part of it has melted away. He worries that by the time his children are his age, there won’t be enough ice left to climb on Kilimanjaro Football journalist and Wrexham fan Bryn Law joins us to discuss Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney’s interest in buying the Welsh non-league club. Deadpool star Reynolds and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia's McElhenney are set to share their vision for Wrexham and a takeover could see around two and a half million dollars invested in the club. Caitlin Rooskrantz tells us how she used gymnastics to channel her emotions following the death of her father when she was just eight years old. Rooskrantz will be the first black South African female gymnast to compete at an Olympic Games in Tokyo next year. She believes her achievements can open doors for the next generation of young girls coming through. In Sporting Witness go back to the Syndey Olympics of 2000 and the famous gold medal winning performance from aboriginal runner Cathy Freeman. Brittany Carter from ABC Grandstand joins us to reflect on Australia’s first T20 with New Zealand and we also look ahead to England’s third T20 against West Indies. And we are live at the Amex Stadium ahead of Brighton’s game against Manchester United in the Premier League. (Photo: Madison Hammond posing for OL Reign. Credit: Madison Hammond instagram)

Tiara Brown joins us to discuss balancing life as a black athlete and police officer in the USA in the wake of George Floyd’s death and the shooting of Jacob Blake. The former amateur world champion boxer tells us she decided to join the police after her brother was murdered. Brown worries that police brutality is something that will never stop and she reveals she has considered leaving the force. She also gives us her thoughts on the movement to “Defund the police”, what it was like growing up with two mothers in the 1980s and her belief that women’s professional boxing will never gain true equality with the men’s ranks. As women’s international cricket resumes this week New Zealand cricket captain - Sophie Devine - speaks to us ahead of their ODI and T20 series against Australia. Devine tells us about life in quarantine, how she’s expecting both sides to struggle initially and about her hopes of regaining the Rose Bowl for the first time in twenty years. Devine also recalls how gutted she was when the inaugural edition of The Hundred was cancelled due to the covid-19 pandemic. Devine says she is hoping to play in it in England in 2021. With the Tour de France finishing in Paris this weekend, we catch up with Jean Luc Perez. The professor and decorated amateur cyclist has been our companion over the last few weeks and he gives us his final thoughts on how the people of France have taken to a much changed race. Staying with cycling, we hear from amateur adventurer Otto Ecroyd after he rode from Alaska to Mexico. He tells us about encountering bears and the kindness of strangers on his trip. In Sporting Witness, we mark twenty years since the Sydney Olympics by hearing from swimmer Susie O’Neill. We hear how carrying the hopes of her nation in the pool, weighed heavily on her shoulders. And – we’re live at Goodison Park as Everton look to continue their strong start to the Premier League season against recently promoted West Bromwich Albion. Photo:Tiara Brown between rounds against Vanessa Bradford at Generoso Pope Athletic Complex on October 24, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Edward Diller/Getty Images)

We examine life in a sporting bio-bubble, with Eleanor Oldroyd presenting the programme from inside the England Cricket bubble at Old Trafford. Steve Elworthy from the ECB was responsible for planning the return of international cricket in England and he tells us what kept him up at night, his belief that a World Cup could be held under the current conditions and how cricket in 2021 could look. The NBA players Union Wellness counsellor - Keyon Dooling - has spent time in basketball’s Florida bubble. He tells us what that was like, how his players are coping psychologically with life in the bubble and the support his union and the league are offering them. The NFL season returned this week and we hear from Kansas City Chiefs fan – Brooke Fishel – who was at Arrowhead Stadium on opening night. We’re joined by Rob Ryan, who is a former assistant head coach of the Buffalo Bills, to look ahead to the rest of the season. Ahead of the big Premier League kick-off we speak to IBF Featherweight world champion and huge Leeds United fan Josh Warrington, Jean-Claude van Dyk from the Johannesburg Leeds supporters club and the football journalist and broadcaster Alison Bender. Sporting Witness this week looks at the challenge known as Everesting. It sees riders go up and down their local hill until they’ve covered the equivalent to climbing the 8848 metres of the world’s highest mountain. We hear from George Mallory and Andy Van Bergen, the organisers of the Everesting club. And with Ferrari racing in their one thousandth Grand Prix this weekend we speak to Ross Brawn. Formula 1's managing director for Motorsport led Michael Schumacher to FIVE consecutive drivers world titles in his time at the Italian team. Photo: The international Twenty20 cricket match between England and Pakistan at Old Trafford cricket ground in Manchester, north-west England, on September 1, 2020 (Credit: Getty images)

With the new NFL season set to restart how different will the landscape look? With Coronavirus and protests we will see an NFL season like no other. We speak to Stephania Bell who is the ESPN's injury analyst and has covered the Leagues’ plans to return to play extensively. We also hear from former American Footballer and BBC pundit Jason Bell on player protests. 'Some people are afraid of what they don't know' - Balochi sisters Halima and Sarah tell Caroline Barker about their culture and how playing basketball has helped break down barriers. The Women’s Super League returns on Saturday with Aston Villa taking on Manchester City. We hear from Canadian international and Manchester City player Janine Beckie on their plans for the new season. Plus New Zealand cricketer Jess Kerr on how she hopes to inspire people to look at the positives in life after she became successful cricketer despite suffering injuries, having diabetes and Bells Palsy. Photo :Chelsea players and staff celebrate with the Barclays FA Women’s Super League trophy, and their winners medals prior to a Chelsea FC Women's Training Session at Chelsea Training Ground on August 03, 2020 in Cobham, England. (Photo by Harriet Lander - Chelsea FC/Chelsea FC via Getty Images)

This week on Sportshour with Caroline Barker, we take an in-depth look at the situation in American sport after players in the NBA, WNBA, MLS and MLB refused to play this week following the shooting of Jacob Blake. Two time NBA Champion Shannon Brown joins us to discuss the events of the last week and what needs to change. His brother – Sterling – plays for the Milwaukee Bucks. They were the first NBA team to say they wouldn’t play and he tells us about speaking to his brother in the bubble. We’re also joined by former Bucks player DeAndre Liggins and former WNBA player Tamara Moore. She gives us her reaction to the shirts worn by the Washington Mystics players that had bullet holes painted on the back . Professor Louis Moore tells us athlete boycotts do work and that he’s now expecting players in the NFL to make their voices heard if the season goes ahead. We look ahead to the start of the Tour de France with Team Cofidis rider Nathan Haas and Jean Luc-Perez, who won the Race Across France. Haas tells us a stage win is like a “unicorn” for a French team and that uncertainty over rider contracts and 2021 has led to more risk taking among the peloton. We hear from Sophia Popov after her shock win at Royal Troon to claim the AIG Women’s Open by two shots. The German golfer had not previously won on the LPGA or Ladies European Tour before and she tells us about her ambitions for the future. This week’s Sporting Witness tells the story of British Olympic medal-winner – Tasha Danvers. She faced a common challenge for women athletes – how to juggle an athletics career with starting a family. And – we preview the Women’s Champions League Final between Wolfsburg and Lyon, with Rebecca Smith from Copa 90. Photo credit: An empty court and bench is shown with no signage following the scheduled start time in Game Five of the Eastern Conference First Round between the Milwaukee Bucks and the Orlando Magic during the 2020 NBA Playoffs at AdventHealth Arena at ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on August 26, 2020 in Florida. The Milwaukee Bucks boycotted game 5 to protest the shooting of Jacob Blake in Wisconsin (Getty Images).

We speak to seventeen time Paralympic medallist Tatyana McFadden and director Ian Bonhote ahead of the release of a major new film about the Paralympic movement. McFadden is one of nine athletes featured in Rising Phoenix and she recalls spending time in a Russian orphanage, being adopted and moving to America and then being reunited with her birth mother at Sochi 2014. McFadden tells us she isn’t ruling out competing in another Winter Games and that she hopes to continue her career until the Los Angeles Paralympics in 2028. Ian Bonhote has previously worked on advertising campaigns with Lionel Messi and Tiger Woods and he tells us it was important to give the athletes in Rising Phoenix their own spotlight. He also tells the story of Jean-Baptiste Alaize. The French athlete – who features in the documentary – witnessed his mother’s murder as a child and was hacked with machetes and left for dead himself. David Diamante speaks to us ahead of Katie Taylor’s world title fight against Delphine Persoon. Diamante is one of the most recognisable ring announcers in boxing and he tells us how he got into the sport, why he says every fighters surname twice and explains just how seriously he takes his role in announcing the results. Diamante also reflects on being clean of drugs for twenty seven years, saying: “living sober is absolutely wonderful”. Cheryl Foster joins us after she was promoted to Uefa’s list of elite referees. The Welsh official tells us she had been due to take charge of one of the quarter-finals in the Women’s Champions League this week before the Covid-19 pandemic and a subsequent lack of match action ended her hopes. We catch up with Australian swimmer Chloe McCardel after she broke the men’s record for the number of English Channel crossings. She reached thirty five after completing four crossings in recent weeks. In Sporting Witness we go back to the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester, when the performance of the Indian women’s hockey team inspired a Bollywood film. And – with live sport continuing this weekend we look ahead to the Champions League final and we check in at the AIG Women’s Open golf and the second test between England and Pakistan. Photo: Tatyana McFadden competes in the women's 5000m in Rio (Credit: Getty images)

We take an in-depth look at the issues surrounding the upcoming college football season after two of the game's major conferences - the Pac-12 and Big Ten - announced they won’t play this Autumn due to concerns around the Covid-19 pandemic. Super Bowl winner and former University of Notre Dame player Rocky Boiman believes the season should go ahead, telling us “If anybody is looking for a 100% safe environment in this world, anywhere, you’re not going to get it. It does not exist”. He also believes a lack of football could cost some players a shot at the NFL draft and adds he’s now resigned to all college football being cancelled in the coming weeks. Hunter Reynolds plays for the University of Michigan and is part of the #BigTenUnited movement. He won’t be playing following the postponement of the Big Ten. He tells us some players he’s spoken to are worried their coaches may be prepared to risk putting winning above safety. Broadcaster Mike Carlson also joins us and he believes the stand-off around the college football season could become an issue in the US Presidential campaign. “It’s an elite, unique, group to be in” - Marcel Eckardt joins us ahead of taking charge of the World Snooker Championship final. At thirty years of age, Eckardt will be the youngest person ever to referee the most prestigious match in the sport. He’s also the first German to do it. He tells us what the occasion means to him, how he got into the sport, his love of Pool and why he turned down the chance to have his family at The Crucible Theatre for his big moment. Broadcaster Rikki Swannell joins us with the latest from New Zealand after the final round of the regular season in Netball’s ANZ Premiership was cancelled due to concerns around Covid-19. All of this week’s games have been declared a draw. Swannell tells us how likely it is that next weekend’s finals series will be played. This week’s Sporting Witness takes us back to the Beijing Olympics of 2008, when weightlifter Matthias Steiner created one of the most emotional moments of the games. His wife was killed in a car accident shortly before the games began and he dedicated his gold medal to her. And – we check in on the second test between England and Pakistan at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton with World Cup winner Ebony Rainford-Brent Photo credit: Michigan Stadium, where the University of Michigan college football team play their home matches (Getty Images).

I asked myself ‘if it’s not me, then who is it?’” - Farid Noori on his dream of becoming the first mountain biker from Afghanistan to compete at an Olympics. Farid Noori grew up as a refugee in Pakistan after his family fled the Taliban when he was just two years old. He tells us about his early life in Pakistan, his return to Afghanistan and how he’s hoping to grow the sport in his homeland. Noori recalls going to school in a Unicef tent and being able to see rocket shells and debris that were left over from the war. He remembers learning to ride a bike while waiting in line for bread and he says he hopes his own Olympic ambitions can help pave the way for other athletes from Afghanistan. “I thought my career was over at seventeen and to have gone through this a second time is pretty brutal” – Annabelle Lindsay on the rule change that has ended her international wheelchair basketball career. Lindsay is one of a number of athletes, who have been told their disabilities no longer meet the new eligibility criteria set down by the International Paralympic Committee. She had been hoping to represent Australia at next year’s Paralympics and says the rule change could also see her lose her university scholarship in America. Lindsay took up wheelchair basketball after a serious knee-injury after a teenager ended her hopes of playing basketball. This week saw Australian athletes past and present including – Mitchell Starc, Alyssa Healy, Julie Murray and Bronte Campbell - sleep at the Sydney Cricket Ground to raise funds for homeless young people. ‘Sports Stars Sleepout’ was organised by the Chappell Foundation and its founder – the former Australia cricketer Greg Chappell – joins us to discuss the success of the event and the inspiration behind it. Sporting Witness remembers the late Junko Tabei, who back in 1975 became the first woman to reach the summit of Mount Everest. As well as being an achievement in its own right, Tabei had to defy the cultural norms in her home country of Japan where women were not expected to be world-class mountaineers. And – with live sport continuing we found out what's happening at the second test match between England and Pakistan and we check in on the latest at the World Snooker Championship. Photo: Farid Noori takes part in a mountain biking event (Credit: Farid Noori)

Australian ultra-marathon swimmer Chloe McCardel joins us after she swam the English Channel for the thirty second time this week. She’s aiming to break the men’s record for channel crossings, which currently stands at thirty four and received an exemption from the Australian government to travel to the UK amid the Covid-19 pandemic. Former Orlando Magic, Miami Heat and Cleveland Cavaliers player DeAndre Liggins joins us to discuss the return of the NBA and his decision to join the London Lions. Liggins praises his friend LeBron James for speaking up on social issues and says playing in the Florida bubble makes this “the hardest championship to win”. Liggins adds that his aim now is to put British Basketball on the map. Jamaican 1500 meters runner Aisha Praught-Leer tells us she hopes to inspire the next generation of middle-distance runners on the Island so the they can become known for more than sprinting. Praught-Leer also tells us she will be pushing to help change the International Olympic Committee’s Rule 50 – which effectively bans athletes protesting at an Olympic Games – in time for the rearranged Tokyo games. She says: “The idea of not protesting goes against the Olympic Charter”. Olympic bronze medallist Katharine Merry joins us to reflect on the fact she should have been at the Tokyo Olympics now. Merry was due to be working as a commentator over the public address system in the stadium before the games were postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Staying with athletics – and this week’s Sporting Witness – heads back to the Moscow 1980 and the Battle of the Brits. Sebastian Coe recalls his epic battle with the country’s other middle-distance star, Steve Ovett, which captivated a global audience. And with live sport continuing - we look ahead to the FA Cup Final by hearing from Arsenal and Chelsea fans across the globe. We also check in on the latest action at the World Snooker Championship. Photo: LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on against the LA Clippers during the first quarter of the game at The Arena in Florida (Credit:Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)

Alyssa Nakken on making history in Major League Baseball. San Francisco Giants assistant coach Alyssa Nakken joins us to reflect on becoming the first woman to coach on field in an MLB game. She coached first base during this week’s exhibition against the Oakland A’s and tells us she’s grateful for the opportunity but “it’s not like we won a World Series”. Nakken also says she doesn’t feel she’s looked at any differently at the club because she’s a woman. Nakken reveals her “insecurities” lie more with the fact she hasn’t had much experience of “big league level”. The president of the NWSL expansion team set for Los Angeles in 2022 - Julie Uhrman – on the hype around her new club. Uhrman tells us about the club partnering with LA84, being inspired by the City Football Group, attracting players to Los Angeles and the fact her club will allow their players to protest about social issues. Uhrman says: “This started by having a deep interest in pay equity. When something is happening in the world that we are not pleased about they should be able to use their platform in the same way that we should be able to use our platform.” No Olympics in Tokyo but Sumo Wrestling is back – We speak to John Gunning from the Japan Times about the return of sumo amidst the coronavirus pandemic. July’s Grand Tournament was moved from Nagoya to the capital to limit travel during the pandemic. “It’s an understanding that is deeply bonded.” - Lisa Butler and Rachel Levey from Paradise City Dragons discuss how being part of a dragon boat crew has helped them come to terms with living with breast cancer. They tell us how the friendships formed among the crew have helped them emotionally and how the activity has helped their physical recoveries. A film about the team of cancer survivors and supporters from Western Massachusetts is in the running for an award at the PBS Short Film Festival. The Karate champion with the world's smallest pacemaker - Mairi Kerin joins us after she was fitted with the latest version of the world's smallest pacemaker. The three-time World Championship competitor and 2020 Olympic hopeful says the vitamin pill sized device has saved her martial arts career. She had to be fitted with a pacemaker after visiting her doctor after she fainted and says she was shocked to be told she had a problem with her heart. This week’s Sporting Witness goes back to 2010 to chart the story of the Afghanistan men's cricket team. Their journey from the refugee camps of Pakistan to the International stage is one of cricket’s most remarkable stories. Afghan batsman Raees Ahmadzai tells us all about it. Photo: Alyssa Nakken (Getty Images)

“What story are we telling about America?” – Washington’s NFL team agree to change their name. We discuss the Washington Redskins decision to change their controversial name and logo following years of opposition from Native American communities and recent pressure from major club sponsors. Mark Trahant - who is a member of Idaho’s Shoshone-Bannock Tribe and editor of Indian Country Today - tells us the name was offensive because “it came from the era when natives were sold by body parts”. He also recalls being told by his father as a six year old boy not to use the ‘R word’ and he believes all teams that use Native American words and symbols will eventually have to change their names. The “Washington Red Tails” is among the favourites to be the team’s next name and we’re joined by Martin McCauley, who owns the trademark to that name along with a host of others. The Washington fan tells us all about his unusual hobby of trademarking potential team names, how he won’t stand in Washington’s way if they want to use one of his names and he explains why he’s hired a lawyer this week. The former NBA player calling for the current season to be abandoned - Etan Thomas played for the Washington Wizards, Oklahoma City Thunder and Atlanta Hawks during his professional career. He's now calling on NBA commissioner Adam Silver to cancel the current season due to the risks associated with playing during the Covid-19 pandemic. Thomas says of Silver "Valuing the lives of human beings over economic motivations is a concept that is absent from Donald Trump. You are not him." He also tells us it’s “tragic” that Elena Delle Donne, who suffers from chronic Lyme Disease, was denied the opportunity to opt out of the upcoming WNBA season. 2082 miles on an exercise bike while shielding from coronavirus and battling stage 4 bowel cancer - Keith Farquharson recently completed the 2018 Tour de France course on an exercise bike to raise money for the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation. He chose the 2018 course as that was the year he was first off work with cancer and he watched the race live on TV. He says he juggled the virtual race, with working full-time, a young family and having cancer treatment. We check in on the second test between England and West Indies. Former West Indies T20 captain Carlos Brathwaite joins us to discuss the latest action in the test, the series so far and living in a bio-secure bubble in order to be at the ground. Following a big week off the pitch for Manchester City we’re joined by broadcaster Natalie Paweleck to discuss the club’s FA Cup semi-final against Arsenal, the clubs hopes of ending this season with three trophies and if their victory at CAS could see Pep Guardiola extend his stay as manager. And this week’s Sporting Witness tells the story of David Beckham signing for LA Galaxy in Major League Soccer back in 2007. Image: American Indian Movement protest the Washington Redskins as they arrive in town to play the Denver Broncos at Sports Authority Field at Mile HIgh in Denver, Co.(Getty Images)

We go live to Southampton where it is day four of the first test match between England and the West Indies. It has been four months without International cricket and we bring you the latest action from our team who are at the ground. It’s not just listening to cricket that has made a welcome return this week, in the next few hours cricketers up and down the UK will be pulling on their whites for the first time as they are allowed to play for the first time and we hear from one of the players. In January, Mose Masoe, a Samoan Rugby international, was playing in a pre-season friendly match for his team Hull KR and went into a tackle awkwardly. When he woke up he couldn’t feel his legs and told he would never walk again. Fast forward 6 months and he has taken his first steps. We caught up with him and his wife Carissa, who’s about to give birth to their third child. The European PGA tour got underway this week and we hear from caddie Ollie Briggs on what it is like returning to the golf course. A club in Lesotho has become the first top flight football club to announce equal budgets for its women’s and men’s football teams. Puky Ramokwoatsi is the manager of the women's team and shares her story of how she became involved with the club. How will you remember this year in sport? Instead of focusing on what we’ve not seen, we meet someone who shows us what we’re missing. Laurence Griffiths is a Getty images sports photographer. Photo: West Indies players taking the knee before their Test match against England in Southampton (Credit: Getty images)

We go live to Epsom in the South of England where the Derby will be held for the first time behind closed doors. Our racing commentator John Hunt will tell us about the importance of the race and we hear from jockey Oisin Murphy who has overcome many hurdles to ride in the big race today. We speak to Lee Kershaw who is a professional Rugby League player with Wakefield in the Superleague. But, like many, with no sport to play, he’s had to look elsewhere for work, away from the sport he loves. He tells us about his struggles. We should be at Wimbledon for middle Saturday today so we hear from Richard Lewis the Chief Executive of the All England Club about how they have been impacted by the Coronavirus and catch up with Georgian player Sofia Shapatava on how her petition to support lower league tennis players is going. Plus Rufus the hawk's handler Imogen Davis tells us how he is keeping busy and how a baby Rufus may be on the way next year. Plus it is time to call time on the humble whistle? Across sport it marks, the beginning and the end and sometimes the illegal moments in everything from Basketball to american football. But in the age of coronavirus, does the whistle face somewhat of an existential challenge, with worries over the droplets we produce when we… blow?!! Ron Foxcroft has refereed an Olympic basketball final and is the inventor of the electronic whistle, he tells us more.. Photo: Kameko ridden Oisin Murphy approaches the finish line to win the Qipco 2000 Guineas Stakes at Newmarket Racecourse (Photo by Edward Whitaker/Pool via Getty Images)

Liverpool and the end of their long wait for the Premier League title - For some Liverpool fans, seeing their side end a thirty year wait to be crowned English Champions was bittersweet as they had loved ones who didn't live to see it. Mark McVeigh joins us to talk about his son Owen, who died of leukaemia at the age of eleven. Father and son travelled home and away together to watch Liverpool and there's a flag in Owen's honour on the Kop. Mark admits its been an emotional time and he also tells us about the Owen McVeigh foundation, which works with children suffering from Cancer. We're also joined by the Mayor of Liverpool - Joe Anderson - who tells us the club will have a title parade when the time is right. Terry Willis is walking from his home in Alabama to the scene of George Floyd's death in Minneapolis for "change, justice and equality". Willis tells us what happened to Floyd could have happened to him. While, Tamara Moore, who is the only female coach of a men's college basketball team in America, was so inspired by Terry's story that she contacted the BBC World Service. She's since grown close to Terry's family and has even dubbed him the "Black Forrest Gump". They come together to chat about what needs to change in America and how sport can help lead that change. Could Major League Soccer stars refuse to play to force social change? - Chicago Fire forward CJ Sapong joins us to talk about the recently formed Black Players Coalition of MLS. Sapong is a board member and says: "If we are using our platforms to bring awareness to these social injustices but then get on the field and continue to play, have we really provided any change?". Sleeping in the back of a van and trying to find her form after injury - Golfer Sophie Powell joins us to discuss playing in the Rose Ladies Series. Due to the covid-19 pandemic, Powell has been sleeping on a blow up mattress in the back of a borrowed van ahead of playing at each venue. She also tells us how falling out of a moving golf buggy cost her two years of her career. The FA Cup returns without fans - Due to the covid-19 pandemic the FA Cup will be played behind closed-doors this week. Jack Dormer and Alex Rowe had previously been to a game in every round of the competition. They started in the very first preliminary rounds, which were almost a year ago and then followed the winning team in each game until they get knocked out. They then followed the team that beat them. They tell us about their experiences and how they're getting their FA Cup fix this week. And in Sporting Witness, we go back to 2004, when the first All Star Cheerleading world championships were held at the Disney resort in Florida. It was a big moment for a new sport which is about demanding group routines featuring coordinated tumbles and stunts rather than supporting a sports team from the sidelines. Ambrel Brannon, one of the first cheerleading world champions, tells us about a sport that’s becoming increasingly popular around the world. Image: Liverpool fans celebrate winning their first ever Premier League title. (Getty Images)

The Premier League returned this week following a one hundred day hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Ahead of the opening round of fixtures: players, managers, coaching staff and officials took a knee to highlight racial injustice. The BBC's football correspondent John Murray, former Liverpool defender Gary Gillespie and Liverpool fan and broadcaster Lizzi Doyle discuss the significance of English football making its voice heard and the prospect of Liverpool ending a thirty year wait for a League Title in the coming week. Gary was part of the last Liverpool side to be crowned English Champions, while Lizzi wasn't born the last time the club won the League. "I'm behind NASCAR all the way - we are taking baby steps to better our sport" - Brehanna Daniels is the first African-American woman to work pit crew in Nascar, having made her debut as a tire changer in 2017. She joins us to discuss how she got into the sport and why she gives her backing to NASCAR's decision to ban the Confederate flag. Afghanistan's Director of Cricket, Andy Moles, joins us from his home in Cape Town to discuss his recent life-altering operation. Following a walk in Abu Dhabi, Moles noticed an issue with his left foot, which led to him having to have the leg amputated below the knee. Moles was told his life could be in danger if he didn't opt for amputation. Royal Ascot - no crowds and no Queen. On the final day of this year's meeting we speak to jockey Hayley Turner, who rode a winner there this week and Juliet Slot who is the commercial director at the course about a much changed Ascot experience. Due to the covid-19 pandemic there have been no crowds, jockeys have worn face masks and the Queen - a racehorse owner herself - has not attended for the first time in her sixty eight year reign. And - Sporting Witness - tells the story of the pioneering black footballer, Clyde Best, who played for West Ham in the 1960s and 1970s alongside the likes of Bobby Moore and Geoff Hurst. After moving to London from Bermuda as a teenager, Best made a name for himself as a goal-scorer but faced constant racist abuse from opposition fans. Picture: Pierre Emerick Aubameyang takes a knee before Arsenal's match away to Manchester City. Credit: Getty Images)

Chicago Fire forward - CJ Sapong - tells us he welcomes the US Soccer Federation's decision to repeal it's policy requiring national team players to stand during the national anthem. Sapong - who has played for the US Men's National Team - believes a situation has been created around the national anthem, which equates to: "if you're not loyal to this flag...you deserve to die". He also recalls an incident where his family were confronted at a high school soccer game because someone in the crowd felt he had disrespected the national anthem. "My heart was broken. I'd given up." - Former AFL Star Adam Goodes describes the toll racist abuse took on him and how being abused by a teenage girl during a game set in motion a chain of events that saw him walk away from the sport in 2015. He also speaks about the importance of athletes using their platforms following George Floyd's death. Nessun Dorma and Italia 90 - Thirty years on from the 1990 World Cup, the BBC's Head of TV Sport - Philip Bernie - tells us how and why the song was chosen as the soundtrack to the corporation's coverage. "I was really shocked" - the fourteen year old snooker player given a tour card for the next two seasons by the World Snooker Tour. Ukraine's Lulian Boiko tells us how he got into the sport, what it was like meeting his hero Mark Selby and his hopes for life on the circuit. He was rewarded with a tour card after producing exceptional performances at leading international amateur tournaments over the last year. Powering the NHS - Sam Cox tells us how he's delivered over fifteen thousand meals to NHS hospitals across London during the covid-19 pandemic. The professional boxer says it's his way of giving back after he lost his mother to cancer last year and for the way the National Health Service helped him when he was younger. Due to a growth hormone deficiency Cox was still the size of a six year old boy at the age of fifteen. Super Rugby - The competition returned in New Zealand this week and crowds were able to attend. New Zealand's first female rugby commentator - Rikki Swannell - joins us to discuss how it went. And in Sporting Witness - we tell the story of arguably the greatest upset in the history of the ancient Olympic sport of Greco-Roman wrestling. American Rulon Gardner discusses how he defeated a previously unbeaten Russian champion. It was a David-and-Goliath-style battle that made headlines around the world.

