Sportshour

Would you move heaven and earth to change your life? No? Well how about just your living room? When times got tough, New Yorker James Grammer found solace in sport, in particular the ancient Japanese sport of Sumo. But initially there was nowhere local to compete. While the parks were fine in the summer, the traditional sumo loincloth would be a bit chilly in winter ! So James turned his apartment into a Beya, the name for where Sumo wrestlers train. He’ll tell us the joys and drawbacks of sumo wrestling at home and his ambitions going forward as well as why he has been so keen on big contact sports growing up.

Iranian born film director Milad Alami moved to Sweden as a child refugee and his latest movie OPPONENT uses the sport of wrestling to highlight the challenges encountered by refugees across Europe. Milad draws on his own experiences to tell the story of an Iranian wrestler who worn down by the asylum process seeks out the one thing he knows and starts to train with the Swedish wrestling team. He tells us why he chose wrestling, why he wanted to highlight the challenge of refugees fitting into a new country and how important it was for him to cast real refugees in the film.

We’ll get the inside track on horse racing’s oldest racecourse, the Roodee – more commonly known as Chester Racecourse. Sportshour reporter Richard Padula finds out why former Ballon d’or winner Michael Owen is so enamoured with the sport and the course.

On Eurovision Grand Final day, BBC Sport’s music aficionado Pat Nevin casts his ear across the fancied songs for this year’s competition. Croatia are strong favourites but are they Pat’s?

Plus, what links American footballer Brandon Mebane, Footballer Douglas Luiz and Formula One Driver Daniel Ricciardo? The answer – Bellydancing and to mark World Bellydancing Day, we’ll get a tutorial from Heather Eggins from Belly Dance Heaven.

Photo: Sumo wrestlers practice in James Grammer's apartment turned sumo Beya in New York. (Credit: James Grammer)

Caroline Barker speaks to Jake Peacock on how he wants to entertain and inspire the world through his achievements in the Muay Thai ring. Peacock, who was born with one arm shorter than the other, was bullied at school and still receives negative messages on social media, but he says his greatest satisfaction comes from inspiring people.

From free classes and sharing equipment to the Olympic Games, Samantha Catantan is the first Filipino fencer to qualify for the Olympics in 32 years - and the first woman. Her qualification came after a significant injury setback and she’s not the only Catantan sibling with an Olympic dream.

Double Olympic rowing champion Heather Stanning has recently completed Marathon des Sables, a six-day footrace over 250km in the Sahara Desert. Is the “toughest footrace on earth” her toughest challenge yet?

And, 4 May is also known as 'Star Wars Day' so to mark the day Sportshour finds out more about the Stars Wars inspired sport of lightsaber duelling with France’s Celine Marie Mercier.

(Photo: Jake Peacock after winning on his ONE Championship debut against Kohei Shinjo in Bangkok in April 2024. Credit: ONE Championship)

***This episode contains discussions and references to suicide. 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: befrienders.org***

Depression, health issues and the impact of the covid pandemic are familiar to many the world over. Canoeist Esti Olivier has been through it all and now has her eyes firmly fixed on competing at the Olympics in Paris. She tells us the highs and lows of the past few years of her life including missing out on the Tokyo Olympics. The moment she booked her place in Paris is one you’ve probably never heard before.

Michael Anton Monsour is a club owner hoping to change the way sport looks at head injuries - by prevention. His club, Manchester ’62, who play in the top division in Gibraltar, made history with all 10 outfield players wearing protective headgear in a match. Michael is hoping to make as big a global impact as the club his team are named after - Manchester United – and tell us why the issue of head injuries is so important to him. Star player Ahmed Salam also tells us what it’s like to wear the headgear during games.

Darcy Budworth tells about the “alley-cat” race series Take The Bridge that she founded. The races held in the dead of night in some of the worlds biggest cities, have a start point and an end but the route is up to you. The only rule is that you have to make the checkpoints dotted around the city selected. Nine years after its creation, Darcy tells us why it was important to her to bring the fun back into running.

And the London Marathon’s “wine guy” drops in. Wine specialist Tom Gilbey went viral on social media, when he tested his palate every mile of the London Marathon, guessing which wine he was being offered. He tells us why he did it and gives Caroline a wine-tasting lesson.

Photo: Esti Olivier takes part in a Canoe Sprint race. (Credit: Sean van der Westhuizen)

***This episode contains discussions and references to extreme violence, sexual violence and domestic abuse. 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: befrienders.org***

Tracy Otto is on the verge of representing the Team USA at the Paralympics in Archery for the first time. But representing the United States in Archery was not what Tracy thought she would be doing five years ago. Back then, in her early 20s she was a student at the University of Tampa and an aspiring fitness model. But one night would change her life forever. In 2019, a brutal attack by an ex-partner left her paralyzed from the chest down with limited use of her arms and hands and the loss of her left eye. She describes that night, the impact on her life and how she is hoping to use the Paralympics to empower herself and others.

The ironman triathlon is one of the most gruelling events in world sport. It covers over 200 kilometres with a swim, a bike ride and a run. But how about making it just that little bit more difficult ? Australia's David Lowry has been doing just that. He tells us about trading the traditional slick and aerodynamic road bike for a BMX version in memory of his brother Damien, who he lost to suicide. And he wants to ask the all important question – R U OK?

We also hear from 83-year-old Kiko Rutter. He will be running the London Marathon, raising money for a mission hospital close to his heart but on the other side of the world. The hospital on Vella Lavella, one of the Solomon Islands in the South Pacific was ran by his father ran over 80 years ago. Kiko wants to continue his good work to make sure those most in need are provided for.

And how far can you swim? How about how high? Seven “mad swimmers” will be looking to break an unwanted world record of the highest altitude swim in a new body of water found in the Himalayas. Former South African netball star Vanes-Mari du Toit is one of those attempting the feat at 6450 metres and tells us why it’s another alarming sign

(Photo: Tracy Otto. Credit: Tracy Otto)

Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Bára Votíková tells Sportshour's Caroline Barker about how she balances her football career alongside being one of the Czech Republic's best known and most followed content creators. She tells us about using her social media platforms to advocate for gay rights, and how she deals with the haters.

New Zealand pole vaulter Eliza McCartney is about to take a leap of faith ahead of the Paris Olympics. Since winning bronze at the 2016 Games in Rio, the 27-year-old has suffered many years of injury frustration. However 2024 brought silver at the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Glasgow - her first international podium finish in six years, since taking Commonwealth silver on the Gold Coast. She tells us about life on the road with a massive stick!

When French midfielder Aurelien Tchouemeni was asked earlier this season by his team Real Madrid to play a match for them in central defence, all he needed to help him prepare for the game was a virtual reality headset in his living room. But, does the technology really work and how can it help improve players skill set? Sportshour’s Andy Jones tried the new tech out to see if he could go from his messy living room to just plain old Messi.

Photo: Barbora Votikova, celebrates the UEFA Women's Champions League quarter Final First Leg match between Bayern Munchen and Paris Saint-German March 22, 2022 (Credit Arthur Thill ATPImages/Getty Images)

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.

A week on from Catalonia's vote for independence Caroline Barker is joined by Radio Catalunya's Ernest Macia and Spanish football commentator Eduardo Alvarez to look at what Catalan independence could mean for sport in the region and FC Barcelona, one of the world's biggest football clubs.

(Photo: Catalan flag. Credit: Getty Images)

President Donald Trump suggested during a rally speech in Alabama, athletes who fail to stand during the national anthem should be fired or suspended.

Over the weekend, following this announcement, many players, coaches and owners in the NFL went out of their way to kneel and silently protest.

We hear from LeBron James and other notable sport stars of America, poet Kwame Alexander and author Professor Louis Moore.

(Photo: Dallas Cowboys link arms and kneel before the start of the NFL game against the Arizona Cardinals Credit: Getty Images)

We investigate the effects of concussion in sport. What if anything needs to be done to improve the safety of the sport stars we cheer on every week. How do you help athletes who want to play on regardless of the risks, and what responsibility for player's health do we have as fans?

We are joined by neurologist Dr Margaret Goodman. For many years she was a ringside physician in the home of boxing Las Vegas. She also served on the Nevada State Athletic Commission and chairs VADA, The Voluntary Anti-Doping Association. Shawne "lights Out" Merriman a former NFL star whose nickname comes from his propensity to knock other players out on the field. We'll also hear from former Rugby League player Rob Parker whose sporting injuries led to a painkiller addiction and Professor Tony Belli who is part of the team what introduced touchline concussion screening in rugby earlier this month.