Washington Mystics player Natasha Cloud believes the time for silence is over following the death of George Floyd. Cloud says "I fear for my life simply because of the colour of my skin" and that she knows she will suffer racism at some point every day. Cloud adds "that fear is there for every single black American" and says one of her biggest fears is bringing a black child into the world. Cloud says if what happened to George Floyd doesn't "wake you up" it "says a lot about who you are as a human being". "What if I was George Floyd?" - This week more than a dozen of the NFL's top players - including MVP Patrick Mahomes - released a video telling the league that they won't be silenced. It came after the NFL was criticised for it's earlier statement following the death of George Floyd. We speak to former New York Giants player Jason Bell about how the NFL have reacted this week and the fall-out between Saints team-mates Drew Brees and Malcolm Jenkins over Brees comments about kneeling during the national anthem. Male body image in Sport - Luke Chadwick is a former Manchester United player and Toby Penty is England's Badminton number one. Luke talks about how damaging he found negative media attention around his appearance when he was a young player at United and Toby shares how alopecia has affected his confidence. Luke wants to promote the message that it's healthy to talk and they speak to each other about how their experiences have shaped them. "Walking out to bat in a test match, where you have nobody watching, I found it incredibly difficult" - Former England batsman Kevin Pietersen tells us it's "great" that cricket is coming back and admits they have to play behind closed doors but says he found it hard to perform in front of sparse crowds when he was a player. Pietersen is taking part in an online charity bike race on Sunday to raise money for the NHS. Four time Tour de France champion Chris Froome is the favourite and will start after everyone else. Pietersen jokes they can start at the same time and he'd still be confident of beating Froome. And this week's Sporting Witness goes back to the Rio Olympics of 2016, when fencer Ibtihaj Muhammad became the first Muslim-American to compete while wearing a hijab. Photo credit: Protests in the United States following the death of George Floyd (Getty Images)

The former Nike Oregon Project athlete - Mary Cain - tells us she now feels "free" when she runs and how she has "discovered the love for it". Cain says her performances during the indoor season have added "fuel to the fire" as she seeks to improve and she believes the Olympics being postponed until 2021 could work in her favour. Cain describes her current coach - John Henwood - as an "amazing person, friend and confidant". Cain is now working with the Boston based company, Tracksmith, on a contract that sees her as a full time employee. She says that has helped ease her worries during the covid-19 pandemic as she's not left worrying about where her next paycheck will come from. Snooker player Mark King tells us if he wasn't able to attend Gamblers Anonymous meetings over Zoom he's "one thousand per cent" sure he would have had a bet during the covid-19 lockdown in the UK. He also tells us "95%" of tour players will be struggling financially as they haven't had any tournaments since March. King is due to play in the Championship League Snooker next week and says he couldn't contemplate getting a day job over the last few months as he has vulnerable family members and he didn't want to put them at risk. Cool Runnings comes to Peterborough - Shanwayne Stevens and Nimroy Turgott are two members of the Jamaican bobsleigh team and they're currently stuck in lockdown in Peterborough, in England. As they can't access training facilities they've had to come up with their own way of keeping fit ahead of the 2022 Winter Olympics. Their methods have drawn comparisons to the movie Cool Runnings, which was about the 1998 Jamaican bobsleigh team. One of their training exercises sees the two men push a car around an industrial estate. Stephens says they've had some funny looks and even offers to help fix the car, until they explain what they're actually doing. This week's Sporting Witness tells the remarkable story of Tofiri Kibuuka, who was the only African competitor at the first ever Winter Paralympics. Following those games in 1976 he was forced to flee his native Uganda by the regime of Idi Amin. Tofiri then took up Norwegian nationality and became a six time medallist in athletics at the Summer Paralympics. And - in the week that Australia's NRL returned, we speak to Justin Holbrook, who is the coach of the Gold Coast Titans. Rugby League returned in Australia, with no crowds in the stadium and artificial crowd noise played on television coverage of the matches. Photo Credit:

"I don't think it's going to stop the forward momentum" - Author and documentary maker Susie Petruccelli joins us to discuss the development of women's soccer in America after the US National Women's Team lost their equal pay lawsuit. The team are appealing the decision and Sarah Mulkerrins joins us to explain the background to the case. Former USWNT players Brandi Chastain and Sarah Hagen give us their thoughts on the fight for equal pay and we also speak to Lindsay Eanet. She recently became the first female public address announcer for a professional sports team in Chicago. She's employed by the NWSL side the Chicago Red Stars. "In France if you are a good jockey but a woman you are just a woman jockey. I don't want to be that, I want to be just a jockey like Frankie Dettori." Mickaelle Michel tells us how she's using television shows to teach herself Japanese, with the long-term aim of basing herself there. Over the winter Michel rode a record number of winners for a foreign jockey in Japan. She's back in her native France now and describes the "really strange" atmosphere she encountered racing behind closed doors as she won in Chantilly this week. #AbideWithMeNHS - This Saturday the 139th FA Cup Final should have taken place at Wembley. The game was postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic, but that hasn't stopped some members of the 2015 FA Cup Fans Choir from coming together to record their own version of the famous pre-match anthem, Abide with Me, with the aim of raising money for charity. Stuart Green is a member of the choir and he tells us about the idea and why he will be singing on his doorstep at the time the game should have kicked-off. Staying with the FA Cup and this week's Sporting Witness recalls the "Matthews Final" of 1953, where the legendary Stanley Matthews led Blackpool to a 4-3 win over Bolton. And - we hear from American baseball player Jake Brigham, who is currently playing in the Korean Baseball Organisation for Kiwoom Heroes. It's one of the first leagues to return during the Covid-19 pandemic. Players are not allowed to shake hands, hug or spit on the ground. Photo credit: USA women celebrate winning the 2019 World Cup (Getty Images)

Story of survival - Ken Dwan is an Olympian who competed at the 1968 and 72 games. But one of his toughest battles was in the last few weeks as he fought coronavirus, he tells us all about what it was like, the doctor who saved him and his hopes for the future. We also hear from Olympic and World Cup Champion Brandi Chastain and former professional footballer and cancer survivor Sarah Hagen. The two have exchanged twitter messages after Sarah celebrated being 15 years cancer free. They have now become friends and also helped each others careers without even realising it. This weekend the Bundesliga is back! After two months Germany's top-flight will become the first major football league in Europe to return to competition. Commentator Kevin Hitchard and former professional goalkeeper and current football board member Lutz Pfannensteil have been keeping audio diaries of how they have been preparing this week. Plus we go live to Germany to hear more about the safety protocols put in place to fight COVID-19. Reverend Richard Cole joins us live to tell us how watching a new drama has inspired him to learn a new sport - Gaelic football. Picture: Spanish midfielder Thiago Alcantara, Spain defender Alvaro Odriozola and French defender Lucas Hernandez wear face masks as they arrive for a training session of the German first division Bundesliga football club FC Bayern Munich on May 13, 2020 (Getty Images)

This week on BBC Sportshour we bring you stories of hope. Australian swimmer and silver medalist Madeline Groves tells us she how the Olympics moving to 2021 has helped her after describing the pain she suffers as being 'stabbed in the uterus'. Luckily she has been able to have surgery to help and now is hopeful she will be able to compete in the Olympics next year. The Netflix documentary The Last Dance has been released early due to Coronavirus. It charts Michael Jordan's all-conquering Chicago Bulls basketball side and their hunt for a sixth NBA title in the 1997-98 season. It’s apparently overtaken Tiger King as the world's most in-demand documentary. With never seen before footage, It’s an all access series featuring everyone from Michael’s mum Deloris, to his superstar teammates like Scotty Pippin and Dennis Rodman. We caught up with Director Jason Hehir. The Campbell family from Scotland are already on their way to Tokyo, they set off before the Coronavirus took hold, intending to travel over land and due to arrive in time for the now postponed games, instead they only got as far as France .. where they’re now stuck! Mum of the family Harriett Campbell joins us. Author John Bacon was due to run the Boston marathon, instead he has ran a marathon around his hometown and seen faces of the people he loves. Photo: Madeline Groves competes to place second in the Women's 200m Butterfly Final during the swimming event at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. (Credit:ODD ANDERSEN/AFP via Getty Images)

"I couldn't see my baby daughter for two weeks" - former Canada Karina Leblanc goalkeeper gave birth to her daughter last month. However, soon after her baby was born, Karina was rushed to hospital with breathing issues. Due to the possible risk of exposure to COVID 19 at the hospital - Karina then had to self quarantine from her baby and husband for two weeks. We speak to Karina about what happened, how hard it was being separated from her daughter Paris and how good it felt to hold her baby for the first time after isolation. "I feel like my purpose in life is competing at a very high level" - in 2018 Robert Wickens was paralysed following an IndyCar crash. Recently he's been competing in the INDYCAR IRacing Challenge, a competitive series that uses simulators. He tells us he sees it as a step towards racing in IndyCar again and how he was determined to and managed to stand at his wedding last September. Anxiety in the A League - play in Australia's A League was suspended in March due to the COVID 19 pandemic. Since play was halted the Professional Footballers Australia say that 58% of players they surveyed have reported symptoms of anxiety while 45% have demonstrated symptoms of depression. There are also rumours the competition's broadcast partner is looking to pull out of their deal. A possible return date of August 1st has now been suggested but with all the uncertainty in the air Brisbane Roar goalkeeper Jamie Young will join us to discuss the impact the situation is having on players mental health. Extreme E and more opportunities for women in Motorsport - This week a new all-electric off-road race series was launched. When it starts in 2021 each team will field one male and one female driver, meaning men and women will race against each other. Swedish racing driver Mikaela Kottulinsky is one of the few people to have driven the new SUV as she's been working as a test driver for the tyre manufacturer. She'll join us to talk about the new series, what it could mean for women in motorsport and her own background in racing. A lack of PPE means I'm wearing a Scuba Mask - Snooker referee Olivier Marteel is working as an a and e nurse in his native Belgium. He's a radiologist by trade but has answered the call to help on the front line in the fight against coronavirus. He tells us about working in the hospital, a lack of Personal Protective Equipment, and how he's watching old snooker matches to unwind. The long shot that changed a homeless caddie's life - 59 year old Llewellyn Barnes has been been homeless for most of his life and has supported himself by working as a caddie on the golf courses of South Africa. He's also battled substance abuse but last month he made his debut as a player in a professional golf tournament. We'll hear from Llewellyn and also speak to BBC Sport Africa's Celestine Karoney about his remarkable life story. That's Isolation - Former Tottenham midfielder and current Charlton Assistant Manager Johnnie Jackson has been writing and performing songs to fund-raise for cancer charities during the coronavirus lockdown. He'll join us to talk about his idea and he'll perform "That's Isolation", which is a play on the Jam song "That's Entertainment". Sporting Witness - This week we tell the emotional story of how a young girl in Pakistan fought for the right to take part in one of the country’s most popular sports. Ashley Byrne has been talking to Maria Toorpakai Wazir about how she disguised her gender - and risked her life - in order to play professional squash. Photo credit: Karina Leblanc (Getty Images)

"It's almost deja vu - I had flashbacks" - Former Green Bay Packers executive Andrew Brandt joins us to give his reaction to the virtual NFL draft and his old side's shock selection of a new quarterback. Draft selection Jordan Love is being tipped to challenge established quarterback Aaron Rodgers long-term and Brandt who drafted Rodgers and had to manage a similar situation with him and Brett Favre predicts things won't end pretty. Cricket in the South Pacific Islands - On Saturday the season resumes on Vanuatu, with the Women's club super league finals day. Vanuatu has NO cases of coronavirus but they were struck earlier this month by cyclone Harold, one of the strongest ever recorded in the region. We'll speak live to Shane Deitz who is the head of cricket there. Every time I step out the door I'm "fearful" - UFC fighter Trevin Giles is also a police officer in Houston. He tells us how his day job has changed during the COVID 19 pandemic and of his fears about catching the virus and potentially spreading it to his wife, who is a nurse, and their small child. The Isolation diaries - Five weeks after we first spoke to former New Zealand netballer Catherine Tuivaiti, we'll check back in to see how life under lock down in Italy is going. This time we'll also be joined by her husband Jimmy, who plays for Italy's national rugby union team and their baby son Bash. The Big Pink Dress - The London Marathon was due to take place this weekend and its postponement was a huge blow for charities, who raise millions of pounds in sponsorship from runners taking part. Colin Plews AKA the Big Pink Dress is still running the marathon distance but on a treadmill in his back garden. Colin runs marathons in elaborate dresses that can weigh up to forty pounds and he'll join us to tell us why he runs in a dress, the inspiration for his costumes and the good causes he's ran on behalf of. Sporting Witness - This week we go back to 1972 when Mary Peters won pentathlon gold at the Munich Olympics. It was a victory that made her a national hero back home in Northern Ireland across the sectarian divide. The Foodie Footballer - Marc Pugh played in the Premier League for Bournemouth and when his wife had their second child he developed an interest in cooking and nutrition. The now Queens Park Rangers player goes by the moniker "the foodie footballer" on Instagram and he'll join us to discuss how to eat healthily during lock down and he'll cook us a dish live on air. Photo: Aaron Rodgers of the Green Bay Packers reacts after a play against the San Francisco 49ers during the NFC Championship game (Credit: Getty images)

Team Cofidis rider Nathan Haas joined us to discuss the importance of the Tour de France to the sport of cycling and the French public after the race was postponed until August. The Australian has been on lockdown in Spain for over thirty days now due to the COVID 19 pandemic and describes how hard that has been. He warns that a year without the Tour de France could be disastrous for his sport. Guenther Steiner, the breakout star of the documentary series Drive to Survive and team principal of the Haas Formula 1 team, has been telling Jennie Gow about his starring role in the Netflix series. Jennie also gave us the latest on where we stand with the current season, with the French Grand Prix the latest to appear in doubt. On Saturday the richest ever online chess tournament gets underway, with eight of the world's top players fighting it out for a prize pool of two hundred and fifty thousand dollars. It's the brainchild of the world number one - Magnus Carlsen - who told us how they'll make sure no one cheats, why they have a dress code and if this is a chance for Chess to reach a new audience. From their house to yours - The Professional Darts Corporation's Home Tour got underway this week. It's a 32-night competition that will see some of the world's top players play against each other remotely via video call and it'll be streamed online for darts fans to watch. The current PDC world champion - Peter Wright - joined us to tell us how it felt playing against his rivals from the comfort of his living room. Credit: Riders in the 2019 Tour de France pass in front of the Arc de Triomphe during the final stage of the 106th Tour (Photo: Getty Images)

US Paralympic snowboarder Brittani Coury told us she is choosing "faith over fear" after swapping ski slopes for hospital wards. Coury has returned to nursing to help fight the COVID 19 coronavirus pandemic. The silver medallist from the 2018 Paralympics told us she isn't afraid for her safety and says her "heart breaks" for her patients. How long does it take an athlete to lose their competitive edge? That is a question we explore with the help of an Olympic Swimming Champion, a World Champion Boxer, a Netball player and a competitor from the World's Strongest Man as they all try to maintain their sharpness during the coronavirus lockdown. Sharon van Rouwendaal told us for every week she's out of the water it takes her two weeks to regain the fitness she has lost. She also explains how she's training with the use of a children's paddling pool and a bungee rope. We don't like Cricket - we love it. In the week that the English County Championship was due to start we speak to people in the game about the impact no cricket is having on the fans and players of the sport. This week's Sporting Witness tells the story of sports enthusiast Van Phillips and how when he lost his foot in a water-skiing accident, he decided to design a prosthetic leg that would allow him to keep running. He used carbon graphite which was light, flexible and strong. His invention revolutionised para-sports. And we pay tribute to Radomir Antic after the former Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid and Barcelona manager died at the age of 71 this week. (Photo: Brittani Couri wearing her scrubs carrying her silver medal. Credit: Lisa Jo Keith/Blaze Branding)

How is horse racing coping amidst the coronavirus pandemic? On Saturday Tiger Roll should have been aiming to win a third Grand National in a row but the race was called off last month. The BBC's racing correspondent Cornelius Lysaght and the Grand National winning trainer Lucinda Russell joined us to share their feelings on the morning the race should have gone ahead and to discuss how the sport is coping in the absence of racing. Travails on the Tennis Tour: In the week that Wimbledon was cancelled for the first time since the second world war we spoke to world number 375 Sofia Shapatava about the realities of life below the elite level. She tells us lower ranked players are struggling to pay their rent and essential bills and how she has started a petition asking the sport's authorities to provide players with financial support. From carrying clubs to carrying parcels: European tour Caddie Oliver Briggs is stranded at his parents house in England due to the coronavirus lockdown. He told us about missing life on the golf circuit, how he's taken a job as a part time delivery driver and his fears that if golf doesn't return soon some caddies will have to leave the sport for good. From Iron Bars to Iron Man: John McAvoy was sentenced to life in prison at the age of 24 for armed robbery. In prison, he turned his life around, to the point where he broke two world records for indoor rowing. Since gaining his freedom he's become a professional sportsman, taking on the Iron Man Triathlon series and through his foundation he’s spoken to thousands of young people, using his story of rehabilitation to change lives for the better. Lockdown singalong: Former Heavyweight world boxing champion Joseph Parker joined us from his home in New Zealand to discuss the success of his social media videos. His version of "build me up buttercup" features Tyson Fury and Michael Buffer and his latest effort is a spoof of the theme tune to popular soap opera "Neighbours". Sporting Witness: This week we went back to 1991 and a moment that stunned the world of professional rodeo when Jonathon Holloway hit the first ever perfect score of 100 points. Picture: Joseph Parker during a press conference, at Canary Riverside Plaza Hotel, ahead of his Heavyweight contest with Dillian Whyte. (Getty Images)

Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics moves by a year - what happens next? We devote the first half of the programme to an in-depth look at this week's decision to postpone Tokyo 2020 by a year. We cross to Japan's capital city to hear how the decision has been received and to discuss the challenges they face in staging a delayed games. Canada's double Olympic champion, Rosie MacLennan, tells us postponement rather than cancellation was the right thing to do but admits it will spell the end for a number of people's Olympic Dreams. We chat to multiple Paralympic champion Richard Whitehead and the BBC's athletics commentator Ed Harry. No Formula 1, No Problem - The first EIGHT races of the 2020 Formula 1 season have now either been cancelled or postponed due to coronavirus pandemic. To get around a lack of racing some of the sports' drivers have been taking part in online racing in the F1 Esports Series. We speak to McLaren driver Lando Norris on "crashing" in Bahrain, his friendship with Max Verstappen and how he's self-isolating at home. Don't call me Mr, call me Carlo - Everton manager Carlo Ancelotti called a vulnerable fan this week as part of the club's drive to help people cope during the coronavirus pandemic. They ended up chatting about football, nextflix and family. Mark Cruise tells us all about what it was like to get a call from the man he calls Mr Ancelotti. We hear from England and Lyon defender Lucy Bronze after she won the BBC's Women's Footballer of the Year award for the second time and we talk to BBC's Sarah Mulkerrins on how the coronavirus pandemic is hitting women's football. Sporting Witness - this week we go back to March 1982 when Julie Moss crawled over the finish line at the IronMan World Championship in Hawaii. She was a remarkable second in her first competitive race. Picture:A man wearing a face mask walks before the logo of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games displayed on the Tokyo Metropolitan Government building in Tokyo on March 24, 2020 (Getty Images)

After another week of sporting event cancellations, we bring you the latest on the impact the coronavirus pandemic is having on global sport. This week we discuss the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and how Formula 1 has been effected. We take a look at how the crisis is having an impact on the NBA, where players are being tested for the virus without struggle, in stark comparison to the American public. Also this week we talk to former international New Zealand netballer Catherine Latu, who is trapped under lockdown in Italy. Together with her husband, Jimmy, who plays for Italy’s national rugby union side and their baby son Bash. We speak to Catherine about the realities of life under lockdown. Plus we hear from Fifpro on how footballers across the world are being affected and speak to Hull KR owner Neil Hudgell on the future of Rugby League. And we reflect on the new AFL season in Autsralia which got underway behind closed doors this week, with public opinion split due to the coronavirus outbreak. Photo: A man with a protective mask during the Serie A match between Parma Calcio and SPAL in Italy which was played behind closed doors (Getty Images).