Photo: Amir Khan stays down after a knockout from Canelo Alvarez (Credit: Getty Images)

Ahead of the new NFL season we profile Colin Kaepernick. He stirred controversy last year for sitting or kneeling during the anthem, in protest against the treatment of black Americans. The quarterback remains without a team as the new season approaches. Supporters claim he remains unemployed because he was prepared to speak out about inequality in wider American society.

We are joined by Dr. Harry Edwards, who organised the "Olympic Project for Human Rights" in the 1960's. It prompted Tommie Smith and John Carlos to produce one of the most iconic moments in sport history - the 'Black Power' salute as the American national anthem played out in Mexico in 1968 after they won Olympic gold and silver.

For the past 7 years Dr. Edwards has worked at the San Francisco 49ers, the only team Colin Kaepenick has played for. We also hear from Marlene and Beverley Owens, daughter of legendary athlete Jessie Owens. Craig Hodges, who after winning the NBA Championship in 1992 with the Chicago Bulls, never played in the NBA again. Details of a letter he sent to then-president George W Bush expressing his anger at the treatment of the poor and minorities in the country was leaked to the media. We also hear from Marc Spears, Chairman of the National Association of Black Journalists Sports Task Force.

Photo: Colin Kaepernick. Credit: Getty Images

When we heard that Adam Rolston and his caddie Ron Rutland were planning on raising money for the Laureus Sport for Good charity by playing the longest hole in golf history, one that literally spanned the length of Mongolia, we had to find out more! Well 82 days and about 20,000 shots later, the pair are just a lofted wedge and a putt away from completing their adventure. We’re on the final stretch with the pair as they exit the Gobi and enter the Mongolian capital Ulaanbaatar.

Retirement Goals: Robbie Simpson might still be playing a professional football, but he’s got more than one eye on what comes next, and how he can help other athletes facing the same career crossroads. He has started Life After Professional Sport (LAPS) an organisation that brings businesses together with athletes who are close to, or have completed their sporting careers. Things are changing, when Robbie walked into the dressing room at his first professional club, Coventry City, 10 years ago he was the only one with a university degree. However in the squad at his current club Exeter City, he says there are 11 graduates and many more with a post playing plan. Summersaults in the Sky: Slalom racing is tough enough on skis, but imagine doing it in a plane! That's what those taking part in the Red Bull Air Race Championship do each week. Pilots nip through a series of 25-metre-high pylons around a track in the sky. Melanie Astles is the first, and only female pilot, and has been telling us about the challenges of acrobatic air racing and how she’s proving that for women pilots, the sky really is the limit.

Photo: Adam Rolston and his caddie Ron Rutford playing golf in Mongolia Credit: Thelongesthole.com

The Homeless World Cup in Oslo came to an end this week, how striking that it should be played out against the backdrop of a record breaking transfer window. We hear from Sophie and David who both found themselves in need of help in their lives and are now on the road to recovery through football, proudly representing Wales! Social went last week.

When you win the World Cup... but have to go back to work There was an unexpected side effect to the recent victory of the New Zealand women's rugby team at the World Cup in Ireland. The city of Auckland lost its ability to send one of its detectives under cover. Why? Well when you've just captained the rugby mad nation to another World Cup win there aren't that many people, or criminals, who don't know who you are! By day Fiao'o Fa'amausili is a detective in the Auckland police force, at night she spearheads the finest team in women's rugby.

From Old Trafford to New Beginnings Fast cars, flashy jewellery, expensive clothing, sure… but being environmentally friendly isn’t the first thing that springs to mind when you think Premier League footballer. But one man who played at Manchester United alongside Ronaldo, Rooney and Giggs, is trying to prove otherwise. Now retired, Richard Eckersley is the owner of "Earth Food Love" a shop in Devon in the South West of England that is trying to become Britain's only zero waste supermarket. That means none of its 200 products comes with any packaging. So don't forget to bring your own bags, bottles and bowls if you want to buy anything!

Cerebral Palsy Football: We look ahead to football’s Cerebral Palsy World Championships with England captain Jack Rutter. He developed the condition after he was punched to the ground in an unprovoked attack.

Photo: The Homeless World Cup is advertised in Oslo Credit: @poblgroup

England takes on New Zealand in the final of the Women's Rugby World Cup on Saturday. It's an event players and fans alike are hotly anticipating, but for Jean Kim it's too painful to watch. When Jean says the sport of rugby saved her life, she means it, which makes it all the more difficult for her now she’s banned from playing.