This week the International Sporting Calendar has been decimated by the Coronovirus. From Basketball in the United States to Cricket in India to Formula One in Australia and everything in between. All cancelled or postponed. So as the world battens down the hatches on Sportshour we look at the sporting impact financially and socially. We hear from Australian cyclist Nathan Haas who was tested negative for Coronavirus but was in quarantine for a week. He tells us what it was like and how he kept himself occupied. He also tells us about how he will be preparing for the Tour De France and the Olympics. Also this week we meet two of six African American Women who represent the USA in the sevens version of the game and will be doing so in Tokyo later this year. Photo: Wolverhampton Wanderer's’ trip to Olympiacos where they played behind closed doors (Credit: Getty images) Plus we hear from Bethany Hamilton who was attacked by a shark when she was thirteen. One month later she returned to the sport she loved.... Surfing. Seventeen years later she tells us all about her latest adventures and dreams for the future. Photo:

As sporting events are cancelled and postponed because of Coronavirus we assess the possible effect on athletes with sport researchers Lauren Keaney and Dr Deb Dulson from the Auckland University of Technology. After cancelling their racing activities for two weeks Dr Serge Niamke, head of Astana Cycling's medical team, tells us if the Olympics, Giro d'Italia or Tour de France were next week he would be advising his athletes not to compete. Australian Paralympic Wheelchair racer Madison de Rozario tells us what it means to have a doll created in her likeness as part of Barbie's 'Shero' series. Former Two-weight world champion boxer Carl Frampton opens up about his sliding doors moment, his hopes the sport can help young offenders in his hometown take a new path and why a 'massive funeral' is pushing him to win a title in a third weight division. USA's Molly Seidel tells us how turning down professional contracts and taking time away from competitive running helped her qualify for the Olympics in her first marathon. We hear how David Ayres came to make his NHL debut at 42 as an emergency goaltender for the Carolina Hurricanes after both of their goalies got injured. And Sporting Witness takes us back 25 years to when Colin McRae cemented his place in Motorsport history by becoming the youngest World Rally Champion. Credit: A man wearing a face mask walks past the Tokyo Dome, as a growing number of sporting events have been cancelled or postponed due to Coronavirus. (Photo: Getty Images)

Sportshour looks ahead to the Olympics in Tokyo and whether the recent outbreak of Coronavirus will prevent the tournament from happening. With several other sporting events cancelled, will the spread of the virus get under control in time? We'll be talking about emerging motor sport Formula E. A series that's been in contention since 2011 but with climate change a growing concern, how do the 'greener' electric cars of Formula E compare with Formula 1? The women's T20 Cricket World Cup is underway in Australia. We'll be taking a look at the remarkable story of Thailand and how they made it to the tournament. And we catch up with tennis great Roger Federer to find out more about his charity the Roger Federer Foundation and the work that they have been doing across Africa. Photo: Woman wears face mask in Tokyo amid Coronavirus fears (Getty Images)

Sportshour is in Las Vegas ahead of the eagerly anticipated heavyweight boxing rematch between American Deontay Wilder and Britain's Tyson Fury. The last fight ended in a controversial draw, so will there be a clear winner this time? The Women's T20 Cricket World Cup is underway in Australia. We'll be live in Perth to bring you the latest stories from the tournament. It is also the start of the UK netball season - we hear the remarkable story of Team Bath's Summer Artman, who was diagnosed with arthritis when she was seven years old but never let it stop her from achieving her sporting dreams. And we remember the Manchester United legend Harry Gregg, who sadly passed away aged 87. Gregg was one of the survivors of the Munich air disaster in 1958 that killed 21 people on board - including seven Manchester United players. Gregg rescued United team mates Sir Bobby Charlton and Dennis Viollet from BEA Flight 609, as well as a 20-month-old baby and her badly injured, pregnant mother. (Photo: Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder. Credit: Getty Images)

As Israel Folau looks set to make his Rugby League debut for the Catalan Dragons, we hear from Keegan Hirst, who in 2015 became the first British pro player to come out as gay. The French side attracted widespread criticism for signing the player after he was sacked by Rugby Australia for a social media post saying hell awaited gay people. With no sign in sight to the end of Coronavirus, we take a look at the effect it’s had on the sporting calendar, where a number of events across multiple sports have been postponed. We meet two of six African American Women who represent the USA in the sevens version of the game… and will be doing so in Tokyo later this year. Photo: Catalans Dragons’ Israel Folau takes part in his first training session with the club (Credit: AFP)

On the 12th February 2010, the eve of the Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Georgian luger Nodar Kumaritashvili suffered a fatal crash whilst on a practice run – just hours before the opening ceremony was due to take place. Terrance Kosikar was the first responder on the scene. While he had been trained to save people’s lives throughout his career, he was never prepared for the emotional trauma of dealing with a fatality. Terrance went into a downward spiral as he suffered from post-traumatic stress syndrome and severe depression, which led to him trying to take his own life on several occasions. But thankfully he found a way out – through the great outdoors. Terrance now runs the Camp My Way project in Canada, which takes people suffering from similar mental health issues on camping adventures in the Canadian mountains. He tells Caroline Barker what he remembers of that tragic day 10 years ago and how the Camp My Way initiative and his other campaigns are helping to continue Nodar’s legacy. SUPER ‘DOG’ BOWL 54 Patrick Mahomes went to Disney World to celebrate the Kansas City Chiefs winning the Super Bowl for the first time in 50 years. But one player went barking mad with his celebrations… Derrick Nnadi paid all the adoption fees at a Kansas City dog shelter - allowing families to take the dogs home for free. Derrick tells us what it feels like to be a Super Bowl winner and how his relationship with his own dogs inspired him to help give the Kansas City dogs in need a home for life. MAKING HISTORY IN THE DAKAR Kirsten Landman became the first African woman to complete the Dakar rally on a motorbike this year. After travelling nearly EIGHT THOUSAND kilometres over 12 days, mostly across the unforgiving sand of the Saudi Arabian desert, the South African made history last month as she finished one of the most notoriously dangerous sporting events in the world. Kirsten's achievement is even more impressive considering that a terrible accident at a race in Botswana in 2013 left her in an induced coma for two weeks and fighting for her life. Kirsten was told she would never be able to race again and promised herself she would never return to high speed racing, but sometimes you just can't stop a speed demon. IS FOOTBALL FAN FEVER REAL? Researchers at the University of Oxford have found that the most passionate football fans are more likely to experience potentially dangerous levels of stress whilst watching the game they love. When we get stressed, cortisol levels in our blood rise. Too much of this hormone over time can lead to all kinds of health issues like heart attacks. Dr Martha Newson led the research – which was conducted on Brazil fans at the men’s World Cup in 2014. And they provided plenty of cortisol to analyse, with Brazil’s infamous 7-1 defeat to Germany in the semi-final causing all kinds of stress. And if you really want to test your cortisol levels, listen carefully at the start to hear about football fans having tattoos on their testicles... Photo: A shrine in memory of Nodar Kumaritashvili (Getty Images)

Sportshour comes from Miami this week for a special show ahead of one of the biggest sporting events in the world. Super Bowl 54 will see the Kansas City Chiefs take on San Francisco 49ers for NFL's biggest prize. And we're here to bring you all the excitement before the big match. Photo: Hard Rock stadium, Miami (Getty Images)

Some of the biggest names in the tennis world have made donation pledges to the Bushfire Appeal – we’ll be live in Melbourne with the BBC’s Tennis Correspondent Russell Fuller where we hear how the opening week of the Grand Slam has gone, especially as the build up to the tournament was dominated by the air quality. We hear from Alexander Zverev who vows to donate all his prize money if he wins the tournament and how the bad boy of tennis, Nick Krygios is starting to win fans over in his home country. One of Australia’s top sporting stars tells the BBC why she is so passionate on climate change and why she decided to move to England to join Chelsea. The Australian international holds the all-time goalscoring records in both the American and Australian leagues, aged just 26. She’s been telling the BBC’s Jo Currie why England and the Women’s Super League is becoming popular around the world. A few months ago, Mollie Hughes couldn't ski but she is now the youngest woman to ski solo to the South Pole, it took a gruelling 58 days where she spent almost 650 hours skiing alone battling through storm-force winds and temperatures hitting -45C. Only six other women and 17 men have successfully completed the trip without making any stops – On her return back to the UK, Mollie has been telling Shabnam how it feels to be in the history books. Ju Wenjun defended her World Chess title beating the Russian Grandmaster Aleksandra Goryachkina on a dramatic tie-break. The first two games of the tie-break were drawn, but the World Champion struck in the third game to win the match and retain her title. We speak to four time champion, and current world number one, Hou Yifan from China on the growth of the game globally. There has also been talk of combining both men and women to play in one tournament – we ask Hou whether it would be a good idea or would it do more harm to the sport? We’re also in Johannesburg for the latest from the fourth Test between South Africa and England, we’ll check in at the under 19’s World Cup where England are in action against Nigeria who qualified for the tournament for the first time and at Griffin Park where Brentford host Premier League side Leicester City in the FA Cup. Speaking of the FA Cup, find out why the trophy has its own seat on a plane. Photo: The players pose for a group photo during the Rally for Relief Bushfire Appeal event (Getty Images)

Australian Open Tennis organisers have been criticised all week for their decision to play the event’s qualifying tournament in conditions which several players have argued were hazardous to their health. Were the players in this week’s qualifiers treated the same as bigger name players in the main draw would have been if this all happened a week later? What happens if poor air quality does impact the opening week of the year’s first Grand Slam? Our Correspondent, Russell Fuller, brings us the latest on the air quality. We’ll also speak to sports journalist, Chris Mitchell, a familiar face and voice across the BBC and now on the ABC in Australia. While most of us were enjoying Christmas and New Year holidays, Chris spent the start of January protecting a farm belonging to his family. Watching the skies, worrying about the wind direction and doing all he could to protect his in-laws’ home and the neighbouring ones too. ‘And Cue!’ Alexandra Palace in north London is famous for hosting major events – including this week’s Masters Snooker. But how many of those watching sport at the Palace know that it is also the birthplace of BBC Television? The venue’s Deputy Chief Executive, Emma Dagnes, has been giving Sportshour’s Jamie Broughton a history lesson. But what about the sharks? How often do you see a moment of sporting inspiration or excellence and think to yourself, 'I wonder if I could do that'? Well, Victoria Evans believes that 'Yes', you can. She's out to prove it by breaking the world record for rowing solo across the Atlantic. Just one problem though - Victoria had never rowed before taking this on. But that doesn't mean she's a stranger to extreme sporting challenges. Victoria has been speaking to Sportshour's Miriam Walker-Khan and Anita Jones. Snowboarding with no knees We meet a fifty-something who came late to the slopes but whose ideas are helping others enjoy what's become his passion, that's Para Snowboarding. Darren Swift ... also known as Swifty ... is a double above-the-knee amputee. The BBC's Jenny Jones, an Olympic snowboard medallist, hears how he's pioneered the technology which now allows lower-limb amputees like him to enjoy the sport. It involves a kitchen chopping board.

We head to Lausanne, Switzerland for day 3 of the Winter Youth Olympics. In the NFL we get a little closer to the Super Bowl this weekend as the Divisional Rounds take place. With the old guard of Brady and Brees now out can two of the sports brightest young stars Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson inch their teams closer to the championship? And we are joined by former marathon world record holder Paula Radcliffe as she helps promote the growth of female runners in the Middle East at the Muscat Marathon in Oman. Photo: Action from day one of the Winter Youth Olympics in Lausanne, Switzerland

This weekend on Sportshour we preview the FA Cup third round. It is a weekend for heroes and villains, giant killings and upsets and the little clubs putting one over on the big boys. One club which will be hoping to do just that is AFC Fylde who are in the fifth division of English football; they play Premier League high-flyers Sheffield United and we speak to their chairman about their hopes in the competition. This weekend all of the FA Cup ties will be delayed by one minute to encourage fans to ‘Take A Minute’ to think about looking after their mental health, as part of the Heads Up campaign. We speak to former Premier League footballer Marvin Sordell who retired last season citing mental health reasons about why this campaign is so important. We remember the former head of US Basketball, David Stern, who died this week at the age of 77. Stern was the NBA's commissioner for 30 years and was also credited with launching a women's NBA, advancing the rights for black players and helping to change attitudes to HIV. We speak to sportswriter Erica Ayala. Plus it is also a huge weekend in the NFL as wildcard weekend begins. Caroline Barker is joined by former NFL player Jason Bell and former CEO of the Oakland Raiders Amy Trask. They give us their perspectives of what goes through the players, coaches and backroom staffs mind in the build up to the Super Bowl. Photo: The FA Cup trophy on display prior to an Emirates FA Cup first round match. (Credit: Getty Images)

We look back at our favourite moments from Sportshour over the past year and relive some of the best bits. Photo: Alex Morgan of the USA runs with the ball during the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup. (Credit:Getty Images)

On this week's Sportshour we hear from one of the world's most recognizable footballers - Megan Rapinoe. In July she captained the US team to another World Cup victory and won the golden boot as the tournaments top scorer. She also picked up the two most prestigious individual awards the game has to offer; the FIFA best and the Ballon D'Or. She tells us about how she has used her new found profile to lead the fight for equality in sport in terms of racism, gender and sexuality. It is the final of the Club World Cup and Flamengo of Brazil take on Liverpool of the English Premier League to find out who will be crowned the best club football side in the World. We go live to Qatar to preview the match. Beitar Jerusalem is one of the biggest football clubs in Israel but it is infamous for the behaviour of some of its fans towards Muslims. They've been repeatedly sanctioned for it's abuse of Muslim opponents but we hear how thanks to a new owner, the club is determined to change their reputation. Who is better? Brady or Brees? A team of journalists and fans discuss who they think is a better quarterback. Is it Tom Brady who has won six Super Bowl titles or do they think Drew Brees has overtaken him due to his NFL touchdown record breaking passes? Photo: Megan Rapinoe of United States poses for photos with the Golden Boot during the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup (Credit: Getty Images)

Test Cricket returns to Pakistan after ten years of absence, as the country take on Sri Lanka - we bring you live coverage from the match. We are also bringing you live updates from Pakistan Women vs England Women. We discuss the World Club Championship that are taking place in Qatar; a competition between the champions of the footballing continents, with the likes of European Champions Liverpool and Copa Libetadoris winner Flimengo entering the competition next week. We are live from the Allianz Arena where Bayern Munich take on Werder Bremen in the Bundesliga. Photo: Pakistan's cricket team members listen to national anthem before the start of the first day of the first Test cricket match between Pakistan and Sri Lanka (Getty Images)

Saturday sees the much anticipated heavyweight title rematch between Anthony Joshua and Andy Ruiz Jr in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia, it's being billed as the Clash on the Dunes. Ruiz became the first heavyweight champion in boxing history of Mexican descent when he caused one of the greatest upsets by beating Joshua in New York. Eight months on, the British superstar looks to regain his WBA, IBF and WBO titles in what is being described as a career defining fight for Joshua. The actual location of the fight has attracted criticism from Human Rights Groups, we hear the concerns from Amnesty International on why sporting athletes should be aware of the country’s poor human rights record. However, the Saudi Sports Minister has outlined his vision to make Saudi Arabia the home of live sport with many other high profile events being staged in that part of the world and how they are making progress to their poor record. We’ll also be live in Saudi Arabia with our reporter Ade Adedoyin. It's not every week we get to speak to a Winter Olympian and an actor - This week, Gus Kenworthy has confirmed he will switch his allegiance from USA to Great Britain at the 2022 Beijing Games - in what will most likely be his final Winter Olympics before he retires. The silver medallist Freestyle skier was born in the UK but moved to the States when he was two years old. If you're a fan of the Netflix programme American Horror Story, you would have seen Gus appear in the show and as you will hear, he is keen to pursue a career in acting post Skiing. The 28 year old also became a key figure in the LGBT community when his then boyfriend Matthew Wilkas kissed Kenworthy before his qualifying run at the 2018 Winter Games - the kiss was broadcast live on television and he was lauded as being a significant moment in visibility of LGBT athlete movement. In 2017, Carl Ikeme was at the top of his career, he was close to promotion to the Premier League with Wolves and was playing international football with Nigeria. Off the pitch, his wife was pregnant with his second child but life took an unexpected turn. Ikeme was diagnosed with blood cancer. It forced him to retire from football but two years on, he's now in full remission. He told Caroline Barker this week, how he remained positive in the face of adversity and why the simple things in life mean so much more to him. We’ll be live at the UK Snooker Championship in York - this year has seen Morocco's Amine Amiri who's making his first appearance on tour, where he faced the World Number One Judd Trump in the opening round. Despite losing heavily, there are still plenty of reasons to smile for Amine and his fiancée. They won gold in Snooker at the recent African Games and he's hoping his success will make the sport popular in Morocco. Amine has been telling our reporter Shabnam Younus Jewell how he taught his girlfriend to play and how their love developed on the baize. Picture - Anthony Joshua and Andy Ruiz (Credit - Getty Images).

We preview the Euro 2020 draw which takes place in one of the host nations Romania and look at how the country is gearing up for the tournament next year. (Photo: The logo for the UEFA European Championship football competition (L) is displayed next to the Euros trophy (R) during a launch event in London. Credit: Justin Tallis/AFP via Getty Images)

Women’s Football Casey Stoney manager of the Manchester United women’s team gives us a reality check on how far the women’s game has come, what it needs to grow and why it’s not realistic to compare it to the men’s game. Para Championships We’re live in Doha as the World Para Championships come to an end. We’ll have all the latest action on the track and look ahead to the Paralympics in Tokyo in 2020. Men’s Football It’s international break week and we’re live in Helsinki as Finland look to qualify for their first ever major championships. Plus we travel to the South Atlantic and Saint Helena, one of the smallest countries to play international football, having sent its first ever team overseas to compete in the Inter Games last summer. Photo: Casey Stoney, Manager of Manchester United Women looks on prior to the FA Women's Championship match between Crystal Palace and Manchester United (Getty Images)

In 1979 a young girl named Melissa Rich asked her mother Lois why there were no women on trading cards. So Lois decided to produce her own set called 'supersisters: 72 trading cards showcasing women from all areas of life designed to inspire young girls to do things they might not have known were open to them. From politicians to scientists, artists to athletes, the cards made female role models viable Exactly forty years later we reunite Melissa, Lois and some of the 'supersisters' at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York where a set of the cards are housed. We tell the story of how this unique and pioneering set of cards came to be created and also hear from some of the 'supersisters' themselves and the challenges they overcame in their careers. Presenter: Caroline Barker Reporter/Producer: Joel Hammer (Photo: Collection 'supersister' trading cards Credit: www.supersisterscards.com)

Monday 11 November is Armistice Day in the UK, where the country remembers those who fought in World War One and World War Two. To mark this occasion, we go back to 1944 and a moment of respite from the strain of war... You might think that American football being played in front of full houses in England is a relatively new thing, but 75 years ago, with D-Day looming, 50,000 people watched an American football game featuring NFL and Canadian Football League stars at White City Stadium in London Sportshour brings you the story of the Tea Bowl and Coffee Bowl - The Gridiron games that stopped the second World War. We'll also be live with our athletics team in Dubai, as the World Para Athletics Championships continue. The event will be a big indicator of who to look out for at the Paralympics in Tokyo next year. And England's women's footballers will play in front of a sell-out crowd at Wembley Stadium for the first time on Saturday when they play Germany.The attendance will smash the 45,619 record for an England Women home fixture, which was set at the last meeting with Germany at Wembley in 2014. We'll be speaking to a former England star about what the occasion will mean for the players. (Photo: Private First Class Frank Dombrowski (left) of the United States and Major William Denis Whitaker (Canada), rival captains of the teams playing in the Canada-United States "Tea Bowl" football game at White City Stadium, London, England. Credit: Library and Archives Canada/Department of National Defense)

We remember the life of Paralympian, Marieke Vervoort, who this week chose to end her life through euthanasia. Vervoort has had an incurable, degenerative muscle disease. The Belgian wheelchair racer won gold and silver at the London 2012 Paralympics, and two further medals at Rio 2016. Picked to play by JFK: We're in Washington as the Nationals try and win their first ever World Series. With victory, as is tradition a trip to the White House to meet the president, which given that it's only 5km across the city from their home stadium should be pretty easy for the Nationals. There's is a long association between the political heart of America and Washington's sports teams but none better we think that this story. Back in 1962, Tom Brown was a young man at the start of his sporting career. He remains one of the few people to have played both Major League Baseball and American Football professionally. He was a twice Superbowl winner with the Green Bay Packers. During his one season with the Washington Senators he started one particular game under the order of President John F Kennedy. Protecting young athletes: A few weeks ago we brought you an interview with the judge from the Larry Nassar case. Nassar was the former USA Gymnastics national team doctor who was convicted of sexually assaulting hundreds of young athletes but what impact has the case had on the current generation of gymnasts ? We sat down with a young hopeful. A cape crusader: Many of the townships in Cape Town, South Africa are plagued by high crime rates. Communities often lack recreational opportunities which in turns attracts some young people to get caught up in anti social behavior. But thanks to the efforts of football and a local policeman, things in one such township is changing. Photo: Belgium Paralympic athlete Marieke Vervoot gives a press conference to defend her decision to undergo euthanasia after the Games (Getty Images)

We hear the story of the Japanese women who paved the way for generations to come. Photo: Japanese female supporters during the Rugby World Cup (Kaz Photography/Getty Images)

Over 3,000 women watched the Iranian national team beat Cambodia at the Azadi Stadium in Tehran after they were officially allowed to attend a football match for the first time. Women had been banned from attending men's sporting events in the country since the 1980s but after pressure from the sports world governing body FIFA and campaigners like Maryam Shojaei change has happened. But is enough being done? We hear from fans who attended and speak to Amnesty International about what more can be done. World Mental Health Day was marked this week and 25 year old American basketball player Imani McGee Stafford opened up to us about her story. She is six foot seven inches tall and pursued a career in basketball but life was not always this rosy. She tells Shari Vahl all. The Super League Grand Final takes place with Saint Helen's facing Salford in Manchester to win the sports biggest prize in domestic rugby. But we speak to a team who are hoping to be there next year. Toronto Wolfpack have just been promoted and their Chief Executive stops by to tell us about rugby in Canada and how this sport can grow in their country. Also in the programme we head live to Vienna to find out if Eliud Kipchoge has become the first person to run a marathon under two hours and travel to Huddersfield Town in England to hear about a new app which they are using to scout new footballing talent. Photo: Iranian Women's fans cheer during the FIFA World Cup Qualifier match between Iran and Cambodia (Getty Images)

For years there had been rumours. But they were just that - rumours. Then in 2015, a BBC documentary accused one of the world's top athletics coaches of being involved in widespread doping. This week, Alberto Salazar was banned from the sport for four years after an investigation by the US anti-doping agency. Salazar runs the Nike Oregon Project, which has been home to some of the world’s leading athletes, including, until two years ago, Britain’s four-time Olympic champion Mo Farah. Mark Daly, an investigative journalist for the BBC, has been following this story for more than four years. He tells Caroline the process behind making the documentary and how he got key witnesses to speak up. We’re riding the waves with one of the top names in surfing, Mercedes Maidana. In her own words, she was "truly living the dream, travelling the world chasing waves, until one incident that changed everything". In 2014, Mercedes suffered a head injury at a competition in the United States. She lost her career, sponsorship, house and even her relationship with her husband. Five years on, she now wants to raise awareness of concussion in a sport where it receives little attention. A new sport at next year's Olympics is climbing. We’re in Slovenia speaking to the 20-year-old phenomenon Janja Garnbret, who is already the most successful competitive climber in history. Hear her journey of how she got into the sport and how she is hoping it will be a success at the Tokyo Games. Tottenham Hotspur are away at Brighton this weekend in the English Premier League. But there will be football at their new stadium in north London - American football. The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium will host its first-ever NFL game as it welcomes the Oakland Raiders and the Chicago Bears. Joining Caroline on the programme will be a Spurs legend! He scored goals for fun during his 17-year football career, but he also played a season for the London Monarchs American football team. Clive Allen will explain all. Former Australia and Saracens fly-half Michael Lynagh tells Caroline Barker that it is "a miracle" he survived after suffering a stroke in 2012. Seven years on, the World Cup winner is now a commentator, and he tells us his thoughts so far on the 2019 World Cup, plus the key ingredients for winning such a prestigious competition. David Rudisha's name means "to return" in Swahili, and that is exactly what the Kenyan is planning to do. The double Olympic champion is aiming to win a third Olympic gold medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. The world 800m record holder has not competed in the last 18 months due to an injury, and he also escaped unhurt in a car accident earlier this year. This week, Rudisha has been speaking to the BBC's Celestine Karoney about his comeback and how he's been dealing with tragedy in his personal life. Picture - Alberto Salazar (Credit - Getty Images).

Michelle Payne became the first woman to take one of the world's greatest sporting prizes, shocking the world by winning the Melbourne Cup in 2015. Now the story has made it to the big screen. It highlights how Michelle defied the odds in a sport dominated by men and how she achieved a lifelong ambition. The film was released in Australia this week and Michelle was our special guest, joining Caroline to react to her momentous story made into a film. The standout moment of netball coach Tracey Neville's career was guiding England to Commonweath Games gold last year, but this week she revealed she suffered a miscarriage the day after. She has recently announced that she and her partner are expecting their first child. She's been telling the BBC's Sally Nugent why now is the time to put her family first. Tony Riddell is running from Land's End to John O'Groats, enduring 30 miles a day over a 30 day period. But this is not your average running story: Tony is doing this challenge barefoot. He tells us why. We also hear from a remarkable sporting family. Brothers Jakob, Henrik and Filip Ingebritsen will compete for the 5000m gold at the World Athletics Championships in Doha. There are seven siblings in total, and their life revolves around athletics. Even on their wedding days, Henrik and Filip fitted in a training session. Their father Gjert Arne won Norwegian Sports Coach of the year last year, and has also written a a book called How to Raise World Champions. With a year until the Paralympics in Japan, we'll find out how accessible it is to travel around Tokyo, and how rugby has a rich history in Georgia. Picture - Michelle Payne (Melbourne Gold Cup 2015 success).

‘A testament to our Union and our country’ Canada’s Alana Gattinger is the first female Team Manager at a men’s Rugby World Cup. She’s been speaking to Sportshour ahead of their opening match against Italy in Fukuoka on Thursday. Solid Gold Hits Noah Lyles and Sandi Morris are both gold medal favourites for this month’s World Athletics Championships. But, alongside their sprinting and pole-vaulting this season, the pair have co-written, recorded and performed a song with the Swiss band, Baba Shrimps. That performance was to a crowd of 25 thousand at the Zurich Diamond League meeting – and, in Noah’s case, he picked up the microphone only an hour after winning the 100 metres. ‘You’re not entitled to any of it working out, but it’s really fun to try’ Alise Willoughby is a reigning BMX World Champion, who also won Silver at the Rio Olympic Games. Her husband and coach is Sam Willoughby, who won his Silver at the London Olympics in 2012. Sam's own BMX career was ended when he suffered a life-changing injury just over three years ago. He lost the use of his legs after a training accident. Together, they got through that very difficult time and are now a world championship winning coach and athlete combination. That doesn’t mean there weren’t some darker moments though, especially in the hours and days after Sam’s crash. Net Benefits Zimbabwe made their Netball World Cup debut in Liverpool this summer, going on to finish in eighth place. But what’s next for the team? Sportshour has spoken to the team’s goal shooter, Joyce Takaidza, and Head Coach Lloyd Makunde about what the lasting impact of the Gems’ achievements could be. Chief amongst the issues to be tackled is finance. Caroline, who commentated on the country’s World Cup journey, has been speaking to Kirsty Coventry, the Olympic gold-medal winning swimmer and now Zimbabwe’s Minister for Youth and Sport, about how the country can ensure the World Cup is the beginning of a journey, not the end. Photo: A Canada rugby fan cheering (Getty Images)

We remember Sahar Khodayari, a passionate supporter of the Iranian football team. Sahar fatally set herself alight in Tehran after her trial for attempting to enter a football stadium, disguised as a man, was postponed. Women in Iran have been stopped from going to stadiums to watch men’s sporting events since the 1980s. This caused a huge outpouring of emotion on social media using the hashtag "blue girl " - a reference to the colours of her favourite team Esteqlal. Maryam Shojaee is the sister of the national team captain Masoud. She's been campaigning tirelessly for the rule to be changed as she has been explaining to Shari. Back in February, we spoke to the Jamaican distance runner Kemoy Campbell. Kemoy collapsed while competing at a meeting in New York. He was told by doctors that he actually died on the track. When we spoke to him then, he still hoped to continue his career. But seven months on, doctors have now instructed him to retire from the sport. Shari Vahl caught up with him again this week and he told us how painful it was to give up on his dream of competing at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. It's billed as the pinnacle of women's golf. Every two years, the top players from Europe and the United States take to the greens for the Solheim Cup. This weekend, the US are aiming to make it a hat-trick of titles at Gleneagles in Scotland. 80,000 tickets have been sold across the three days - a record for the sport in this country. What does it take to win such an iconic event? Hear from American golfer Brittany Lincicome, who has won the event four times. We also hear from Olympic sailor Hannah Mills, who explains why she is campaigning against plastic use in sport, and Paralympic swimming star Mallory Weggerman, who tells us she was close to quitting after suffering a freak injury back in 2014. Picture: Banner arguing to allow women into stadiums in Iran (Credit: Getty Images)

Cecil Wright has played with the likes of Sir Viv Richards and Sir Gary Sobers, he has taken over 7000 wickets over 60 years but on Saturday, the 85 year old will play his final game for his village side. Shari Vahl has been to meet him. Manchester United begin life in the top flight of English women's football with the start of a new Super League season. Who better to start against than local rivals Manchester City? And where better to start than the Etihad Stadium? It's being used for a WSL game for the very first time. Sportshour speaks to Baroness Sue Campbell - Director of Women's Football for the FA about why this weekend is so significant. We're just three weeks away from the start of the World Athletics Championships in Doha. Nia Ali of the United States is one of the favourites for gold in the 100 m hurdles. She won her first global title at the World Indoor championships in 2014 after which she took time away from the sport to start a family. She tells is her story. Sepsis is known as the silent killer. The life threatening condition occurs when the body's response to infection is to destroy its own tissues and organs. . Corinne Hutton was diagnosed with the condition in 2013. To safe her life doctors had to amputate both her hands and legs. So taking up climbing is not the reaction to such a life changing condition you might expect. Picture - Cecil Wright (Credit - BBC Sport)

Former Premier League players Matt Piper and Scott Davies talk candidly about their battles with addiction and how they hope to help educate others about prevention. Both sought help via Sporting Chance, a charity set up by former Arsenal captain Tony Adams specifically designed to help athletes with addictions. We also look ahead to the men's Basketball World Cup in China, where the USA are looking to defend their title from 2014 amidst an on-going political storm between the host nation and Hong Kong. We travel to Japan where Tokyo will become the only city to have hosted the Paralympic games twice, but are they ready to stage such an event? Manchester United's famous class of '92 take us back to school - literally! Brothers Gary and Phil Neville and their former teammates Paul Scholes and Nicky Butt are opening a university that will aim to teach the philosophies of their former manager Sir Alex Ferguson.

On this week's Sportshour we hear from WWE Chief Brand officer, Stephanie McMahon on her quest to change the media coverage of women's sport. She tells us that women need to be 'persistent' and 'brave' when it comes to fighting for their rights to watch and be involved in sport. Stephanie also reveals the advice she is giving her three daughters. We go live to Headingley for day three of the Ashes Test with England needing a win to keep their hopes of winning the series alive. We travel to Capetown where so many townships are plagued by crime because they have a lack of recreational opportunities. But, we hear how things are changing thanks to the efforts of football and a local policeman. Back in October 2018, WWE Superstar Roman Reigns gave up his Universal Championship title because he had leukaemia. He is a huge figure in Wrestling and Sportshour’s Chris Latchem; who has a very personal interest in this story, has been speaking to Roman while he visited Manchester. Photo: Stephanie McMahon at the WWE press conference in New York (Getty Images)

On this week's Sportshour we are live from Edgbaston as England and Australia battle it out in the first Ashes Test. We are joined by former England batsman Mark Ramprakash plus a host of guests to discuss their predictions on which way it will go. We hear from Barney Douglas who has directed a new cricket film called "The Edge". It takes us inside the England dressing-room before, during and after the team's dramatic rise to No.1 in the world Test rankings in 2011. Plus, a trip to Rome for an important cricket match for a different reason. We hear all about a crunch match between two rather unusual rivals: the Church of England sent the Archbishop of Canterbury's XI to Rome, to play a team from the Vatican. And Australian cricket star turned Rugby League Challenge Cup winner, Courtney Hill, gives her score predictions for the Ashes and tells us where her affiliations now lie. Photo: Steve Smith of Australia leads his teammates from the field at stumps on day one of the 1st Specsavers Ashes Test between England and Australia at Edgbaston (Getty Images)

The decision to hold the world heavyweight rematch between Anthony Joshua and current world champion, Andy Ruiz, in Saudi Arabia has drawn heavy criticism from human rights groups. Joshua suffered a shock defeat in New York earlier this year and the pair will step inside the ring on the 7th of December, this time in Diriyah, on the outskirts of Riyadh. However, the middle east country's "abysmal human rights record" has been called into question by Amnesty International UK, which urged Joshua to "inform himself of the human rights situation" ahead of the rematch. We hear from Allan Hogarth of Amnesty International and writer/broadcaster Steve Bunce. Getting on a horse for some could be a daunting experience but for Guy Mitchell, his challenge as a jockey enters a whole new perspective.He rode into sporting history last month when he became the first person with one eye to ride in a British horse race. Guy explained to Caroline that he had this burning desire to continue the racing tradition within his family and whether he gets annoyed with all the attention he receives globally as he is often described as the jockey with one eye. The 2019 Women's European American Football Championships are being held in the UK for the first time, four teams will take part including the defending champions Finland, who won the 2015 tournament in Spain. One team who will be challenging for the title will be the hosts Great Britain who are also the number one ranked European team. Eloise Walsh is a member of the GB squad, she told Caroline how she went from a ballet dancer to a international American Football player. England will be desperately looking to level the series in the second Test at Lords against Australia - after starring in England's recent World Cup win, all-rounder Jofra Archer made his Test debut. We hear from someone who knows Archer very well, former England bowler and now head coach of the England Under 19 side Jon Lewis. Picture - Ruiz defeats Joshua (Credit - Getty Images)

The New Premier League Season is back! We look at the hopes and fears of fans from around the world and hear from Arsenal fans in Zimbabwe to West Ham Fans in Argentina and beyond! Caroline Barker is joined by Emily Dean, author, broadcaster and Arsenal fan. Alongside Emily is the Liverpool supporting Sport's Editor of the Guardian newspaper Sachin Nakrani. This week we have also stumbled upon a footballing revelation; even Premier League referees are human! We'd always been a little unsure. They rarely show emotion and have you ever heard one speak? Then we met Jon Moss. Turns out that once his whistle is hung up after a game his passion is music. So much so that he’s opened a record shop in the heart Headingley, the heavily student area of Leeds. Sportshour's Joel Hammer spent an hour or so sipping coffee and talking music, almost forgetting he was a Premier League referee. Sporting Witness is a fascinating tale of a footballer who has had possibly the most impact on the Premier League but who never played in it and likelihood you've never heard of him... this week our Sporting Witness is Jon Marc Bosman the man who changed the transfer system forever. Photo: Vincent Kompany of Manchester City lifts the Premier League Trophy after winning the title (Getty Images)

On this week's Sportshour we are live from Edgbaston as England and Australia battle it out in the first Ashes Test. We are joined by former England batsman Mark Ramprakash plus a host of guests to discuss their predictions on which way it will go. We hear from Barney Douglas who has directed a new cricket film called "The Edge". It takes us inside the England dressing-room before, during and after the team's dramatic rise to No.1 in the world Test rankings in 2011. Plus, a trip to Rome for an important cricket match for a different reason. We hear all about a crunch match between two rather unusual rivals: the Church of England sent the Archbishop of Canterbury's XI to Rome, to play a team from the Vatican. And Australian cricket star turned Rugby League Challenge Cup winner, Courtney Hill, gives her score predictions for the Ashes and tells us where her affiliations now lie. Photo: Australia"s James Pattinson appeals for a wicket (Reuters)

On this week's Sportshour we hear from single mum and open water swimmer Beth French, who attempted a physical challenge that no-one had ever done before. She set out to conquer Oceans Seven, a challenge consisting of the seven most dangerous sea-channels in the world. Her efforts have been turned into a film called Against the Tides and she tells us about her journey, coming face to face with jellyfish and sharks, battling extreme conditions and deciding to give up with the finishing line in sight. All whilst living with M.E. (a.k.a. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome). We also go live to Paris for the end of the Tour De France and discuss who will win the yellow jersey. Sporting Witness heads back thirty years to the closest finish in the races history, when American Greg Lemond took the yellow jersey by just 8 seconds. Whilst still playing in the NHL, Nathan Dempsey developed Parkinson's disease, a degenerative disorder that affects the nervous system. He believes playing hockey played a part in his condition and shares his story. Laura Weston from the Women's Sport Trust joins us to speak about how more women can become involved in sport following the spectacular Summer of Women's Sport. She answers the question about if barriers are still in place for women. Photo: Beth French celebrating after swimming (Beth French website)

Exactly a year out from the Tokyo Olympics we hear from sprinter James Ellington who runs his first race on Saturday since a horrific motorbike accident nearly killed him two years ago.

Live at Wimbledon ahead of the Women's final and preview Sunday's Cricket World Cup final. We also head live to the Netball World Cup on it's opening weekend and meet the man who hitchhiked the length of Africa to cheer on his team at the Africa Cup of Nations, and ended up staying in the team hotel! Plus we ride the route of the unusual stage 12 of the Tour De France. The race is famous for being set against the backdrop of impossibly beautiful villages and medieval city centers and picturesque French countryside... In fact it was originally set up to promote France as a vacation destination. So Stage 12 on Wednesday is likely to come as a bit of shock. The race is starting among the crumbling tower blocks of a gritty housing estate in Toulouse - more used to making the headlines for urban violence and stark poverty. Chris Bockman reports from southern France, tour organizers were persuaded by local residents that they deserved to be the limelight too. Photo: The Venus Rosewater Dish trophy for winning the Women's Singles Final at the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championship. Credit: Getty Image

We're live in Lyon to preview the Women's World Cup final between Netherlands and USA. Photo: Megan Rapinoe Credit Getty Images

We go live to France to hear how the hosts got on when they faced USA in the quarter finals of the Women's World Cup. We also hear from Brenda Elsy, one of the authors of a new book Futbolera: A History of Women and Sports in Latin America. She discusses why she thinks no team from South America have made it through to the last eight of the competition. The New York Yankees will take on the Boston Red Sox at London's Olympic Stadium this weekend. It will be the first time a MBL game has taken place in Europe. We hear from the New York Yankees commentator Suzy Waldman who shares her own story of how she made it to baseball from the bright lights of Broadway. The Africa Cup of Nations continues in Egypt this weekend with seven games in total. We hear from Ghana player Christian Atsu who is at the tournament, he explains how he is helping penal reform back in his home country. Photo: Marta of Brazil looks on during the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup France Round Of 16 match between France and Brazil (Getty Images)

As the Women's World Cup continues in France we meet the female commentators from Fiji and Vanuatu making history. Adele Willie, Jennesa Hinge Moli and Lavenia Yalovi, have been breaking new ground for women in the region, by broadcasting radio commentary of New Zealand's games in the languages of Bislama, iTaukei Fijian and Pacific English to listeners across the South Pacific. The three women are graduates of a training programme held in Fiji to help develop female sports commentators across the South Pacfic and were invited to the tournament by FIFA. There's no United States team at the Cricket World Cup which is is of course the summer sport of choice for most Americans. But there was a time when cricket occupied that place. Could it do so again, and how transferable are the skills? Could a major league baseball player become a top cricketer? Richard Fleming in Colorado has been investigating. Track and Field Athletics is regarded as the most pure of sports - running, jumping, throwing; it's also one of the most widely practiced. But the sport is being shaken-up at the European Games, which get underway in Minsk this weekend. Under the "Dynamic New Athletics" or DNA format, field events will be knock-out competitions. We talk to the men behind this innovation. And we're in Cairo as Football's Africa Cup of Nations gets underway. Photo: Adele Willie, Lavenia Yalovi, Jennesa Hinge Moli (Aaron Kearney)

The United States recorded the biggest ever victory in the Fifa Women's World Cup as they thrashed Thailand 13-0. We are in France with our reporters Sarah Mulkerrins and Maz Farookhi to reflect on the opening week of the tournament. The former US striker Tiffeny Milbrett also joined us to assess USA's chances of defending their World Cup title. We also meet the French football freestylers whose moves are inspired by hip-hop, breakdance and the 'legendary' Brazilian, Ronaldhino. The Le Mans 24 hour race draws drivers from across the globe and this year, more drivers are entered than ever before...So what does it take to win such a gruelling race? Well who better to explain than three times winner Andre Lotterer. Triple Olympic champion Peter Snell tells how the competitive bug never fades even aged 80 as he competes in table tennis at the National Senior Games! With India taking on Pakistan in the Cricket World Cup on Sunday, we'll speak to two fans who's friendship formed through the game despite supporting rival teams. Plus Sporting Witness travels back to the 2011 Women's World Cup and Japan's shock success.

With the Women’s World Cup underway in France, Shari Vahl is joined by the BBC's Sarah Mulkerrins and Lindsay Sarah Krasnoff, sports writer, historian and author as we look at what will make this a successful tournament. Plus we hear from Spanish defender Celia Jiménez Delgado who has big ambitions away from football, she aims to become an aerospace engineer when she retires. We also spend time with Banyana Banyana, the South African's national team. Plus we meet the Toronto Raptors biggest fan, and no it's not Drake. Plus former Boston Bruin Nathan Dempsey on the Stanley Cup Photo: Celia Jimenez of Spain and Emma Koivisto of Finland compete for the ball (Getty Images)

We're live in Madrid previewing the Champions League final between Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur and profiling both managers. Mauricio Pochotino's first appointment to management came in 2008 as assistant to Espanyol's women's team... Former Spanish international Adriana tells us what he was like in the early days of his coaching career Before his playing days were over Jürgen Klopp was eyeing already up management by completing a degree in sports science at the University of Frankfurt. Professor Klaus Bös who taught Klopp remembers him well Plus, the Men's Cricket World Cup got underway this week and although the chances of Sri Lanka making the final at Lords are low, one way or another former Sri Lankan captain Kumar Sangakkara will be there! That's because he's the newly appointed president of the MCC, the historic club that runs the famous old ground Photo: Champions League Trophy Credit Getty Images

On Sportshour with Shari Vahl we hear from football player and refugee, Hakeem al-Araibi whose detention in Thailand sparked an outcry. He has since been freed from jail after Bahrain withdrew its extradition request. He was detained in Bangkok in November on an Interpol notice requested by Bahrain. Al-Araibi denies all charges and speaks to us about his time in prison. Also this week Kathryn Webb and Whitney Jenkins join us to discuss a new sport designed by robots. Speedgate has been developed by a computer and we hear how it was designed and the other rogue (and sometimes dangerous) ideas which were put forward. The domestic football season in Scotland comes to an end with Celtic looking to complete an historic trebble-trebble. But seven places below Celtic in the table is Motherwell. It is the only fan owned team in the Scottish top flight and are the focus of a new documentary called "We Own the Future". We speak live to the director and producer of that film, Jon Newell. This week the BBC Women's Footballer of the Year was announced and Lyon striker Ada Hegerberg won the award for the second time. Hear how she reacted when she was surprised by Sarah Mulkerrins. Photo: Supporters receive footballer Hakeem al-Araibi upon his arrival at the airport in Melbourne (Getty Images)

The 138th FA Cup final is taking place and Manchester City are playing Watford FC. Watford are the underdogs and have also for many years prided themselves on being at the forefront of a family friendly football experience. We hear from the Schaffers who are three generations of the same family and are going to Wembley to cheer them on. Les Taylor also joins Caroline Barker to preview the game, he was Watford's captain 35 years ago when the club last played in a FA cup final back in 1984. The BBC's Olympic reporter, Nick Hope has been to meet Pita Taufatofua, who was the man who made quite an impact in the Olympic Games in Rio. He was the guy who was shirtless and smothered in coconut oil proudly waving the Tongan flag at the Opening Ceremony. He is hoping to go to his third consecutive Olympic Games and compete in a third sport. Photo: Joseph and his dad Gareth Schaffer (Credit: Gareth Schaffer)

We take a leftfield look at the Premier League title race ahead of either Manchester City or Liverpool being crowned champions of England. Caroline Barker is joined by comedian Emily Dean, one of the stars of TV's Comedians Watching Football with Friends and Arsenal fan. Alongside them is comedian and Manchester United fan Justin Moorhouse. From Pep Guardiola's grey cardigan to Jurgen Klopp's sparkling white teeth we answer all the big issues the season has thrown up - and, of course, who they least want to pick up the title! James Yorke, football stats analyst for StatsBomb, also drops his favorite statistics of the season. Photo: Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola and Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp (Getty Images)

The Women's FA Cup Final is here and Caroline Barker is joined by West Ham Captain Gilly Flaherty on the morning of the game. Alonmg with four time winner Lianne Sanderson they discuss who will win - Manchester City or West Ham? What a week for South Africa's double Olympic gold medallist Caster Semenya ending with what she does best, winning the 800 metres? We are live in Doha with Ed Harry for the latest and also hear from two time World Champion Colin Jackson on what he thinks of her landmark case. Derek Abrefa and Cecelia Baah Danso speak to Sportshour's Joel Hammer after winning their first ever match at the 2019 World Table Tennis Championships in Hungary. The Ghana internationals raised $10,000 needed to participate at the competition. They tell us about how they made it happen. It's the semi finals of the World Snooker Championship and we cross live to the Crucible theatre to speak to our reporter Jamie Broughton. We discuss head injuries and the protocols in place to deal with them on the football pitch. We speak to Luke Griggs spokesman for the Brain injury charity Headway and Dr Imtiaz Ahmad, Head of Medicine at Queen's Park Rangers who spoke to Tusdiq Din and . Photo: Manchester City and West Ham players line up ahead of the FA Cup final (FA website)

JohnBoy Smith was shot in the back as a sixteen year old after finding himself in the wrong place at the wrong time. Paralysed from the waist down, his life changed forever. But whilst rehabilitating he found sport and now he's in contention to win the London Marathon on Sunday. He shares his story. The very first winners of the London Marathon in 1981 were Dick Beardsley and Inge Simonsen who decided the best way to finish was hand in hand. We look back at their victory. Former Premier League footballer Francis Benali is about to attempt to complete seven Ironman triathlons in seven days all to raise money for Cancer Research UK! We speak to him ahead of his mammoth journey. The first round of the NFL draft has taken place but did you know that the 254th and last pick earns the title “Mr Irrelevant”? Sportshour hears from Marty Moore who became the first "Mr Irrelevant" to make it to, and then win a Super Bowl ring with the New England Patriots.   Picture: JohnBoy Smith winning the Dublin marathon (Getty Images).