How to swim the English Channel four times, non stop Chloe McCardel is attempting to do something no one has ever done, or even tried! She will swim across the English Channel to France....And then back again and then back again and then back again... Without stopping! The Australian swimmer explains that previously, when completing her triple crossing, she suffered from fatigue induced hallucinations.

Mayweather v McGregor: Fine fighting fayre or farce? We preview the 'big fight' by profiling both fighters and ask why so many people are interested in a sporting event many feel a farce. We look at the way the fight has been marketed and whether it has been done so without consideration of the consequences.

Clipper Comes Home… Eventually: We are on board as the Clipper Race leave Liverpool.. It’ll be the best part of a year before the professional and amateur crew members are back in the city at the finish line. Robin Knox Johnston explains the draw of the race

(Photo: (L) Jean Kim)

Ahead of the new NFL season we profile Colin Kaepernick. He stirred controversy last year for sitting or kneeling during the anthem, in protest against the treatment of black Americans. The quarterback remains without a team as the new season approaches. Supporters claim he remains unemployed because he was prepared to speak out about inequality in wider American society.

We are joined by Dr. Harry Edwards, who organised the "Olympic Project for Human Rights" in the 1960's. It prompted Tommie Smith and John Carlos to produce one of the most iconic moments in sport history - the 'Black Power' salute as the American national anthem played out in Mexico in 1968 after they won Olympic gold and silver.

For the past 7 years Dr. Edwards has worked at the San Francisco 49ers, the only team Colin Kaepenick has played for. We also hear from Marlene and Beverley Owens, daughter of legendary athlete Jessie Owens. Craig Hodges, who after winning the NBA Championship in 1992 with the Chicago Bulls, never played in the NBA again. Details of a letter he sent to then-president George W Bush expressing his anger at the treatment of the poor and minorities in the country was leaked to the media. We also hear from Marc Spears, Chairman of the National Association of Black Journalists Sports Task Force.

Photo: Colin Kaepernick. Credit: Getty Images

We preview the 'big fight' by profiling both fighters and ask why so many people are interested in a sporting event many feel a farce.

We also look at the way the fight has been marketed and whether it has been done so without consideration of the consequences.

Caroline Barker is joined by our boxing reporter Ade Adedoyin boxing writer Gabe Oppenheim, and we hear from Jeff Mayweather uncle of Floyd "Money" Mayweather and Katherine Redmond Brown founder of "The National Coalition Against Violent Athletes.

The First Ostracised Athlete The events in Charlottesville and the remarks made by President Trump this week, has seen an increase in US athletes speaking out against racism. One of the first high profile athletes to speak out about racism in the US, was two time NBA champion Craig Hodges. The former Chicago Bulls basketball player wrote a 14 page letter to President HW Bush expressing his displeasure at the inequality in society, but it was to his detriment, he would never play professional basketball in the US again with no contract offers.

Playing on, after a brain bleed Head injuries are the number one medical concern in rugby. Players have to pass strict medical tests, if they're to return to the pitch. But imagine returning to the field, after suffering a bleed on the brain. That is what Abu Dhabi Saracen Stephen Hamilton will be doing in the coming weeks. Hamilton, who plays centre and is also the director of rugby, missed the whole of last season due to the injury. Despite his family's concerns, Steve says he wants to fulfill his dream playing international rugby for the UAE.

It's more than a Bronze medal Tianna Bartoletta this week revealed that she had won a Bronze medal in the World Championships, after becoming homeless three months ago and relocating to the Netherlands. In the post she also stated that she took the precaution to give herself the chance of a life that, in her words, "didn't involve fear or fighting, threats, and abuse".Sportshour's Ade Adedoyin has been to meet her.

NFL - Now Female League? How easy is it for a woman to get a coaching position in the league? Many women are offered coaching internships like Phoebe Schecter but are never appointed to a team's permanent staff. In fact, the San Francisco 49ers became only the second team to appoint a woman to their permit coaching staff this season. Phoebe says many factors will need to change before a female coach becomes a permit fixture on the NFL side-lines.

Taking the Aussie out of Aussie Rules The grand finals of the AFL international Cup take place this weekend. But despite the sport being called Aussie Rules, no repatriated Australians can represent their adopted country. Surely, Australian influence would help improve the quality of the sport globally? Grant Williams from the AFL says global participation is needed to grow the game, not ex pats.