In the last 24 hours, professional footballers across England and Wales decided to boycott social media to protest against the way social media companies and football authorities respond to racism. The social media strike - which is called hashtag Enough - follows a number of high profile instances of racism in domestic and international football matches this season. It's been organised by the Professional Footballer's Association, who say the boycott is just the "first step in a longer campaign to tackle racism in football". Jason Lee is the Equalities Education Executive at the PFA and a former footballer and he joined Ed Harry to give us his verdict of whether it made a difference. We'll take you to the lush green baize where the opening day of the World Snooker Championship got underway at the famous Crucible Theatre. We'll hear from Bulgarian referee Desislava Bozhilova who makes her debut in Sheffield. Courtney Hill played in the Womens Big Bash League in Australia for Brisbane Heat but gave it up to move to England to be with her partner. She is now captain of the Leeds Rhinos Rugby League team and won two of the three trophies on offer last season. Courtney joins us to share her experience of moving to a new country and what's it like to switch sports. Back in 1969 Sir Robin Knox-Johnston became the first person to sail solo non-stop around the world, spending an epic 312 days at sea. He faced numerous challenges along the way. From raising funds to building the yacht. To a bout of appendicitis. And at one point when he lost communications for four months he was presumed lost. On Monday, Robin and his supporting vessels will recreate the moment they crossed the finish line all those years ago. Sir Robin explains what that achievement 50 years ago means to him. Picture - Raheem Sterling (Credit - Getty Images)

Jennifer Kucpcho won the first ever women's tournament to be held on the perfectly manicured greens of the Augusta National. It's been the venue for the prestigious Masters tournament since 1934 and remains one of the most exclusive clubs in the world of sport. Membership is by invitation only and restricted to just 300 at any given time. Even when, then first women member was admitted back in 2012 - the former US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in case you were wondering - the thought of them playing a tournament there seemed fanciful in a sport not known for its inclusivity. So Jennifer can truly claim to be a history maker - winner of the first Augusta National Women's Amateur Championship - to give it the full title! She tells Shari Vahl what her achievement means for women's golf and how important momentum is not lost. There are less than 500 days to go until the 2020 Olympic Games and for Mohamed Sbihi, he is aiming to make history. The 31 year old is part of the Great Britain Rowing team who have their sights on a sixth consecutive gold medal. Sbihi himself is an Olympic champion and is the first Muslim to be included in the GB squad. He now holds out hope for others who could follow his example into rowing. We are in Spain for one of the fiercest competitive derbies in the La Liga. Real Betis play Sevilla on Saturday and we take you behind the scenes at Real Betis where you will hear the Chief Executive Jose Miguel Lopez Catalan who joined the club two years ago with no football experience. He has been telling the BBC about how important family and fans are to the football club. The Watford goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes is set to retire at the end of the season and what better way than to bow out playing in the FA Cup final against Manchester City next month.Gomes is seeking FA Cup heaven and in his own words, says, he plans to answer his 'call from Jesus' and become a pastor as well as a football agent. One man who has followed that path is former Chelsea midfielder Gavin Peacock - he's now nestled in the shadow of the Rocky Mountains in Canada and he told Shari Vahl how he made the transition from football to being a pastor himself. The former England Rugby Union international Christian Wade joins us as his dream to the play in the NFL took a step closer this week. Picture - Jennifer Kupcho (Credit - Getty Images)

British Olympian Jade Lally opens up about feeling "devastated" as her preparations for Tokyo 2020 were knocked off course by her pregnancy. We're at the Jordan Mixed Open, the first professional Golf tournament to bring together male and female players competing against each other on the same course, for the same trophy. Marianne Skarpnord and her Fiancé Richard Green who both won the 2015 Victoria Open where men and women compete alongside each other but against their own gender give us their thoughts on the format. The Canadian Ice Hockey team began their quest for an eleventh title this week at the Women's World Championships in Finland but their domestic league has gone bust. Toronto Furies' Shannon Stewart tells Sarah Mulkerrins the league's players will prepare for next season despite the collapse. New Zealand coach Noeline Taurua tells us how she's preparing her side for the Netball World Cup with a game against the country's men's team. And we're at the World Cross Country in Aarhus where the sport is trying to reinvent itself with a view to returning to the Olympic Games. Photo: Jade Lally competes for Great Britain in the Women's Discus Throw at the 2018 European Athletics Championships. Credit: Getty Images

Paralympic cyclist Hannah Dines tell's Shari Vahl how some female riders are suffering in silence with injuries because of saddles designed predominantly for men. After incidents of racist abuse during England's European Championship qualifier in Montenegro Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp led a number of Premier League managers in saying they would be prepared to take their players off the pitch in a bid to combat racism. Marko Protic from the BBC’s Serbian Service looks at whether this is a systemic problem in the Balkans or as Sterling put it "just a couple of idiots". And we meet snooker's women's world number three, Rebecca Kenna, who says she has been forced to turn her back on her local league after being barred from matches because she is a woman. She says she'd felt abandoned after being stopped from playing in two fixtures because of clubs operating a "men-only" policy. Photo:Hannah Dines action at the UCI Para-Cycling Road World Championship in 2015. Credit: Christopher Lee/Getty Images

Jamaican runner Kemoy Campbell was told by doctors he had "died" after collapsing on the track during an Athletics event in New York. Campbell spent 17 days in hospital and has been fitted with an internal defibrillator. Despite numerous tests doctors were unable to deduce the cause of the heart failure. He’s been telling Shari Vahl of his traumatic experience. You and I would call it climbing the stairs - most of us do it every day at some point. But for Suzy Walsham - it's a sport and a competitive one as well. She is an elite vertical runner. The Australian defended her crown last week when she won the women's race to the top of the Eiffel Tower. 1665 steps in under eight minutes. She tells Shari Vahl how the journey to the top began. Kerron Stewart won a silver medal in the 100m at the 2009 World Championships. The multiple world and Olympic champion has now been recruited by a Finnish football club as part of their coaching team. The 34 year old who announced her retirement last year, will work with the club from May to September this year. Stewart has been explaining to Shari Vahl how the move came about. The 36th America’s Cup, affectionately known as the Auld Mug, the oldest trophy in international sport and dates back to 1851.It's the pinnacle of yachting that takes place in Auckland in 2021 - Team New Zealand are the defending champions but one of their challengers will be the Netherlands team - all the focus will be on one woman - 45 year old Carlolijn Brouwer who's aiming to make a piece of sailing history. She is on track to become the first ever female to helm a challenger yacht in the Americas cup. Whilst both men and women have equal opportunities at Olympic level of the sport, there has always been a restricted path for women when it comes to the bigger international events. Carlojin told Shari what can be done to encourage more women to take up sailing. Pakistan has a current FIFA ranking of 199, out of 211 nations. Earlier this year, one of Spain's top clubs -Atletico Madrid opened a new academy in Lahore. Vice President of the Pakistan Football Federation Naveed Haider Khan has been telling Sportshour what exactly this means for Pakistan. Picture - Kemoy Campbell (Credit - Getty Images)

Bangladesh's cricket team were set to play New Zealand at Christchurch's Hagley Oval in their third Test match. However, following the worst massacre in New Zealand's history when 49 people were killed in and around two mosques in Christchurch, the match has been cancelled. The Bangladeshi team were just minutes away from being caught in the fire, Sportshour reflects on the tragedy and the psychological impact on the players who witnessed the horror unfold from their team bus. The world’s largest sport and humanitarian event of the year is taking place this week in Abu Dhabi - the special Olympics - which features athletes with intellectual or learning disabilities competing across a range of sports and disciplines. This year's event will be the biggest yet - with 7,500 athletes from 200 nations. And it's the first time it will be held in the Middle East. We look at how founder Eunice Kennedy Shriver began the movement 50 years ago. Roger Verdi also known as Rajinder Singh Virdee has shared a football pitch with the legends, the greats of the game. Pele, George Best, Franz Beckenbauer, Sir Geoff Hurst, Bobby More, to name a few. He even changed his name to try to fit in.But finally he was forced to go to the US to salvage his career in the North American Super League. Sportshour finds out why. Meet the 10-year-old who's already beating adult competitors! The cool-as-they-come Sky Brown surfs, skateboards and dances, and could become the youngest ever summer Olympian for Great Britain if she appears in the Tokyo Games next year. Her mother is Japanese and her father is British, and this week she was named as part of Great Britain's skateboarding team. If that wasn't enough -- she has over 300,000 social media followers and was the youngest person ever to have a contract with sports company Nike. And could we see Ultimate Frisbee in the Olympic Games? Alex Matovu is an Ultimate Frisbee pioneer from Uganda and he tells us more about this exciting sport. Photo credit: The New Zealand flag flying at half mast in memory of those killed in the terror attacks in Christchurch (Getty Images)

The British Olympic swimmer Sharron Davies this week reignited the debate about transgender participation in sport, by saying anyone who was born male but now identifies as female should not be allowed to take part in women's sport, because of the physical advantage it brings. Davies denies her remarks are "transphobic" - as did the 18 times Grand Slam tennis champion Martina Navratilova - who originally said participation by male to female transgender athletes in women's sport was a form of 'cheating'. She later apologised for using the word "cheat" - but insisted protections were required for those competitors born female. So where does this debate go next? Joanna Harper, a medical physicist who advises the International Olympic Committee on such issues and is herself a transsexual woman, and Dr Nicola Williams, who is a research scientist specialising in human biology and leads a campaign called Fairplay for Women, debate this controversial topic. It's very rare that Sportshour contains some x-rated content, but a cycling club made up of adult pornstars has lost its British Cycling affiliation - after the governing body said its name might damage the sport's image. PPCC, which stands for Porn Pedallers Cycling Club, has gained over 100 members since forming three years ago and raises money and awareness for sexual health charities. The club's founder tells us what impact changing the club's name would have on their charity work. We'll also hear from Denmark's badminton doubles pair, who are a couple both on and off the court. Christinna Pedersen and Kamilla Rytter Juhl explain why they kept their relationship private for so long and why they're taking their baby, Molly, on tour with them around the world. A 16-year-old runner from the United States says her dream is to win an Olympic gold medal and become a world record holder. Athing Mu ran the second fastest time in history for the 600 metres at the USA Indoor Athletics Championships at the end of February and is already targeting more success on the world's biggest stage. And we hear from the Syrian refugee who wants to swim at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo despite not being able to swim a year ago. Three years ago, 24-year-old Eid nearly drowned trying to reach Europe, when the boat he was travelling in sank in the Mediterranean. Now he's living with a British family and training at the London Aquatics Centre, as he tries to win a place on the Refugee Olympic Team. Photo: New Zealand weightlifter Laurel Hubbard, who transitioned from male to female, competing in the women's +90kg final at the 2018 Commonwealth Games (Getty Images)

With only a few months to go until France 2019, Caroline Barker is at the She Believes Cup in Philadelphia, one of the final major tournaments before the World Cup. Caroline is joined by the English Football Association's Head of Women's Football Sue Campbell, former New Zealand international Rebecca Smith, Jen O'Neil who runs a women's football website shekicksdotnet and Philadelphia Lone Star FC Women (WPSL) Head Coach Charlie Flowe. Plus an interview with the England Head Coach Phil Neville on his thoughts on the global game and how he believes his team can achieve miracles by not letting fear stand in their way of success. (Photo: She Believes Cup. Credit: Getty Images)

Canadian ice hockey star Daniel Carcillo has had seven diagnosed concussions, suffered with headaches, slurred speech and memory loss. He is now taking on the National Hockey League and challenging them to do more to protect players from head injuries. He tells us his story and describes the uphill challenges that he is facing every day. We hear from a young girls football team in India who have been kicked, punched and slapped by a group of men who are trying to force them to stop playing the sport they love. The girls have been hailed for their bravery and say they will continue to play football in secret. Plus we speak to 13-year old Alysa Liu who became the youngest woman to win the US Senior National Figure Skating Championships.

I’m prepared to end my career to save Argentine women’s football, that's according to Maca Sanchez. The Argentine footballer says the country's football Federation don't support women’s football. She says they are denied basic rights such as a salary, places to train, shoes, medical coverage and clothing. Hakeem al-Araibi has been freed from jail; after the Thail government dropped a warrant for his arrest by his home country of Bahrain. Lou Tona is the chair of semi-professional club Pascoe Vale in Melbourne, Australia where Hakeem plays. He says Hakeem is pleased to be back home in Australia and he made sure to bring home a present for his wife to apologise. Plus the kiss cam has been a staple of North American sports events, whether its baseball or basketball. Barry Stockhamer, former VP of marketing at the LA Dodgers, explains how the kiss cam became popular with the Californian club. However Emma Rees, Professor of Literature and Gender Studies at the University of Chester believes they cease to exist like grid girls.

In 2014, footballer Hakeem was sentenced to 10 years in prison for vandalising a police station in his native Bahrain. He denied the charges and having fled to Australia fearing for his safety, he missed the trial. Once in Australia he was granted political asylum in 2017. But in November, a decision to go to Thailand changed Hakeem's life forever.The Bahrain government issued a warrant for his arrest and he was detained, as a recognised refugee this shouldn't have happened.He's still in prison. Lou Tona is the chair of semi-professional club Pascoe Vale in Melbourne, Australia where Hakeem plays. He says failure is not an option and they are trying everything to bring Hakeem back home to Australia. Plus, we meet Marseille fan Mohamad Henni isn’t happy. Whenever Marsielle lose, Mohamad takes his frustrations out on his TV. He has broken over 20 TV’s so far and plans to continue. And English seventh tie side Wingate & Finchley FC will have a new coach in the dugout. Manager Dave Norman will be able to call on the AI football coach for advice on tactics and substitutions. AI football coach was developed by Big Bang Fair to help promote artificial intelligence. Wingate & Finchley director Paul Lerman and Tim Deeson say it will revolutionise semi-professional football.

In Atlanta, birthplace of Martin Luther King, Sportshour asks what progress the NFL has made since the height of the player protest last season. His daughter, Bernice, and current Patriot's player Matthew Slater join the debate. The leagues first inclusion officer, Wade Davis, tells us he knows several gay players in the NFL who open about their sexuality to their team mates and coaches. And the legend of Atlanta Gladys Knight on the honour of singing the traditional prematch national anthem. (Picture: Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Credit: Getty Images)

The success of Bayern Munich can be traced all the way back to an almost forgotten figure in German football - their longest serveing president Kurt Landauer. For years Kurt's story, including escaping the Nazi's, was barely known. We talk to historian and screenwriter Dirk Kamper who has helped his story get the recognition it deserves. Former NFL quarterback Marc Bulger has joined forces with three other former gridiron stars to take on Curling at the 2022 Winter Olympics. Alongside Jared Allen, Keith Bulluck and Michael Roos - Bulger decided to adopt the sport as the result of a bet. The four now have a serious desire to become Olympians. Plus, another athlete switching disciplines - Omar Hasan has been talking to our reporter in Toulouse, Chris Bockman, about his journey from international rugby to opera singing. (Photo: Kurt Landauer. Credit: Christof Stache/AFP)

It's a month since four women raised allegations of physical and sexual abuse within the Afghanistan women's football team. They claim the abuse took place at the federation’s headquarters and at a training camp in Jordan. The head of Afghanistan football Keramuddin Keram, against whom specific allegations were made, has been suspended. He “vigorously rejects" what he calls "false accusations". Khalida Popal has been involved with the team as player, coach and administrator since she founded it 12 years ago - and started investigating allegations raised with her. Khalida tells Sportshour about the reaction to her speaking out and how that has encouraged more people to come forward. Elsewhere, this week Egypt was named as the new host of this year's Africa Cup of Nations, after the original host Cameroon was stripped of the title. The Confederation of African Football, cited delays in the progress of Cameroon's preparation for the tournament as the reason for the re-allocation, but AFCON will go ahead in June. Egypt has only five months to prepare....so can it be a success? From the African Cup of Nations to the Asian Cup and for the Yemen football team, it really is a miracle they're there at all. Football has ground to a halt in the country. The league is suspended and the infrastructure has all but collapsed. Stadiums have been reduced to rubble and clubs are disintegrating. This is all a direct consequence of war. The escalation of the conflict between the internationally-recognised Hadi (PRO: HARDY) government and Houthi rebels has engulfed Yemen in unspeakable torment. We hear what challenges the team's players face on a daily basis - with tales of some going off to fight and others being kidnapped. And as one of Britain's greatest ever sportsmen announces his retirement this year, what legacy will former World Number One Andy Murray leave in tennis? We speak to Terry Mabbitt, who was the national coach of Scotland when Murray was coming through the ranks as a youngster. Mabbitt says Murray was the best six-year-old he had ever seen. Photo: Afghanistan women's football team (Getty Images)

College sport is a a billion dollar industry in America. Basketball and football attract huge television audiences and crowds in excess of 100,000 at games. It attracts the biggest names and very highest paid coaches in American sport. The players however do not earn a penny. They are 'student athletes' and although some of them will get their education paid for, is it time those players get a share of the massive revenue they generate? (Photo: Aerial view of the half-time show at the Rose Bowl Game 1984. Credit: Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

An interview with the mother of Philando Castile whose death at the hands of police prompted Colin Kaepernick to start his kneeling protest in the NFL. A celebration of Tour De France winner Gino Bartali and his humanitarian work during the Second World War. Plus we meet photography pioneer Hy Money who overcame prejudice to chart the history of Crystal Palace football club. (Photo: Picture of Time magazine showing Colin Kaepernick. Credit: Joel Hammer BBC)

The business of football: How Manchester United fell behind their rivals on and off the pitch The decision to sack Mourinho didn’t just affect performance on the pitch but off it as well. So how do you balance the two? Dr Rob Wilson from Sheffield Hallam University explains why the club needs to change its structure, which could mean the end of Ed Woodward. Whilst, sport psychologist Michael Gervais, who worked with the Seattle Seahawks gives Ole Gunnar Solskjaer some tips on how to motivate his players before his first game. The 14 year old golfer aiming to take on the world Kuang Yang started his obsession with golf thanks to a ‘teach yourself’ DVD bought from a supermarket. Aged just 14, the Chinese schoolboy has qualified for his first professional tournament, the Volvo China Open in May. Yang says he can’t wait to play the tournament in his home town but is more concerned with his schoolwork than his golf. Female Drivers, Formula E and changing Saudi Arabia Teenager Amna Al Qubaisi took part in the first all-female Formula E test event in Saudi Arabia last weekend. The Arab nation only allowed women to drive this year and has faced criticism worldwide following the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. However, Amna thinks hosting a race and a test event will benefit women’s rights in the country. Union Berlin and their Christmas concert German football club Union Berlin host a Christmas carol concert every December. The event sells out every year and it all started after some fans wanted to celebrate the festive season after a defeat. Photo credit: Jose Mourinho (Getty Images)

Boxer Patricio Manuel reflects on his first professional win since transitioning.

After 62 years of recognising the best male footballer with the Ballon d’Or award, France Football honoured a female footballer for the first time this week. But the moment was over shadowed when the host Martin Solveig asked the inaugural winner Ada Hegerberg to twerk and overlooked her footballing achievements. We hear from Hegerberg and speak to Rebecca Smith, FIFA's former manager of Strategic Planning for Women's Football. HB Køge, a football team in Denmark’s second division, have become the first team in the country to appoint a female coach as part of a professional men’s team. We’ll hear from their sporting director Per Rud who’s appointed former Danish International Heidi Johansen as the club’s goalkeeping coach for next season. Former Wales Rugby Union International Richard Parks explains why he’s skiing across Antarctica alone. We’re in Gravesend where Parm Gill helped Guru Nanak FC, a team named after the town’s largest Sikh temple, set up a women’s football team that now has 75 people playing across 4 ages groups. Former bodyguard turned wrestler Andrew Harrison is used to protecting stars like 50 Cent, Rhianna and Jay-Z, this weekend he’ll only have himself to look after as he competes in Pakistan’s first international wrestling event. And James Anderson, the Founder of Forged Axe Throwing, explains how he came up with the idea of competitive Axe Throwing at a friend’s bachelor party and tells Caroline Barker about the Sport’s Olympics ambitions. Photo: Ada Hegerberg celebrates being the first female to win the Ballon d'Or. Credit: Getty Images.

Both Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury go into the fight unbeaten in their combined 67 professional bouts in a fight expected to be watched by millions across the US and the world. After a heated press conference, all the talk will be decided when the two men enter the ring in the early hours of Sunday morning. Could this fight really be the start of something special? How will Wilder fare in his biggest test to date while Fury’s comeback trail has been widely applauded by many, including Frank Bruno. We get an insight from the former world heavyweight boxing champion on Sunday’s showdown and how Bruno himself has struggled with mental health problems. At the age of 19, Vivian Stancil was told she had a rare condition called retinitis pigmentosa which leads to vision loss. By the age of 50, Vivian was told by doctors that she was going to die as her health worsened with her weight shooting up to 319 pounds. That is when she decided to take up swimming - which effectively saved her life. The 71 year old explained to Caroline how she overcame cultural barriers and how this kick-started her journey to compete at the National Senior Games where she has won over 200 medals. It took Magnus Carlsen 20 days and over 50 hours of play to retain his world chess title against Fabiano Caruana from America. For the first time in its official 132 year history, the title match was decided by a tiebreak. We hear from the King of Chess, Magnus Carlsen on what this title means to him and Chilean songwriter Juga Di Prima expresses her love for the game through music – we dive deeper into the meanings behind all the pieces on a chess board and Juga explains what we can all learn from playing chess. Have you heard of SpeedGolf? It involves running and playing golf at the same time. It was first played in 1979. It's essentially a faster more athletic format of golf. Mikko Rantanen is also known as the Flying Finn who is the fastest golfer on this planet after beating New Zealand's Jamie Reid at the recent World Championship. He's been telling Caroline how he first got into the sport and he’s even urging Usain Bolt to have a go! Picture - Fury and Wilder (Getty Images)

Davis Cup – Will the new changes signal the death of the event? Two-time winner Tomas Berdych believes so – It’s the world’s largest annual international team competition in sport. This weekend, The Davis Cup final is taking place in Lille between France and Croatia - it will be played for the final time in its current format in its 118 year history. So why is it changing? ITF president David Haggerty explains to Caroline Barker exactly why and how they aim to keep the Davis Cup the crown jewel of the ITF. Alena Grabowski is an Assistant Professor in INTEGRATIVE PHYSIOLOGY at the University of Colorado-Boulder. In 2008, her research helped counteract a study accepted by the International Association of Athletics’ Federations, the IAAF, which would’ve prevented Oscar Pistorius from stepping on the start line at the London Games in 2012. Ten years on, she continues to work to challenge the sport’s governing body and to establish a level playing field, as we’ve been finding out. The Formula 3 driver Sophia Florsch needed an 11-hour operation on the fractured spine after she survived her high-speed crash at the Macau Grand Prix. This week, Caroline speaks to Paul Trafford who is the doctor of the British Tour Championship who was in Macau and we ask him, what more can be done to prevent crashes like this in Motorsport? He was made for the big occasions – Didier Drogba is a two-time African Footballer of the Year, he’s won four Premier League titles at Chelsea and was also the key protagonist in their historic Champions League victory in 2012. The 40 year old has called time on his playing career and this week, he reflected on his career with Caroline and gave us an insight into what he may be doing in the future. On Saturday, it’s the second leg of the final of the Copa Libertadores, South America’s version of the Champions League. Involving Argentina’s two biggest clubs….River Plate v Boca Juniors. The first leg finished 2-all. We hear from two brothers, one supports River Plate and the other Boca. Picture - France winning the 2017 Davis Cup champions (Credit - Getty Images)

Sportshour comes from Ghana, where the Women's Africa Cup of Nations begins on Saturday, to celebrate women's sport on the world's second largest continent. Sarah Mulkerrins is joined by Freda Prempeh (Chairperson of the Local Organizing Committee of the Women's Africa Cup of Nations), former Ghana player Adjoa Bayor, Vice President of the Normalisation Committee to run Ghana football, Lucy Quist and Ghanaian sports journalist, Veronica Commey. We also speak to players at the Right to Dream African football academy - which provides Africa’s first and only girls’ residential football and education programme. And in this week's Sporting Witness, we hear how Kenyan Tegla Loroupe became a hero to women across Africa, when she became the first black African woman to win a major international marathon – with a surprise win in New York. Photo: L-R Adjoa Bayor, Veronica Commey, Sarah Mulkerrins, Lucy Quist & Freda Pempah (BBC World Service)

After the United States imposed arguably the ‘toughest ever’ sanctions on Iran, American-Iranian football coach Katayoun Khosrowyar says the US and Iran’s increasingly unstable relationship could harm the future of women’s football in the country. Katayoun describes the two as having a ‘love-hate relationship’, and admits it’s painful to see two countries so close to her heart in conflict. We hear from the 23-year-old Australian who is completing the Four Deserts Grand Slam. The series consists of the Sahara, the Gobi March, the Atacama Crossing and the Last Desert in Antarctica. Each desert race is 250 kilometres long and has to be completed within seven days. Jacqui Bell is three quarters of the way through and reveals how she’s been pushing herself to the limit. England footballer Molly Bartrip describes how a voice inside her head took control of her life and ‘played her like a puppet’ during her battle with anorexia as a teenager. Molly tells Katie Falkingham how she overcame the illness and reveals that being recalled to the England squad after her recovery was the ‘best feeling in the world.’ South Africa cricketer Laura Wolvaardt has a very important, career-defining choice to make. The 19-year-old, who is the youngest South African to score a century in one-day internationals and the youngest woman to score 1,000 runs in ODIs, has deferred her place to study medicine at university so she can continue playing cricket, but that year is coming to an end. As the ICC Women’s World Twenty20 gets underway, Laura tells Sportshour she’s hoping to defer for another year and carry on breaking records for the Proteas. The first ever Running World Cup begins next week and absolutely anyone from any country from around the world can get involved, regardless of ability level. From professional athletes, to keen amateur runners or even complete beginners, every one that runs will make a big contribution towards their country’s final position on the leaderboard. You can even compete in your own back garden! It's all measured using a special mobile running app and even eight-time Olympic gold medallist Usain Bolt is taking part as Jamaica captain. Nick Beresford is the CEO of the event sponsor and explains what this unique phenomenon is all about. (Photo: Katayoun Khosrowyar. Credit: Getty Images)

A week ago, Leicester City owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha was one of five people killed when his helicopter crashed shortly after taking off from the King Power stadium. Nusara Suknamai, Kaveporn Punpare, pilot Eric Swaffer and his partner, Izabela Roza Lechowicz, also died in the crash. Vichai's funeral will take place in the Thailand capital, Bangkok, on Saturday, whilst Leicester will play Cardiff City in the Premier League. Both teams will wear black armbands and a minute's silence will be held before the match as a mark of respect. We hear about the impact Vichai's success with Leicester City had on football in Thailand and how the Leicester players will want to win to honour his memory. Gender equality in sport is a debate that won't go away. Just over a week ago, the route for next summer's Tour de France was revealed. It's considered the pinnacle of men's road cycling - but there is no equivalent race for female riders. This summer, Dutch cyclist Annemiek Van Vleuten won La Course, a mountainous ride which incorporated some of the men's Tour route - but which lasted just one day compared to the men's three weeks. Former cyclist Kathryn Bertine helped found the campaign group Le Tour Entier to press the case for a women's Tour. She told me why she feels more needs to be done by the organisers, the Amaury Sport Organisation. Every young aspiring footballer dreams of taking to the field for one of the world's biggest teams. Cherno Samba was no different. Aged six, he travelled 3000 miles on his own from Gambia to start a new life with his mother and brother in South London. Picked up by Millwall as a young boy, he played for England at youth level and as a prolific goalscorer, gained cult status among gamers around the world for his exploits on the computer game Championship Manager. A move to Liverpool seemed on the cards but ultimately didn't happen. Now embarking on a coaching career, he's also written his autobiography - which includes reflections on the move that didn't come to fruition. South Africa play England on Saturday, as rugby's Autumn internationals get underway. In June this year, the Springboks' Siya Kolisi made history when he led the players out as the country's first black Test match captain against England in Johannesburg. And he'll be entrusted with that honour again at Twickneham. South African sports reporter Philasande Sixaba says Kolisi's appointment as captain has helped bring unity to a country that is still divided. It's nearly 10 years since the Miracle of Hudson River, when, back in January 2009, US Airways Flight 1549 was forced to make an emergency landing on the Hudson River in New York. A flock of geese had collided with the plane's two engines, causing a fire and pilot Chesley Sullenberger successfully landed the plane on water. All 155 people on-board miraculously survived. Sullenberger, known as Sully, was hailed a national hero but another man whose role in the incident wasn't as widely highlighted, was Patrick Harten, the air traffic controller who helped guide the plane to safety. He's running the New York Marathon this Sunday - and Sully will be waiting at the finishing line. Patrick says running helped him cope with post-traumatic stress syndrome and believes the marathon is the perfect way to celebrate the 10th anniversary. Rebecca Wardell is an ex-heptathlete Olympian who competed in the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. What started as some idle chat while climbing mountain passes on her bike with friends in Switzerland, soon turned into a reality. Rebecca, along with Olympic rower Emma Twigg and Sarah Van Ballekom quit their jobs at the International Olympic Committee and set off from Switzerland back in April to cycle 'The Long Way Home', to New Zealand. Emma has since returned to New Zealand to try and qualify for her fourth Olympics in rowing, but Rebecca is now half way through her journey home. She tells Sportshour the strangest places where she's slept along the way and how she's had to borrow fuel from motorcyclists so they can cook on a stove. Photo: Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, Rest in Peace, 1957-2018 (Getty Images)

Softball is the third most popular collegiate sport in the United States, attracting thousands of fans to the ground as well as watching home on TV. But the professional league, the National Pro Fastpitch League is under financial pressure. Cheri Kempf is the league's commissioner and she says that more businesses should invest in the sport. Plus, Japanese broadcaster NHK has commissioned several Paralympic based anime TV shows featuring the country's most successful Para athletes. Double Paralympic Champion Wheelchair tennis player Shingo Kunieda has a cartoon based on him. The multiple Grand Slam winner says the cartoons are helping remove stigmas surrounding Para Athletes. The Invictus Games has been taking Australia by storm. We speak to Ann-Maree Jacobs, who along with her friend Pauline, have sewed and stitched quilts for the athletes and the Royal Family.

Floyd Landis on his cannabis company and cycling team, football history is made in Jamaica and Madagascar and the rise of teqball.

Fifty years after making what became known as the “black power salute” at the Mexico Olympics, Tommie Smith tells us about the power of the protest and the impact it had on his later life. He also reflects on the struggle Colin Kaepernick has had since taking a knee at NFL matches – and President Donald Trump’s criticism of the quarterback. A former Washington Redskins cheerleader discusses the sexual harassment she claims she experienced during her time working with the organisation. Ana Carrasco reflects on becoming the first woman to win a motorbike world title and we speak to the creators of Game of Zones – a Game of Thrones inspired animation on the National Basketball Association. Photo: Tommie Smith and John Carlos at the 1968 Olympics (Getty Images)

Corine Remande is now blind in her right eye after being hit by a wayward golf ball struck by America’s Brooks Koepka during last weekend’s Ryder Cup. Remande says she could have died on the golf course and says she is taking legal action to improve safety for spectators. But how does Brooks Koepka feel? One golfer who knows is James Gordon – a Scotsman who, over 10 years ago, hit a wayward ball that caused another man to lose his eye. James tells Sportshour how the accident stopped him from playing golf for over half a year and how he couldn’t bring himself to speak to the man he had injured because he didn’t know what to say. James also believes golfers should take out insurance to protect them on the golf course. Nearly 10 years ago, American runner Denise Sauriol was hit by a car on her way to start a half marathon. Her body smashed into the windscreen, causing her to break five vertebrae in her back. Denise says the accident changed her life, leading to the birth of ‘Denise 2.0, and she’s set to run her 100th 26.2 mile race as she competes in the Chicago Marathon. Arsene Wenger is one of the most respected football managers in the world, having led Arsenal football club for a staggering 22 years. He’s famous for winning three Premier League titles and seven FA Cups, his ridiculously long coats and his frustratingly long struggles with zips. But what was perhaps most iconic about the Frenchman was his extraordinary quotes that left journalists with more questions than answers. And now the legacy of those words lives on in the form of Japanese Haiku poems, as written by author Gunnar Sorrars – who tells us some of his most bizarre Wenger Haikus. Rugby league side Toronto Wolfpack play London Broncos with promotion up for grabs for the winner on Sunday. We hear from Toronto super fan Steve Marsden, who makes 500-mile round trips to watch his beloved team every week – and even flew to the United Kingdom to see Toronto play Salford Devils in Manchester. Britain’s greatest ever female skier Chemmy Alcott reveals why she is going to store her baby’s stem cells after she has given birth to her second child. Chemmy discusses the benefits of storing stem cells in case of future injuries or illnesses and offers advice on how to athletes can stay fit and healthy during pregnancy. US Paralympic alpine skier Danelle Umstead ‘lived her impossible’ this year by becoming the first blind contestant on America’s Dancing with the Stars show. Danelle tells Sportshour how she once told the TV she would make history by appearing on the series and reveals why dancing was a lot harder and more nerve-wracking than competing in the Winter Paralympics. Former Australia rugby international Rob Horne was paralysed in his right arm following a heavy tackle whilst playing for Northampton Saints in April this year. Ahead of a special tribute match between Northampton and Leicester Tigers at Twickenham, from which the proceeds will go to Rob and his family, he describes the moment he realised the extent of his injury, what it was like to be forced into retirement so early and how he’s determined to move on with his life. And in this week’s Sporting Witness, we're taking you back to 1978 and a new type of athletics event which would go on to become internationally successful. Caroline Heywood has been speaking to Dr Maurice Slapak about his memories of the first ever TRANSPLANT Games. Photo: Corine Remande (Getty Images)

As the 42nd Ryder Cup takes place in Paris, Caroline Barker, alongside former PGA President Roger Warren and LPGA tour professional Olafia Kristinsdottir, explores whether the competition should follow its junior edition and have teams made up of men and women. When their team folded and their last chance to put themselves in the shop window for next season was taken away, professional cyclists Larry Warbasse and Conor Dunne packed up their bikes and headed out on an eight day tour of their own from their base in Nice. Former US Champion Larry and Irish Champion Conor take us through the emotions of their "No Go Tour". 30 years ago the brand new Olympic 100 metres champion Ben Johnson was stripped of his gold medal at the Seoul Olympics for doping. We look at what's changed since the "the dirtiest race in history" and hear from Calvin Smith, one of only two men in the 1988 final that was never implicated in a drugs scandal or failed a test. We also hear from the founding president of the World Anti-Doping Agency Dick Pound who had to act as Johnson's legal representative at his International Olympic Committee hearing in 1988. Michelle Gormley-McLaughlin hadn't played a game of rugby until her 40th birthday. Seven years on she's just earned her first cap for Ulster, proving it's never too late to take up a new sport. As the regular MLB season draws to a close we're in Colorado with the state's Vintage Base Ball Association as they celebrate and play by the original rules of the sport that date back to 1864 and the American Civil War. And boxer turned actor, turned acting boxer, Brad Moore joins us to talk about his new film "Gloves Off" and explains how two years on the stand-up comedy circuit helped him learn to act at the age of 40.

The controversy that's dominated the sporting world this week - the decision by the World Anti-Doping Agency to reinstate Russia's anti-doping agency which could see their country's athletes once again competing in international sport. The agency - known as Rusada - has been suspended since 2015 over alleged state backed doping after it was accused of covering up drug abuse, most notably during the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics. The President of USA Cycling has said the world should get to know Ashton Lambie - Two years ago, he was a shop mechanic in Kansas and cycling on gravel - fast forward to September 2018 - the 27 year old has just set a new world record in the individual pursuit at the Pan American Championships by 3.25 seconds - a record that had stood since 2011. He'd already won a gold medal in the team pursuit a few days earlier. He's been telling Shari how his journey began on a bike. This time last year, Hurricane Maria was the strongest storm to hit Puerto Rico in 85 years, it left a trail of death and destruction, killing around 3,000 people and destroying the island which resulted in months of power outages because of damage to the electrical grid. Caught up in that Hurricane, was Puerto Rico's first ever golfer to earn full-time status on the LPGA Tour, Maria Torress. A year later, she has just competed at the Evian Championship, the final golf major of the season, at one point she was the overall leader. She's been telling Shari how she faced her namesake Hurricane. When married couple Behan and Jamie Gifford plotted to set sail around the world with their children 10 years ago, there was only one problem. Their kids, aged four, six and nine, couldn't swim. The boat is equipped with a 75-horsepower engine, along with three tight bedrooms and two bathrooms. Given that Behan and Jamie quit stable jobs to pursue a life at sea, budgeting for diesel fuel, docking fees, food and other travel costs was essential. Behan has explaining what life on sea has been like in the last ten years.

A new season and the most prominent player out of work is still making the headlines... Colin Kaepernick remains the most-talked about NFL player on the planet, despite having not thrown a football since New Year's Day 2017... The American football quarter-back controversially protested against racial injustice and police brutality, by first sitting and then kneeling during the US national anthem. But now he is back in the headlines, after Nike announced Kaepernick as one of the new faces of their campaign... which has resulted in critics burning Nike trainers and clothing in protest. This support will take Kaepernick and his cause to an even higher level in the public realm, and yet also makes it more unlikely for any team to sign him. Nike, who described him as one of the most inspirational athletes of his generation, wasted no time in implementing their campaign - airing it during the NFL opener on Thursday Night. We ask, what is Nike’s real agenda? Will Colin Kaepernick play again? And what’s next? Badou Jack’s new fight away from the ring... Badou Jack is a Boxer, a former World Champion best known for his fights against the likes of George Groves and James DeGale. While he packs a punch in the ring, away from it the Swede is fighting a different kind of fight ... to help refugees in Syria and Palestine. And as India strikes a moment for gay rights - we ask what role sport can play in helping society... This week India's Supreme Court has ruled that gay sex is no longer a criminal offence. The ruling overturns a 2013 judgement that upheld a colonial-era law, known as section 377, under which gay sex is categorised as an "unnatural offence". The court has now ruled discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation is a fundamental violation of rights. Just some of the positive reaction to this week’s ruling … but how many Indian celebrities are now likely to share with the public the fact that they’re gay? And, in terms of Sport, is it even harder to make that announcement?

CRACKING DOWN ON FOOTBALL The civil unrest and government crackdowns in Nicaragua, which led to the cancellation of the CONCACAF Women's Under-17 Championship in the country is continuing to affect the sport in Nicaragua. In a country where almost 30 per cent of girls are pregnant before the age of 18, and around half never go to secondary school, Soccer Without borders helped to break certain norms in a male-dominated society. But that work has been severely curtailed. RED STAR RISING Red Star Belgrade were the last club to win football's European Cup when it was a knockout competition. But until this season, they'd not qualified for the Champions League. We explore the fall and rise again of Serbia's most famous football club, ahead of their first group stage match at home to Napoli on Tuesday. SKATEBOARDING TO SAFETY Skateboarding will make its Olympic debut in Tokyo in two years time. And with the support of one of South Africa's top competitors, Jean-Marc Johannes, the sport is helping keep Cape Town youngsters away from drugs and gangs in the City's townships. GRAND PRIX, BUT NO DRIVER As Singapore hosts the latest round of the F1 World Championship this weekend, can the country produce its own F1 driver?  We speak to the young karting star, who may be that driver, and his mother, after the family re-located to Italy to chase the dream. SNOOKER'S NEW ERA? When it comes to snooker the male stars of the game can earn up two million dollars in prize money in a good year. The Chinese players Ding Junhui and Marco Fu can add considerably more from endorsements. But the women's game is still amateur. With government backing and engaging personality, Hong Kong's women's world number one, Ng On Yee could be the player to help change that. Photo: The aftermath of an anti-government protest in Nicaragua (Getty Images)

A new season and the most prominent player out of work is still making the headlines... Colin Kaepernick remains the most-talked about NFL player on the planet, despite having not thrown a football since New Year's Day 2017... The American football quarter-back controversially protested against racial injustice and police brutality, by first sitting and then kneeling during the US national anthem. But now he is back in the headlines, after Nike announced Kaepernick as one of the new faces of their campaign... which has resulted in critics burning Nike trainers and clothing in protest. This support will take Kaepernick and his cause to an even higher level in the public realm, and yet also makes it more unlikely for any team to sign him. Nike, who described him as one of the most inspirational athletes of his generation, wasted no time in implementing their campaign - airing it during the NFL opener on Thursday Night. We ask, what is Nike’s real agenda? Will Colin Kaepernick play again? And what’s next? Badou Jack’s new fight away from the ring... Badou Jack is a Boxer, a former World Champion best known for his fights against the likes of George Groves and James DeGale. While he packs a punch in the ring, away from it the Swede is fighting a different kind of fight ... to help refugees in Syria and Palestine. And as India strikes a moment for gay rights - we ask what role sport can play in helping society... This week India's Supreme Court has ruled that gay sex is no longer a criminal offence. The ruling overturns a 2013 judgement that upheld a colonial-era law, known as section 377, under which gay sex is categorised as an "unnatural offence". The court has now ruled discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation is a fundamental violation of rights. Just some of the positive reaction to this week’s ruling … but how many Indian celebrities are now likely to share with the public the fact that they’re gay? And, in terms of Sport, is it even harder to make that announcement?

Earlier this year, The International Association of Athletics Federations announced a new ruling that from November 2018 onwards, female athletes with naturally high testosterone levels who wanted to continue competing in female events (400m to the mile events) would have to take medication to reduce the hormone in their bodies - or race against men. Olympic and World 800m champion Caster Semenya is set to contest these rules at the Court of Arbitration for Sport. This week Sportshour talks to a number of experts to discuss the social, legal and medical implications of these new rules and whether we’ll ever see Semenya run the same again. Last year, rising star of British Motorsport Billy Monger suffered a high-speed crash while racing in Formula 4 resulted in a double leg amputation........while in 2001, former Formula One driver Alex Zanardi lost both of his legs in a crash in Germany. Billy travelled to Rome to meet Alex as part of a special programme for the BBC. This week, 100 and 200 metre World Record holder Usian Bolt made his debut for the Australian side Central Coast Mariners. Before he headed down under, the Olympic Champion had a trial with Norwegian club Stromgodset. Assistant coach Martin Foyston talks about Bolt’s football ambitions and why they decided to let the Jamaican leave. 50 years ago this week, Garfield Sobers achieved one of cricket's greatest feats. The legendary West Indian all-rounder, became the first player to hit six sixes in an over in a first-class match. Sobers was playing for Nottinghamshire against Glamorgan in the English County Championship. Malcolm Nash was the bowler and he's been reflecting on the SIX minutes of his life for which he'll always be remembered. We often see or hear professional athletes venturing into the world of sports broadcasting when their careers come to an end. But its rare that professional broadcasters take up sport at the highest level - So meet Annimari Korte a sports journalist from Finland who has just competed at the European Athletics Championships.

The first rule of FightTube is you always talk about FightTube. On Saturday 25th August, two youtubers will box each other in front of thousands in Manchester Arena and millions watching online around the world on youtube. Sportshour has spoken to youtuber Elliot Hackney and independent media analyst Alex Degroote about how this will change the sport and the platform. On the same day, history could also be made at Wembley Stadium, when French Rugby League side Catalan Dragons face Warrington Wolves in the Challenge Cup final. No foreign side has ever won the trophy. The Dragons rise in the sport is even more remarkable considering the sport was banned by the Nazi Puppet Government in Vichy during World War 2. Robert Fassolette talks about the ban and the impact it had on the sport. Plus, can Usain Bolt really play football? The Jamaican had a trail with Norwegian side Stromgodset earlier this year, assistant coach Martin Foyston talks about Bolt's football career and Long Drive golfer Sandra Carlberg talks about aiming for a sixth world title.

Football's e-scout Becoming a professional footballer is a dream shared by many children across the globe, but very few ever see that ambition become a reality. Of the 1.5 million boys who play organised youth football in England, only around 180 make it to the top level playing in the Premier League. Well two football-mad Danes decided they wanted to change this. Peter Holm and Simon Hjaere created Tonsser - an App that allows young players to create their own profile, upload videos and stats from their games and share this information with teammates and scouts hunting for the next star. From court room to cricket pitch Ben Stokes' skills as both batsmn and bowler, have made him one of the highest earners in the lucrative Indian Premier League. He's one of the most recognisible figures in the game. But he missed England's win over India in the second Test win at Lords while in court facing a charge of affray. Stokes was found not guilty on Tuesday, and shortly afterwards was named in the squad for the third Test which gets underway in the next hour at Trent Bridge in Nottingham -- but will he play? Should he play? The fastest donkeys in the west In Colorado in the United States thousands of spectators have been converging on small rural communities for Burro Racing season. The sport, where runners teamed with donkeys, or burros, compete over a course of tracks and rough terrain commemorates the gold mining history of the state, and helps to keep the communities alive. Hakas, heritage and rugby The Haka is as much a part of the New Zealand rugby team as the famous all black kit. It's been performed by the team before matches for more than a century. But it's been suggested by some in the game, that the Haka, as far as rugby is concerned, has lost its mystique and has become commercialised. So what does the Haka signify and why has it become synonymous with the All Blacks? Faithfully supporting Wolves in China The Chinese band Miserable Faith began supporting the English Premier League football team Wolverhampton Wanderers while on tour in Britain. Now they've written a song in tribute to the team, which has become a hit in China.

Should sport and politics mix? Lebron James has been making the headlines - not just for the school opened this week partly funded by the basketballer's foundation. An interview was aired in which James was highly critical of the President of the United States, sparking a response from President Trump and a political debate on both sides. We also mark the start of the new English Premier League season, hearing from the fan of Liverpool FC who changed his life around following the amputation of his leg in 2009. Meet the micro-artist and engraver who Botoxed his eyelids to carve a piece of sporting history. Plus we join the runner who's setting world record times - taking on a marathon in a pair of flip flops. And from an odd choice in footwear to a sportsman famed for his style - we're on a creative collaboration with India's cricket captain Virat Kohli. Photo: The flag of the new I Promise School (Getty Images)

As England's men's cricketers play their 1000th Test, we reflect on what national identity means for sports' fans in modern day multicultural society. How far have we come from the days of Lord Tebbit, the former Chairman of the British Conservative party, who wanted to test the loyalty of British Asians based on who they support in international cricket matches? Meet the man who decided to run the Tour de France route. Plus, we hear from the golfer expecting her first child, who hopes her pay deal with sponsors will change maternity pay for professional sportswomen. And should eSports be considered for a place in the Olympics? We discuss their growth as the 32 top players in the world compete to become the FIFA eWorld Champion. Photo: Getty Images

We're with a group of women who have spent the last there weeks riding the grueling Tour de France course one day in advance of the men. We join the Des Elles au Velo, as they ride for the last stage in the hope that next year there might be an official, complete and competitive Tour de France for women. Getting Hy at the Palace Hy Money has had a long and distinguished career as a sports photographer, finding fame in particular by capturing the images of her beloved football team Crystal Palace. However she has had to fight through the most extraordinary attitudes and discrimination to get to the top. That's reflected in some of the language you are about to hear. Caroline Barker has been to visit her to find out about her struggles and to look at some of the images she has created over the years. Justine Siegal: Baseball For All Challenging attitudes in traditionally male dominated sport is a long and difficult struggle, and even when you've made it, the challenge never ends. There are few, if any, better qualified baseball coaches than Justine Siegel. Yet despite that, the first female coach to be employed by a Major League team still finds opportunities few and far between. She's been telling us the story behind her pioneering career and why she still feels held back from achieving all her goals and her "Baseball For All" foundation, encouraging young women to play the game. The Women Weightlifters of Egypt Egypt has won more Olympic medals in weightlifting than in any other sport. While traditionally seen as a ‘male sport’, Sara Ahmed won bronze at the Rio Games in 2016 and in doing so has inspired a new generation of female athletes to take to the mat. Verity Ratcliffe went to Alexandria to meet some of Egypt’s women weightlifters. Photo: Some of those taking part in the Des Elles au Velo Credit: Mickael Gagne

As the Women's Hockey World Cup begins we look at how the sport deals with concussion. Danish Donation: FC Nordsjælland join Common Goal FC Nordsjælland have made history by becoming the first club in the world to donate 1% of their match day revenue to charity, after beating Cliftonville FC in the Europa League. The charity in question is "Common Goal", which was set up by Manchester United star Juan Mata. The initiative encourages players to donate 1% of their salary to charity. Tom Vernon is the Chairman of FC Nordsjælland and explained to Sportshour how it works. The man behind the greatest ever football chant We travel to Cuba to find out more about the man who composed the greatest football chant of all time. Admittedly that wasn't his goal at the time, but still... "There's only one Joseito Fernandez!" Our guide is Dr Katia Chornik, researcher specialising in cultural history of music, migration and human rights Photo: Shona McCallin in action at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. McCallin will miss this years 2018 World Cup having suffered a concussion. (Credit: David Rogers/Getty Images)

We look ahead to 2018's biggest sporting weekend with the finals of Wimbledon and the World Cup

We are live in Russia ahead of the hosts attempts to secure a place in the World Cup semi finals. We are also on Centre Court looking ahead to a busy day of action from Wimbledon. Next we take a brief stop with the Tour de France before continuing our pedal powered tour of Europe by checking in at the Giro Rosa, the only grand tour on the women's cycling calendar... And then there's rugby in Guatemala too! Photo: Anna Van Der Breggen of Netherlands celebrates winning the Giro Rosa in 2017. Credit: LC/Tim De Waele/Corbis via Getty Images)

The World Cup 2018 has been a delight to watch... such swagger, such chic, such unmistakable style... and that's just what the players are wearing! So who better to look at the good, the bad and the ugly of football fashion than Simon Doonan, Creative Ambassador for Barneys department store and author of "Soccer Style: The Magic and Madness" and Aaron Dodson sports,culture and sneaker writer for ESPN. The Secret to Argentine Success? We think we've have found the secret to Lionel Messi's turn around in fortune. After missing a penalty in the first game against Iceland, people questioned his greatness, but Messi came back with a goal in the crucial win over Nigeria all thanks to a little help from Argentine football reporter Rama Pantorotto, well, his mum actually. We reveal all! The Jazzy Golfer One of the biggest events on the Women’s Golf Calendar - the PGA Championship takes place in Chicago this weekend. However it's not just those at the top of the sport inspiring the next generation of female players. Meet the amateur golfer using social media to encourage more women to pick up a club for the very first time. Photo: The dapper Nigerian team after arriving in Russia for the World Cup Credit: Getty Images

No one has ever caught more balls in Major League Baseball than Zack Hample and what's more amazing is, he's never been on the field of play. Zack Hample is a ball hawk : a spectator who attends games to catch as many as possible and he's as famous as he is infamous. World Cup 2018: Germany's Political Football Germany play Sweden on Saturday and there seems to be a link between the team's issues and the political tensions bubbling away back home. Sudha David-Wilp is a fellow at the German Marshall Fund in Berlin and has studied the the similarities between the fortunes of the German national team and the German Chancellor Angela Merkle FIFA First Host nation Russia didn't come into the World Cup with many expectations of doing well. But with two wins and eight goals in their opening matches they were the first nation to qualify for the knock-out stages. And despite worries over Hooliganism and discrimination, an estimated one million visiting fans have received a warm welcome. That's no surprise to Victoria Lopyreva who has spent the last three years travelling the world as a FIFA ambassador; she was the first woman to be appointed to the role and first to host a football show on Russian television. Still Partying? the World Cup's party atmosphere continues in Russia. It's a stark contrast to the pre-tournament talk from campaign groups like FARE, Football against Racim in Europe, who warned of the potential risk of violence and discrimination towards minority groups. 10 days in Piara Power, the groups executive director tells us what he makes of how things have gone in Russia so far Royal Ascot: With the excitement of the World Cup it's easy to forget there's other sport this weekend! Including the final day of Royal Ascot; one of the highlights of the racing calendar. We hear how Her Majesty the Queen has been invited to enter a horse in the prestigious Melbourne Cup by the chairman of the Victoria Racing Club, Amanda Elliot; She's the first woman to hold the position, and the highest profile woman in the administration of the sport. Photo: Ballhawk Zack Hample with Alex Rodriguez #13 of the New York Yankees after giving Rodriguez the ball from his 3,000th hit at Yankee Stadium that Hample caught in the crowd.

If your looking for a nation to support at the World Cup, if yours isn't there, then you might think about cheering on Iceland! The smallest nation to every qualify for a World Cup finals, expectation is high after they reached the quarter finals of Euro 2016 cheered on by fan's "Viking Clap" and the screaming commentators. To celebrate his nations debut in Russia, we speak to the President of Iceland. Watching Habits The NWSL not only attracts the best players, offers some of the highest salaries but crucially has the highest profile of any women's football league around the world. That's partly because the games are televised, but not the traditional sports channels, but from on a "life-style" channel alongside with Real Housewives New Jersey and America's Next Top Model. So could this be away of further enhancing women's sport as it strides to achieve equality ? Prof Cheryl Cooky has studied women's sport in the media or many years, and despite what seems like great progress over the years, there's clearly plenty more to do... Need for Speed We meet the man looking to break a cycling speed record... Neil Campbell has dedicated the last twenty years to going as fast as he possibly can on a bike and on Tuesday he will look to exceed 127 mph and in the process add the European record to the British and Commonwealth record he already holds... Rugby Wing to Chicken Wing It's just over 20 years since the sport turned professional... And while many top players make a reasonable income, the average playing career is short and many are totally ill-prepared for the day they have to stop. Others however have pretty original ideas for when that moment arrives - including the Ivorian Yves Donguy who takes us on a tour of his food van! Photo: Credit Getty

Millions of fans from the around the globe will be glued to the opening match of the World Cup in Russia. But on Saturday, in front of a much more modest crowd, the final of an alternative international tournament will take place. The CONIFA World Cup is a competition made up of nations, regions and communities who aren't recognised by football's world governing body FIFA. Caroline Barker has been finding out more. You Can Bet On It! So you think you know who's going to win the World Cup don't you ? Brazil are 4-1 favourites....how about a flutter on European champions Portugal? They are 25-1... What about backing a first African winner? Nigeria are the shortest priced team to do so at 150-1. Well whoever you gamble on, the only certainty is that 'sports betting' is a BIG business. It's worth an estimated $700 billion a year. But where there is gambling on sport, there are criminals attempting to influence the result, or pervert the progress of the competition for financial gain. It's called Match Fixing or Spot fixing and its endemic. Former Australian handball player, Catherine Ordway is now an academic and lawyer with Snedden Hall & Gallop. She's a specialist interest in the problems of match fixing... she's concerned about it's impact on the integrity sport itself Safe in South Africa Over the past few decades, Cape Town in South Africa has developed an unfortunate reputation as one of the most crime ridden cities in the world. Many of the young people living in the city’s townships have little opportunities to make something of themselves, and find security in gangs. Sportshour's Mo Allie has been looking at how the "Play Sport 4 Life" organisation is aiming to provide sporting opportunities for young people. Photo: Northern Cyprus players and staff celebrate reaching the 2018 CONIFA Football World Cup Final (Getty Images)

In an area troubled by gang violence and knife crime, the club under coach Michael Harris, has helped many youngsters with minor criminal records to get into steady employment.

Liverpool and Real Madrid fans have been angered by the extortionate prices of hotel rooms leaving many fans in chaos for finding affordable accommodation. It’s not difficult to find Victor Kylyma in central Kiev – he explains to Caroline why he took to Social Media to invite football fans to stay in his home for free. He has had over 8000 people join his group and he is also offering to be tour guides or to cook traditional meals for their guests, including a chicken Kiev supper. Staying with the Champions League, the theme tune can be traced back nearly 300 years to German-born composer Georg Frideric Handel, and re-versioned by composer Tony Britten – Caroline has been speaking to Tony about that iconic tune. Also, the Egyptian international Mo Salah has, unwittingly, become a standard-bearer for the Arabic and Muslim communities and his impact has spread from Anfield, through the streets of his adopted city to the wider world. Rahul Tandon has been to Liverpool to find out. This week, the NFL announced that teams will be fined if their players kneel during the national anthem. The American football league said players who do not stand for the Star-Spangled Banner can stay in the locker room until it has been performed. The new policy is aiming to combat demonstrations which spread throughout the game after former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick took a knee to protest police brutality and racial inequality in 2016. As a result, NFL teams have refused to sign Kaepernick leaving him a free agent after two seasons. We speak to former NFL player Henry Burris who believes this policy portrays that the players are yet again the bad guys whereas SuperBowl champion Rocky Boiman believes the punishment should be more severe to those who disrespect the anthem. He says the NFL should be stronger rather than leaving each team to come up with their own working rules to obey the anthem. One of the world’s top female racing car drivers, Leilani Munter has taken pole position in a campaign to reduce overpopulation - and has vowed not to have children herself. With the global population at 7.3 billion and a growth rate of 300,000 people per day, Munter aims to address the growing world population by promoting smaller families, she is urging fellow women to stay child free to protect the environment. At one stage, Leilani did imagine herself to have children with her husband so what changed? She reveals all to Caroline. Picture (Credit - Getty Images)

With all eyes on the much anticipated Royal Wedding tomorrow – we speak to former soldier Philip Gillespie who lost a leg in a bomb blast in Afghanistan and this week, has been selected for the UK team to compete in archery and rowing at the 2018 Invictus Games in Sydney later this year. Prince Harry has been very much, the driving force behind the Games since setting up in 2014. He tells Caroline how he is preparing for one of the biggest events of the year and how sport has given him an important tool to rebuild his life. Dementia Friendly Rossendale are hosting an event tomorrow to combine the two grand occasions where they are bringing the carers, those living with the illness and their families. They are asking the guests to bring one item related to the Royal Wedding or the FA Cup Final that will spark a memory. We speak to the organisers of the event about what else they have in store for the guests. Kevin George only ever wanted to achieve one goal in his life - to become a professional footballer and play in the English Premier League. But Kevin quickly learnt the dizzy heights of playing for West Ham and Charlton were not what it's all cranked up to be - Kevin experienced severe anxiety and stress, to the extent he walked away from the beautiful game. He tells Caroline how footballers remain quiet on this issue and how he is now urging more players to speak out about their mental wellbeing. The US Supreme Court made a landmark ruling this week, meaning it is now legal to gamble on sports across the nation, striking down a federal law that barred betting on football, basketball, baseball and other sports in most states. The American Gaming Association estimates that Americans illegally bet about $150 billion on sports each year. Some have predicted a rise in gambling addiction. So what does this ruling mean? Caroline speaks to Geoff Freeman who is the President of the American Gaming Association.

As President Trump announces the United States withdrawal from the Iran Nuclear Deal, 2012 Olympic champion Jordan Burroughs weighs up the possible impact on sport. USA and Iran are both powerhouses in wrestling - could the reintroduction of sanctions hit the sporting landscape too? Bibiana Steinhaus is the first female referee to officiate in the top tier of men's football in Germany - the Bundesliga. She's made history, but hopes her gender won't be a talking point in the future. With one month to go until the biggest tournament in global sport begins in Russia, we hear all about another footballing event taking place in Moscow this week - the Street Child World Cup. The Japanese sport of sumo is one of the oldest and most traditional in the world, but it's facing calls to change its strict gender policy following a series of sexism scandals in recent months. And learn about a seminal moment in Test cricket, with Ireland's men playing their first match against Pakistan. Photo: Iran's Sadegh Saeed Goudarzi and USA's Jordan Burroughs (Getty Images)

Sione's story: the next chapter A few months ago Sportshour told the story of the Tongan Rugby player Sione Vaiomounga. Having travelled to Romania to play, he suffered kidney failure. With no dialysis machines in his native Tonga, Sione believed returning home would be a death sentence, But things are now looking up for Sione. The road from Jerusalem: As the Giro D'Italia gets underway in Jerusalem we hear from the country's top riders, those who welcome the arrival of the race and those who oppose it. What price for sporting success? India won a record 26 gold medals at the recent Commonwealth Games It's led to calls for the Government to invest more in its sporting infrastructure. But in a country that is home to almost a third of the world’s poor, should sport be a priority? Swimming to safety: Yusra Mardini's swimming ability took her to the Rio Olympics and she's now training for Tokyo in 2020.. But swimming also saved her life as she made the dangerous journey with 20 other Syrian refugees across the Mediterranean in a dingy. The boat designed for six, took on water and Yusra and her sister were among those who swam to safety. Now based in Germany, Yusra's an international voice for refugees and her story's about to become a Hollywood movie Football pioneer: A host of international stars are set to feature in the 2018 Women's FA Cup final at Wembley. Things were rather different when the former New Zealand international Donna Baker turned out for Knowsley United against Doncaster Belles in the 1994 final, staged at Scunthorpe.

Former Premier League footballer Nils Eric Johansson didn’t believe his playing days were over at 38. Until that is a trip to the doctor diagnosed a congenital heart condition had worsened and recommended immediate retirement. What effect did that have on him and his wife Alice? Two New Zealand Olympians, Emma Twigg and Rebecca Wardell, together with their friend Sarah Van Ballekom, are settling off on a mammoth cycle ride from Switzerland all the way home. The journey of around 18,000 kilometres will take them a year. They're hoping to meet fellow Olympians on the journey And want to inspire other women to achieve their sporting dreams. An upcoming documentary series in the United States is looking at how racehorses can help military veterans with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. It’s estimated that 20 veterans lose their lives to suicide every day in America, with 30% coming back from war with PTSD. Fourteen year old Jack McLinden lives just a kilometre away from Goodison Park, the home of his beloved Everton Football club, but is unable to attend matches because of multiple health conditions. This week he was the club’s virtual mascot as captain Phil Jagielka carried a small robot on to the pitch, inside was a webcam streaming live images and sound back to Jack’s computer at home. And ahead of the new netball season starting in Australia, the countries most capped international Liz Ellis has been talking publicly about one of her most private moments - a struggle to fall pregnant. Liz and her husband Matthew welcomed their son Austin into the world in 2016, after suffering three miscarriages and five failed IVF treatments.

Could extreme sports like sky diving and base jumping have a lasting positive affect on the mind? We hear from professor Eric Brymer whose research suggests just that, and Jared Lindzon who says Sky Diving cured his depression. As Arsene Wenger's time at Arsenal draws to a close we hear from one of his harshest critics, Robbie Lyle from Arsenal fan TV. We're in Denver as Rugby Union makes it's latest attempt to carve out a spot in America's crowded sporting landscape. 24 hours before the London Marathon we hear from Maddy Warren, one of the 40,000 people taking to the streets of the British capital on Sunday but the only one doing so without any kidneys. And we're in Chesterfield finding out about the English football rivalry forged in the mines and on picket lines. (Photo: A sky diver comes into land. Credit: Brendon Thorne/Getty Images)

When the 38 runners and riders gather at the starting line at Aintree, it will be a Grand National like no other seen in the past 30 years. For the first time since 1988, three female jockeys will be in their number. We speak to the first ever female rider to take part in the race in 1977, Charlotte Budd now known as Brew on her memories of that iconic race and how the sport is now heading in the right direction with gender equality. Australian weightlifter Tia Clare Toomey was asked whether she wanted to withdraw from the Commonwealth Games, just a week on after tragically losing her cousin in a car crash. Tia Clare wanted to compete and make her cousin proud. Her cousin Jade was meant to be in the stands cheering her on. Tia went on to lift her personal best 114kg in the clean and jerk to win gold in her home Games. She was also declared the Fittest Woman on Earth last year, when she won the 2017 CrossFit Games. She tells Shari how she has coped with the tragic loss and using it as an inspiration to become Olympic champion. At the age of 71 years old, Sue Curran is representing New Zealand in Lawn Bowls but that is only half the story. Sue only took up the sport six years ago, but she has participated at two Commonwealth Games. Sue is visually impaired and describes to Shari how much of an obstacle that is to her sporting career and how the sport helped cure loneliness following the death of her husband. Until three years ago, Jessica Lovett Murray had never run more than a few kilometres at a time - growing up in Australia's second-smallest state, Victoria - she participated in team sport but after the birth of her son, Jessica found the barriers too great to return back to sport - that all changed though with the help of the Indigenous Marathon Foundation team. Now she has completed the New York Marathon. Jessica's success story has been chosen by Australian campaign ThisGirlCan, which builds on the UK-based campaign of the same name. It is designed to help women free themselves from the fear of judgement. Research has found that more than 41% of Victorian women over the age of 25 are too embarrassed to exercise in public, with one in five doing no physical activity during a typical week. We speak to Jessica about her personal journey and how she has overcome anxiety/depression through the power of running. Like many teenage boys, Soufiane Touzani was addicted to football. But aged 14 he was diagnosed with a curvature of the spine and advised not to play the game. So he picked up a ball and started performing tricks and is now regarded at the pioneer of freestyle football. His video blogs went viral and is admired by one of the best players in the world like Christiano Ronaldo and Neymar. She has showcased her talent in the greatest show on earth culminating in securing silver at two Olympic Games - she is also a triple world champion in long jump.... Now Fiona May is head of anti-racism in the Italian Football Association and if that's not enough, she is also studying for a Masters in International Sports Governance. You would be forgiven to assume that Fiona is a well driven, ambitious woman full of confidence breaking down stereotypical barriers. However, despite all her success, confidence is an ingredient she feels she lacks – hear her interview with the BBC’s Mani Djazmi.

47 people have died in fatal stabbings and shootings in London since the start of the year, many of them teenagers or young adults. Michael Harris, head coach of Double Jab Boxing Gym tells us how the South London club is looking to keep young people clear of gang violence. Six years after first accepting women members, the home of Masters announced their plans to host a women's amateur tournament from 2019, former LPGA tour professional Anya Alvarez assesses the pros and cons of the competition which could clash with the first women's major of the year. As the 2018 Commonwealth Games gets underway on the Gold Coast of Australia we hear from Olufunke Oshonaike, Nigeria's most decorated female table-tennis player who wasn't selected for the Commonweath Games where the country are being represented by an all-male line up. We're in Zagreb as Zdravko Mamic, the man long-considered the most powerful figure in Croatian football, faces charges of embezzlement and tax evasion. Michael DePietro CEO of the Karate Combat League tells us what he's doing to bring a 700-year-old sport into the 21st century. And we meet Ernestine Shepherd, the 81-year-old bodybuilder, who may just have the secret to eternal youth. (Photo: Coach Michael Harris watches a young boxer in training alongside Britain's Prince Harry during a visit to the Double Jab Boxing Club in South East London. Credit: Daniel Leal-Olivas/AFP/Getty Images)

Seventeen people were murdered when a gunman opened fire at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida. Two weeks after the tragedy, the school's ice hockey team, ranked one of the lowest in the State tournament, unexpectedly beat the top seeded teams and qualified for the national schools championships. Captain Matthew Hautman says they want to continue their Cinderella story and win the title for the school and the victims. From ice hockey to field hockey, the incredible tale of Sandeep Singh and how a shooting nearly cost him his playing career. Plus, the Netherlands are Europe's most successful baseball nation. Amsterdam Pirates chairman says the proposed game between the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox in London will lead to more across Europe. And the Marley family are synonymous with Jamaican music. But they are starting to become influential in women’s football. Bob Marley’s daughter Cedella is big fan of the women national football team. The team failed to reach the last World Cup but are nearing qualification for their first CONCACAF cup, thanks to her support. (Image: Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School hockey team with the Stanley Cup, Credit: Getty Images)

The fall out to the attempted murder of a former spy continues with UK police contacting a number of Russian exiles to discuss their safety That's after Prime Minister Theresa May said it was highly likely the Russian State was responsible for posioning Sergei Skripal and his daughter in the English City of Salisbury. In response, amongst other sanctions, came the decision this week that no member of the British government or Royal family will go to this summer's Football World Cup in Russia But should England pull out of the tournament completely? We speak to sports historian John Hoberman. The increase in media coverage of Paralympic sport since London 2012 is clear. NBC in the United States aired a record 250 hours of coverage from these games in PeyongChang. But how accessible are some of the Winter Paralympic sports below the very elite level? We sent Richard Fleming along to join a ski group on the slopes of the Rocky Mountains in Colorado. We also speak to US snowboarder Amy Purdy, who was only given a 2% chance of survival when she had meningitis when she was 19 years old. This week, she won silver and bronze at the Winter Paralympics. She tells Caroline about her journey which involved dancing at the Rio Games Opening Ceremony with stomach flu and TV show Dancing with the Stars. Less than three weeks away from the Commonwealth Games and for the first time in the Games history, there will be a women's competition in Rugby Sevens. Sharni Williams will be part of the Australia team and will be looking to add to the gold medal she won at the 2016 Olympics in Rio but as she tells Caroline, rugby was not Sharni's first love - instead she has a real passion for getting her hands greasy and fixing cars. After clinching her first win at the Cheltenham Festival in March as an amateur, 22-year-old Bryony Frost is the talk of the racing world, with 30 victories since April 2017. As a child, Frost was riding the family donkey by the time she could walk and often her parents would let the donkey effectively be Bryony’s babysitter when they went out. When she was 15, after a fall, the infection turned into septicaemia and went to the lungs. She was in hospital for two months and was close to death. But Bryony recovered and became an amateur jockey at the age of 16. Now Frost is expecting to compete in the Grand National. Frost’s success has brought up a lot of headlines about the lack of professional female jockeys. A recent study showed that roughly one in 10 race jockeys with a professional license are women, with female jockeys only taking 5% of available rides. Ruqsana Begum is from a strict Muslim family in East London, who fell in love with kick-boxing but kept her participation secret from her parents for five years. Ruqsana Begum went on to become a world champion despite a disastrous arranged marriage and a mental breakdown. No wonder Hollywood are interested in taking her story to the big screen. On Saturday, Ruqsana starts a new career with her first contest in professional boxing, and hopes the extra expose can inspire more Muslim girls to take up sport. Despite having no professional league, and not even another side to play against. And despite making do with second hand kit, the countries only ice-hockey team have their sights set on the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. They practise every Wednesday night in Nairobi, led by captain Robert Opiyo. Picture - World Cup draw (Credit - Getty Images)

Tatiana Calderon admits that her career hasn’t always been easy. The Sauber test driver tells Sportshour she had to crash in order to the gain the respect from the male drivers. Calderon also talks about the controversial comments made by Carmen Jorda, the former development driver for Lotus and Renault. Jorda said women were more suited to competing in the new Formula E series, using electric vehicles than the high octane world of Formula One. The E-Car she believes presented less of a physical challenge. Last month a school in London tried to ban the wearing of the Hijab for pupils under eight. Staff at Stephen’s Primary School said it was to help younger girls move freely during Physical Education lessons. The idea was shelfed a week later, but what are the risks of having these conversations? And how important is it for young Muslim women to be able to wear them during sport? We also speak to role model Ibtihaj Muhammad and get her thoughts… Professional chef Dean Harper is on call to fuel some of Manchester’s Premier League footballers. He offers daily meal prep and date night specials. Whilst travelling to Delhi for a national hockey camp in 2006, one of India's hockey heros was accidentally shot by a member of the countries Railway Protection Force. It left Sandeep Singh with a punctured pancreas, a fractured rib, a chipped spine and kidney damage. After being told he wouldn't walk again, he not only went on to captain the Indian team, but he helped them win silver at the 2010 Commonwealth Games and he represented his country at the London Olympics in 2012. Now his life story is being told in a new film. Now we do it up to 20 times a minute, around 30,000 a day... so you would assume that we would be experts at it by now... but think again - according to Dr Belisa Vranich, breathing is something we could all improve on. The correct breathing by an athlete can give the 0.1% increase in performance; the possible difference between gold and silver.

Biathlon Boycott Find out why the US biathlon team are boycotting a World Cup event in Russia this month, despite the IOC lifting their ban. A member of the US team, Clare Egan, tells us they’re making a stand against doping in sport and believe the IOC lifted the sanctions too soon. Zimbabwe to Zambia in a chicken wagon We find out how the footballers of Matabeleland qualified for the ConIFA World Cup in England in May - a tournament for nations and regions not recognised by FIFA. Their English coach, Justin Whalley, tells us the story of their qualification and the fund-raising taking place so they can take part in the finals. Peace in our time Peace Proscovia was never meant to leave her village in Uganda and never meant to get a University degree either. But now she captains her country in Netball - and will do so at the Commonwealth Games in April - and is studying for a Masters in Marketing. Get in the hole ball World No 3 Justin Thomas has a fan ejected for shouting while playing a shot at the Honda Classic. So should golf fans be allowed to openly root against players as in other sports? Or have the players put up with shouting from the galleries for too long? The former tour professional Andrew Murray and golf writer James Corrigan offer their opposing views. Going downhill fast Millie Knight is a visually-impaired ski racer who represented Great Britain at the Winter Paralympics in Sochi aged just 15, coming fifth in both the slalom and giant slalom. Since then she 's won the World Championships in Italy and is a big favourite for a medal at the 2018 games in Pyeongchang. As they hurtle down the slope, Millie and her guide Brett Wild talk via a Bluetooth headset.

Following former football coach Barry Bennell’s sentencing of 31 years for 50 counts of child sexual abuse, we speak to one of his victims Steve Walters who along with other survivors, have set up a support network, The Offside Trust to combat child abuse in sport and support the healing journey of survivors. In a moving and raw interview, Steve explains what it was like coming face to face with the man who ruined his childhood and how he now aims to rebuild his life. Fans in Australia have had their first taste of a bite-sized version of one of the country’s most popular sports. AFLX is a new, turbo-charged version of Australian Rules Football which organisers hope will be popular with international audiences. It is the latest sport to attempt bringing in new fans to a shorter form of a traditional game. We find out what the response has been like. Vince Smith was a successful jockey winning over 250 races but she is now openly living as a woman after spending more than half a century hiding her feelings from friends, family and those in the horse-racing industry. She is currently in talks to become the first ever jockey to race as both a man and woman, and telling her story to help others considering a gender change. June Kang used to tell her son, Andy, bedtime stories about the Korean War and how it not only divided a nation, it divided families. Her dad — his grandfather — fought in the war. So watching North and South Korea march as a single team into the Opening Ceremony of the Winter Olympics carried enormous emotional weight. Andy was born in Korea but made his debut as an Australian Olympian in a sport Korea dominate - short-track speed skating. We speak to Andy about his experience in PyeonChang. Canada captain Caroline Ouellette faced her US counterpart Julie Chu on many occasions in the most heated rivalry in Ice Hockey. Chu was the first Asian-American woman to play for the US team - Ouellette led Team Canada to gold at the 2014 Winter Games but who would have predicted what would happen next. Clearly, they were more than just rivals and the couple have had their first baby – we speak to Caroline about how they met and was it love at first ice? Picture - Steve Walters (Credit - Getty Images).

Earlier this year the sports doctor Larry Nassar was sentenced to more than 360 years in prison in the United States. More than 250 women, including many of the country's elite gymnasts accused him of sexual abuse, including Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles. Among those gymnasts to testify against him was another Olympic champion Aly Raisman. It was the testimony of Raisman and her team-mates that gave the Icelandic gymnast Tinna Odinsdottir the courage to tell Sportshour she was raped by a fellow gymnast following a competition in 2016. Inspired too by the "me too" campaign she revealed, what she described as "her secret". Canada's Ross Rebagliati won snow-boarding gold at the Nagano Winter Olympics. He was then disqualified for using cannabis, but regained the medal, after a ruling that the substance wasn't banned by the IOC. The stigma stayed with him though. Now twenty years on cannabis is banned by WADA for use in competitions, but a cannabis compound is permitted. And Rebagliati remains an advocate and is promoting the benefits of cannabis when used in a responsible and healthy manner. Having competed at his sixth and final Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang Shiva Keshavan has finally retired after a 20 year international career, competing in the Luge. Growing up in the Himalayas he and his friends had ambitions of competing in winter sports, but Keshavan found it hard to convince India's sports authorities that the Winter Olympics were a major event. Kosovo marks the 10th anniversary of its unilateral declaration of independence from Serbia this weekend. But the celebrations will be tempered by the sense that Kosovo is stuck in limbo. More than 80 countries still don't recognise its independence. But the situation in sport seems a little brighter. Kosovo has a competitor at the Winter Olympics - and its footballers recently took part in their first World Cup qualifying campaign. That was the result of a concerted effort to gain Kosovo membership of international sports federations. Photo-journalist Ted Jackson was on assignment at camp for homeless people in 1990 when he came across former NFL player Jackie Wallace, who'd played in two Superbowls. Jackson's story brought help to Jackie, who rebuilt his life. The pair stayed in contact, but Wallace suffered more set-backs, served time in jail and twice went missing. Ted is once again searching for Jackie. Photo: Getty

This week, Manchester United and the world of football marked the sixtieth anniversary of the Munich Air disaster. The greatest footballer in Kenya’s history – Joe Kadenge became a Manchester United fan after the tragedy and for the first time in his life, he got to watch United play at Old Trafford against Huddersfield. During his visit to Manchester, he attended the Munich memorial service on Tuesday and also popped into the BBC Sport studio where we spoke to him about fulfilling a lifetime ambition of visiting the Theatre of Dreams. Christina Snead has dedicated her whole life to making a difference in sport. Most weekends, you'll find her officiating high-school American football games in her native North Carolina; the first woman to do so. But in 2003 Christina was pregnant with her first child and was enjoying what appeared to be a healthy pregnancy until complications arose while she went into labour. Her son Brandon was in distress and his brain was injured during birth. Even though he survived, he has never recovered enough to live at home, requiring a feeding tube, ventilator and around-the-clock care. Despite Brandon’s health battle, Christina tells us her next aim is make it to the NFL! Mayor Changai is a refugee from South Sudan but is now living in Sydney and is the coach of the Savanah Pride Basketball Club. The programme has stopped loitering and fighting on the streets of Blacktown. Some of his players have earned scholarships to play US college Basketball. The BBC’s Phil Mercer went along to a training session. Taking up running can seem like a scary prospect, especially if you feel out of shape or unfit. NHS Couch to 5K will help you gradually work up towards running 5K in just 9 weeks. On New Year’s Day, we heard presenter Shari Vahl take on the challenge so how is she going at the ½ way stage? The motivational voice on the podcast, Laura, interviews Shari on progress and tips on how to keep motivated. Roald Bradstock is a former athlete, he has twice represented Great Britain at the 1984 and 1988 Olympic Games but 30 years on, he will be going back to South Korea, this time as an artist. He tells Shari that his lifetime goal was to become an Olympic athlete but his other lifetime dream was to become an Olympic artist. He is part of the IOC’s historic and first ever Olympic Art Project. With all eyes on the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, we look back at one of the iconic moments of the Games which happened on 22nd February, 1980 when the United States stunned the defending champions Soviet Union 4-3 in the men's Ice Hockey competition. Since then, it's been known as the "Miracle On Ice" - Neal Broten was a member of the gold medal winning US team and talks us through that memorable day. Picture - Munich Air Disaster tribute t-shirt (Credit - Getty Images)

We look back on an NFL season dominated by politics and protest, and ask if the player protests have failed and how significant the issue is that prompted Colin Kaepernick's campaign in the first place - police brutality, and why Minneapolis–Saint Paul was such an apposite location for this year's Super Bowl... Killed on Facebook: Why I joined the police after my nephew was killed by an officer As well as the home of this year’s Super Bowl, Minneapolis–Saint Paul was also the home of Philando Castile, whose death, at the hand of a police officer, was streamed on Facebook Live by his girlfriend, who was in the car along with her four-year-old child. We meet his mother Valerie, who tells us about that fateful day and her anger at what has happened since. We also speak to Clarence, Philando’s uncle, who despite everything, has recently joined the police force! He tells us why. Kaepernick in the Community Although he hasn’t played this season, Colin Kaepernick has been plenty busy. He has spent the year donating his time, energy and $1m of his own money to community charities. We visit one of them. The Lower Eastside Girls Club is a community-based project empowering girls and women to achieve their goals and to create the next generation of community-minded leaders. We hear from three teenage girls, who are regulars at the club, about the significance of Colin Kaepernick’s message, profile, and support. Turning A New Page Alan Page is a former Minnesotan Supreme Court Justice, activist, philanthropist - and he just happens to be one of the greatest American footballers to ever play the game. As a defensive tackle, he stood up to enormous physical pressure, while off the field he made a point of speaking his mind. He will be honoured on the field at Sunday's Super Bowl, and showed us around his new exhibition of artifacts from the Jim Crow era. He has some powerful advice to the modern-day athlete activist. Have the Player Protest failed? We hear from black conservative Shelby Steele on why he believes the protests have failed and how the players are misguided and wrong to do it in the first place. The Cost of Speaking out Colin Kaepernick is not the first player to claim to have had his career shortened because of a willingness to speak out on social issues. Chris Kluwe had a highly-successful career with the Minnesota Vikings, until he was released for what he claims were off-field reasons. In 2013, he strongly vocalised his support for same-sex marriage and in 2014 he says he was cut from the Vikings team because of it.

Former Team USA gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar was jailed for 175 years, after he was convicted of multiple counts of sexual assault. We speak to Katherine Starr who created Safe 4 Athletes, an organisation protecting athlete welfare, who says the first gymnast came to her to report sexual abuse in US Gymnastics. Kiko Matthews will try to break the world record for rowing solo across the Atlantic, despite having little or no experience in a boat. She will be raising money for Kings College Hospital in London, to say thank you for the treatment she received for a rare and life threatening condition: Cushing Disease. And we speak to the Reggae Rollers, Jamaica's first ever lawn bowls team.

Following the sad news this week that Cyrille Regis passed away at the age of 59, Caroline Barker speaks to his nephew Jason Roberts about the inspiring role Cyrille had on many lives but also how he shaped his own footballing career. Jason pays tribute to his hero and how he will remember Cyrille. On 14th February 2013, Reeva Steenkamp was killed by her boyfriend, the once idolised Paralympic athlete Oscar Pistorious. At the time, he was sentenced to six years. A term prosecutors argued was shockingly light. Just under three weeks ago, the South African court increased Pistorius's jail sentence to 13 years and 5 months - a move Reeva's family welcomed. On the day she died, Reeva was due to give a talk at a school on violence against women and children - this was an area she was passionate about. So much so, in 2015 her mother June Steenkamp launched the Reeva Rebecca Steenkamp foundation to raise awareness of abuse against women and children not only in South Africa, but around the world. We hear from June Steenkamp on how life has never been quite the same since that tragic day. Bilal Fawaz is 29 years old, he has represented England six times and has the London middleweight title to his name but now he faces deportation back to Nigeria by the home office. Bilal explained to the BBC’s Azi Farni who went to meet him that he feels lost, like he’s trapped in prison on a dog leash. He believes without boxing, he would not be alive and how he has had to cope from a young age without parental guidance as his mother died when he was eight and he has never known his father. Levi Siver has reached incredible heights in more ways than one which no other person has ever achieved. The 37 year old professional windsurfer became the first person to ever windsurf down a snowy mountain in Japan, braving temperatures as low as -13 degrees. Caroline Barker speaks to the so called, King of Style to see where this latest inspiration came from. Lisa Blair completed the epic Sydney to Hobart journey within three days. It was her third time she had managed to complete such a feat but it was the first time in 16 years an all-female crew contested Australia's longest ocean race. It capped off a momentous year for the Australian sailor, who became the first woman to circumnavigate the Antarctic in July which took a gruelling 184 days. She tells Caroline Barker how she managed to achieve all of this and how her next goal is to encourage more women to follow her footsteps and take up sailing.

For the first time Saudi women have been allowed into stadiums to watch a football match. It happened in Jeddah. We hear what the the experience was like from one of the pioneering women and what it means for future change in the country. Stranded in Romania Romania has been home for the Tonga Rugby international Sione Vaiomounga for three years, since he joined the Baia Mare club in 2014. But he suffered kidney failure in his first season and needs regular dialysis treatment. With no dialysis machines in his native Tonga, he's described a return home as a death sentence. We hear from Sione and his wife Sala, plus the former Samoa International Dan Leo, one of the founders of the Pacific Rugby Players welfare organisation, that has been helping Sione and his family. Competing with Smog We're in India to look at how pollution in Indian cities is becoming a barrier to sport and exercise. Breaking barriers on ice When the American figure skater Adam Rippon glides onto the ice for the first time at next month's Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, it will be a landmark moment. Rippon, one of three men who'll represent the United States in the discipline, tells us what it means to be the first openly gay American man to qualify for the Olympics. From Rugby to the NFL We hear how a former England hopeful Christian Scotland-Williamson switched his sights from rugby union to chase a career in the NFL. Rolling over football We hear about the love of the beautiful game across the globe. Football on the beaches. Football on dusty patches of dirt. Football in the street. But in some parts of the world, there’s another sport following swiftly on its heels, Rollerblading. We're in Ivory Coast to hear how the sport is growing in the country. (Photo: Female Saudi supporters watch football at the King Abdullah Sports City. Credit: Getty Images)

Ukrainian Anna Muzychuk is a grandmaster of the sport but the two-time world champion lost her titles as she refused to take part in the World Chess Championship in Saudi Arabia because she did not want to play by someone else’s rules. She told Caroline Barker that she does not want to be treated like a secondary creature. It was the first time the tournament was held in Saudi Arabia which has already caused a stir with several players from Israel denied a visa to enter the country. Anna’s sister is also a professional chess player and she has also decided to pull out of the tournament as she shares the same views. Every season, dozens of African-American basketball players pack up their sneakers to play the sport and live in Israel. In the last 40 years, more than 800 African-Americans have relocated to play in the Israeli Basketball Premier League. We speak to the author of the book, From Alley-Oop to Aliyah: African American Hoopsters in the Holy Land, David Goldstein who explores how identity, race and religion are all connected through the experience of playing basketball. Christian Scotland-Williamson quit Rugby Union to pursue his lifelong ambition of playing in the NFL. The 24-year-old will touch down in America later this month as he sacrifices all to become a professional National Football League player. He will be working with NFL coaches in the hope of earning a place on a team roster for the 2018 season. NFL team Cleveland Browns became only the second team in history to go the whole season without a win - that is 16 games without victory. Despite this, there will be a parade happening in Cleveland on Saturday. We speak to the organiser Chris McNeil who tells us why he has decided to put this parade together and what he is hoping the outcome will be. The Browns nearly went the whole of last season without a win in which a parade was also set to happen but the team won their penultimate game of the season. As a result, the parade was cancelled. Around 4,000 fans are expected to turn out for this parade in order to highlight that the fans are not happy with the way the club is run. It is one of the most anticipated weekends of the football calendar - the third round of the FA Cup, the 137th edition of the oldest recognised football tournament in the world culminating with the final at Wembley in May. But when I say the word "Wembley" do you think of the iconic football stadium in London, or do you think of the tiny football club of the same name, who play in the ninth tier of the English game with an average attendance of 50? The FA claims that in non-English speaking countries there could be confusion. The European Courts agreed. So Wembley FC are being asked to remove the word "Wembley" from their official club logo. We hear from the Wembley FC Chairman Brian Gumm who tells Caroline his side of the story. (Photo: Anna Muzychuk. Credit: Getty Images)

A look back at a year when President Trump and the world of sport clashed. Photo: US President Donald Trump holds a jersey given to him by New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft (R) and head coach Bill Belichick (L) alongside members of the team during a ceremony honoring them as 2017 Super Bowl Champions on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC, April 19, 2017. CREDIT: SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images)

Harrison Browne is a professional ice-hockey player with the Metropolitan Riveters in the National Women's Hockey League in the United States. He's won championships, but Harrison is also known for being the first transgender athlete on a professional US sports team. On a cold wintry night in 2003, 89 merry Union Berlin fans hatched a plan. The team had just lost their last game before the winter break but the fans didn’t want to say goodbye to each other without some Christmas joy. So they broke into Union Berlin’s stadium, drank mulled wine and sang Christmas carols. . Every year, the club arrange a Christmas Carol concert that regularly sells out their 28,000 capacity stadium. The festive period means a time when your diet takes a back seat and you over indulge (many many mince pies). Why don’t you join the millions of people who’ve already signed up to Veganuary, a campaign that encourages the public to adopt a vegan diet in January next year? He’s has won English football's League Cup with Stoke City and was capped four times by his country ... That all happened in the 1970s. But Mike Pejic's sporting success continues. Earlier this month, he automatically qualified for next year's Taekwondo World Championships in Taipei, at the age of 67. He might have hung up his football boots but he continues to fight and train the next generation of Taekwondo stars.

Wildfires have caused severe damage to businesses and homes in Southern California. Several horse racing and dressage stables have been destroyed after the blaze engulfed areas outside Los Angeles and San Diego. In early November, Peter Miller was celebrating his most successful day as trainer but 30 days later, he had lost five horses in the fire including a champion ride called California Diamond. Former England captain Graham Gooch talks about how the England cricket team shouldn’t be treated like school boys,after two were punished for their off the field activities. Deep Sea Diver Ant Williams says he loves to compete in the extreme sport, despite regularly coughing up blood. And we meet Mark Maciver aka Slider Cut, who has become a cultural phenomenon thanks to his connection with boxer Anthony Joshua. Mark tells Sportshour, what AJ’s and he talk about, when he’s sat in the barber’s chair and it’s not what you expect.

Kerry Gruson talks about their experiences of competing in Ironman’s as a disabled athlete with her partner Caryn Lubetsky. The American was left paralysed after a soldier attacked her during an interview. The Christmas Truce during the winter of 1914 has become one of the most re-told stories of the First World War Soldiers from both sides stopped fighting to exchange gifts, sing carols and play a game of football on the battlefield near Ypres. To commemorate the truce, every December the Premier League arranges a tournament for youth team players.West Ham youth player Harrison McMahon, Seattle Sounders coach Marc Nichols and Neil Saunders talk about their experiences of the tournament. Since Sir Roger Bannister broke the record for the four minute mile, many runners have tried to break records at that distance. Paul Robinson is no exception. The Irishman was approached by a friend to see, whether he wanted to break a mile record in Antarctica. The problem was Paul only had three weeks to prepare for the challenge. He says running the mile in those conditions has helped improve his career, so his goals of competing at the Olympics won’t be put on ice.

As the groups are drawn for the 2018 World Cup we assess the problems facing LGBT and minority fans in Russia. British Athlete Bobby Clay opens up about the over training and under eating from the age of 15 has robbed her of puberty and left her with the bone disease Osteoporosis. As Australia lift their eleventh Rugby League World Cup title we hear from Gary Carter, a journalist who fought back from the brink of death to report on the World Cup final after a brutal attack left him in a coma for six weeks. And we're in Abidjan at Africa's largest eSports event to hear how gaming is growing on the continent. Photo: World Cup draw ceremony at the Kremlin. Credit: Getty Images.

In 1999, 16 year old tennis player Jelena Dokic, Ranked 129, beat world number one Martina Hingis, the teenager from Australia came of age. Dokic would go on to reach the quarterfinals of Wimbledon that year, but despite her success, she alleges that behind closed doors she was suffering physical and emotional abuse at the hands of her father, Damir. Jelena admits she nearly killed herself. Now retired Jelena has been telling her story to Sportshour and how her first day on a tennis court at the age of 6 was actually the day the abuse started. Snooker has been dominated by European players throughout its history with just three world champions from outside the continent in 90 years. But is that about to change? Sportshour’s been to meet Africa's latest snooker hopeful who's hoping to make the breakthrough. We hear from England cricketer Moeen Ali who is currently in Australia hoping to help his side take a firm grip on one of the fiercest rivalries in sport, the Ashes and at the same time change perceptions. The spinner has become the poster boy for Islam in Britain. We’re also behind the scenes of athletics – with the sport preparing for a future without its’ biggest icon, the 100 and 200 metres world record holder Usain Bolt, there's also the question of how to attract new, younger fans to Track and Field. The IAAF hopes its’ new Heritage project, to be launched in the New Year, can use the sports past champions to secure its future. (Image: Tennis player Jelena Dokic, credit: Getty images)

After Australia’s citizens voted in favour of legalising same-sex marriage in a national poll that will trigger a parliamentary debate, we assess how sport in the country may have influenced the vote. We're in the USA as researchers confirm the detection of the dementia-like disease CTE or "boxers brain" for the first time in a living person, a break through that could change the lives of the former NFL players suffering from the degenerative condition that’s been linked to repeated blows to the head. We also visit the French Space agency in Toulouse to see how the transformation Astronauts bodies go through while in Space could have wider positive implications for the world of sport. And as the Women’s Rugby League World Cup gets underway we're in camp with the Cook Islands, a team gathered from across seas and social media to get the small island to their first World Cup for twelve years. (Image: A rainbow 50 metre line during the 2017 AFL Pride Game. Credit: Getty Images)

May El Khalil was running on the side of road, when she was knocked over and crushed by a truck. The accident caused her to slip into a coma. Once she woke, she lay in a hospital bed for two years and she devised a plan. She wanted to start a marathon in Beirut, Lebanon. The Middle Eastern country had never hosted an event like it due political and social unrest but May, despite the protests, was determined to get her idea over the line. After having 36 surgeries to make her walk again, she travelled the length of the country to promote the event. Since 2003, the event has been used to promote peace in a very unstable country. Rugby's Ironman Fiji is one of the most physical rugby union teams in the whole world. But there will be one Italian who will be looking forward to lining up against the Fijians. Ian Mckinley could earn his first international cap, if he comes off the bench for the Azzurri. No professional wants to start as a substitute but for Ian it is an opportunity of a life time. Ian was blinded in one eye, after a stray boot caught him in the face. He now has to wear goggles, when he plays. Ian says he is looking forward to pulling on the blue shirt. Franchise Fraternisation Every summer and winter, the eyes of the football world turn to the transfer window, where players and occasionally coaches move between teams. There is one transfer in US sport that involves players, coaches, the fans and maybe even the cleaning staff. That is the transfer of a team to a new city. Recently, two NFL teams have moved to Los Angeles and the Oakland Raiders are set to move to Las Vegas. Will the constant movement of teams undermine the popularity of US leagues? We spoke to Raiders fan Ray Perez, Dave Cooley who helped move an NFL team to Tennessee and leading sports economist Rod Fort about the relocation. Total Wipeout Andrew Cotton broke his back, after being crushed by a 60ft wave, while surfing in Portugal. We spoke to Andrew from his hospital bed. The Brit says he hopes to return to the waves soon for the summers surf and isn’t concerned that his total wipeout will hinder the possibility of getting new sponsors. Life is Full of Ups and Downs South Africa's top trampoline star Bianca Zoonekynd was left homeless after her family residence in Port Elizabeth was burnt to the ground. Then, earlier this year, she was left with life-threatening injuries following a serious car crash. But Bianca, who is coached by her mum Mandy, is going for gold at the World Championships in Bulgaria this weekend, and she even has hopes of competing at the Tokyo Olympics in three years' time.

‘I didn’t realise I was shot, it felt like I was hit by a hammer’ On October 1st, Nick Robone and friends headed to a music festival in downtown Las Vegas. Halfway through headliner Jason Aldean’s set a crackle of gunfire can be heard over the music. Nick was one of the 500 people injured by the gunman; the bullet had just avoided his heart and punctured his lung. As blood filled his mouth, his brother Anthony and friend Billy carried Nick to safety. As they waited behind a parked car, Anthony gave medical treatment to Nick and others injured by the gunman. Nick, who is an ice hockey coach at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas says the hockey community has helped his recovery. The Wallaby Great and his Paralympic Padawan Australia, a country associated with successful sports teams and athletes. In order to maintain sporting success throughout different generations, the Sport Australia Hall of Fame has introduced a mentoring scheme, where Australia sportstar of the past mentor stars of the future. Paralympic snowboarder Ben Tudhope has been paired with Rugby Union World Cup winner Nick Farr Jones. Ben was the youngest competitor at the Sochi Winter Olympics and ahead of next year’s games, Ben hopes Nick's guidance will help him to the medal podium. He’s run a blinder Running a marathon is a sporting milestone in anyone’s life. But imagine running 26 miles blind and unguided. Well that is the challenge facing Simon Wheatcroft as his lines up at the start of the New York Marathon on Sunday. Simon lost his sight as a teenager due to a genetic disease and will be tackling the course using smartphone-based navigation. If he completes the course, it is the first time that anyone blind has ever raced a marathon solo. Bullying, Boxing and an American’s Cup winning champion The America’s Cup is the oldest sport competition in the world. In order to win the trophy, crews need to physically and mentally tough. Aussie James Spithill has captained Team Oracle USA to victory twice. The second times being that memorable come from behind victory, which featured Sir Ben Ainsle. But things weren’t plain sailing for James as a child, as he was bullied due to a disability. James talks about how boxing helped turn his life around and what advice he has for children who are being bullied at the moment.

The Lords of East Africa Newsland in Cape Town, New Road in Worcester, the Queenstown Event centre in New Zealand, three of the prettiest grounds to watch or play cricket but there is a new stadium that could usurp their crown. The Kicukiro Oval in Kigali, maybe one of the newest grounds in world cricket but it’s already one of the grounds with spectacular scenery in sport. History will be made this weekend, when it will host the first competitive game. Rwanda will be taking on an All Star XI including the likes of Michael Vaughan, Brain Lara, Herschelle Gibbs and Sam Billings. Eric Dusingizimana will be leading out Rwanda and he thinks his team will give the All-stars a run for their money. Eric explains in detail how cricket has helped his country heal and move on from the genocide in the 1990's. While Sam says he’s nervous ahead of his knock on the new wicket. Rock bottom but on the up: the WWE and film star who saved a World Cup dream Convicted for assault, multiple knee injuries and sleeping in his car outside the training ground. Junior Vaivai has had an eventful career so far but the American Samoan is about to play in his first Rugby League World Cup. The 27 year old was about to give up his playing career but a thanksgiving trip and a conversation with a family member changed his life. Junior’s cousin is WWE wrestler and highest paid actor in the world, Dwayne ‘the Rock’ Johnson. Dwayne convinced Junior to stick with the sport and his advice paid off, as Junior will line up the Eagles against Fiji on Saturday. A Cookie Monster and a bar of soap tattoo If you’re planning to attend any cycling race in the United States, then you’ll probably come across Phil Gaimon. The ex-professional cyclist has swapped his bike for his a cookie monster hat and offers riders only the best cookies on their ascent. Phil retired in 2014 and by his own admission, wasn't one of the most talented riders in the peloton but what he is proud of is that he did so clean. He even had a bar of soap tattooed on his arm to prove a point. He says doping will continue in the sport. He says cheats shouldn't be invited to take part in any cycling event again. Anyone but England? Anyone but England. A phrase commonly used in bars and clubs across Wales, Scotland and Ireland (maybe the whole world, you never know), when England takes to field or court in any sport. Well, the England Under 17 football team are into the World Cup final against Spain. The match will be taking place in Kolkata. What do the locals think of the team and has this cricket mad nation finally embraced football?

‘Coming of age for women in sport’ ‘We’re not scared to rock the boat anymore’ and ‘we need more women in the corridors of power’, those are some of the comments from Ruth O’Reilly. Ruth was part of the Irish Rugby team at this summer’s World Cup. She criticised the Irish Rugby Football Union on the final day about a lack of planning, commitment and communication during their World Cup preparations. This week, saw the IRFU downgrade the Women’s Head coach role from a full-time one to a part-time, 6 month casual contract. It was one of many stories that saw female athletes speak out about the actions of governing bodies. Ruth thinks women will be encouraged to speak out more about their grievances. Don’t isolate female refs, introduce more Finland v Norway was a record breaking rugby game. It didn’t break a record for the amount of tries scored or the number of sin bins given. The game created history because it saw Alhambra Nievas become the first female referee to take charge of a competitive men’s international. Her colleague Joy Neville will follow in her footsteps, when she referee’s a men’s competitive fixture next week and Alhambra says more sports should follow rugby by introducing several female referees at the same time. The Spaniard says more female refs will mean they don’t feel as pressured or isolated as their male counterparts. The Blade Babe ‘Project Blade’ may sound like a Hollywood film but it’s actually a new initiative set up by Paralympic champion Marlou Van Rhijn to get running blades more accessible for children. A new pair blades costs £4,500 and Marlou in conjunction with Nike has set up a station in their Amsterdam store, where children can buy their own blades like they can running shoes. The Blade Babe as she likes to be known hopes the success of the store in the Netherlands will lead to it being available across the world. Is Europe not that kneedy? Hertha Berlin became the first sports team outside of the North America to adopt the take a knee protest. Not many European athletes or teams have followed their American colleagues and adopted the take a knee protest. Doctor Kehinde Andrews from Birmingham City University says European teams and athletes aren’t following suit because they’re too scared of the repercussions.

Vegas Strong It’s been two weeks since a gunman killed 58 people in Las Vegas. The city is still trying to recover from the tragedy. One source of inspiration is the city’s first professional sport team, the Las Vegas Golden Knights. The ice hockey team came into existence this year and, on Tuesday, they hosted their first ever home match, where they honoured the emergency services. The team have yet to lose this season. Steve Carp covers the team for the Las Vegas Review-Journal; his friend was shot and injured during the attack. Steve talks about how the team has helped heal a community. Club President Kerry Bulboz also talks about the effort made by the club to help heal a community. A tale of two Ironwomen On Saturday, Elizabeth McTernan and Linda Ashmore will be competing in the toughest event on the planet, the Ironman World Championships in Hawaii. For Elizabeth, the race on Saturday will be her first ever Ironman World Championships. She is paralysed from the waist down and will be the only female disabled athlete to compete in this year’s race. Linda, on the other hand, will be competing in her third race at the age of 70. She started running triathlons and ironmans in her mid 60’s, after she beat breast cancer. Four Four Toons What links Dennis the Menace, Mario Balotelli, Homer Simpson and Diego Costa? They're all beloved characters and cartoons! Dean Stobbart, is the man behind 442oons. The youtube channel regularly publishes cartoons about the Premier League and the world of football. The sketches and songs have helped Dean reach more than one million subscribers on the video sharing website. There is no football off limits in his cartoons. 127 year wait for a team The Barbarians, a rugby team that prioritises flair over tactics; everyone remembers the Gareth Edwards try against the All Blacks in 1973. This week it was announced that the Barbarians would introduce a women’s team, 127 years after the club was formed. Barbars coach Giselle Mathers talks about how the new team could help develop women’s rugby.