Footballs forgotten fans Football matches can be quite a daunting experience, especially fans suffering from social anxiety. Sonia Peacock’s son Kyle is autistic and she says clubs need to make fans with social anxiety feel more welcome. Kyle stopped attending Everton matches, after he was attacked by away fans, a couple of years ago. He only returned to Goodison Park this summer and Sonia says Kyle’s positive experience was down to fellow Everton fan Danny. A post from social media about the meeting went viral on social media. Sonia says Premier League clubs need to increase help for fans suffering from social anxiety. The Rise of Fan TV Football fans always have an opinion on their club. Who should play in a certain position and what signings they should have bought in the transfer window. In recent seasons, some fans have turned their opinion into their profession by creating Fan TV channels on social media. The biggest and the most watched is Arsenal Fan TV. Robbie Lyle the channels founder, says it’s popularity is because it allows fans to voice their opinions, which established media companies ignore. Crouch… Bind… You’re cut The England Women’s Rugby team have kicked off their defence of their World Cup title, despite uncertain surrounding the future of game, after the RFU’s decided to restructure their contracts. Former captain Catherine Spencer believes the team are currently in a ‘lose lose situation’ as the RFU will back their decision whether they win or lose the World Cup.She says the players made the correct decision not to go on strike but if things don’t improve, they should consider it in the future, like their male counterparts did in 2000. $649,000 to buy a friend What would you do if the horse you competed with in the Olympics was put up for sale? You would do anything to raise the money to buy him wouldn’t you?! Jonty Evans set up a just giving page to try and raise funds to buy Cooley Rorkes Drift from his owners. Thanks to donations from around the world, Jonty has raised enough money to buy his friend back.

BBC Newsreader barking up the wrong tree When Simon McCoy’s presentation of the Dog Surfing Competition went viral around the world, we thought it only fair to get a response from the winner. Unfortunately, Abbie an Australian kelpie wasn’t available but her owner Michael Uy was. Michael has invited Simon to take part in next year’s contest. We hope Simon accepts, the pride of the BBC is at stake.

Bolt's best friend Nugent Walker or NJ, as he’s known has been Usain Bolt’s best friend since primary school and manager since 2010. Despite being a ‘monster on the track’, NJ says Bolt is a bit of a dominos geek off it. What stands out from the interview is NJ is extremely proud watching his friend dominate the track. We could hear Usain in the background whilst we were talking to Nugent. He wasn’t able to talk; I think he has a race this week.

Bolt changed my life Robyn Williams caught a pair of Bolt’s running spikes at the 2016 Anniversary Games. She says having the spikes inspired her to continue her athletics training. George Hoy was a games changer at the 2012 Olympics and managed to walk away with Bolt’s hat, after carrying his kit in the 200 metre heats. The Londoner says the conversation helped him apply and complete his university studies and gain confidence. Finally, a video of Dionne Hansey celebrating Bolt’s victory in the 200 metres went viral around the world. She says Bolt has been an important person in her life and the history of Jamaica.

Athletics nationality problem Jak Ali Harvey is a Jamaican born athlete, who runs for Turkey. He says he changed nationalities because he received better support from Turkish athletics. Many African and Caribbean runners have decided to run for Middle Eastern countries in recent years. Professor Paul Michael Brannagan says athletes changing nationalities to represent Middle Eastern countries are helping improve the image of Middle Eastern governments.

Record bid devastation Last week, we interviewed Sean Conway and discovered there was a three way battle for the world record for crossing Europe on a bicycle. Iain Findley was one of those cyclists, who was aiming to break the record. But the cycling coach had to abort his record attempt due to injury. Iain says the decision to quit has affected him mentally but believes Sean, who inspired him to take on the challenge, can break the record.

Will there be a Premexit? The Premier League is one of the most powerful leagues in the world. English clubs always challenge for major European titles and sign the world’s best players for record transfer fees. But are the glory days of the Premier League coming to end because of Brexit? Dr Babatunde Buraimo, from Liverpool University, says there are several factors that could help keep the Premier League an attractive destination.

Four Four Feng Shui London based Queens Park Ranger are trying out a new tactic ahead of the upcoming season. They have hired a Feng Shui expert to help improve the clubs fortunes. Feng Shui expert Jan Cisek has told Sportshour that he wouldn’t be surprised to see QPR near to the top of table due to Feng Shui. But he also believes the club should force the players to do Feng Shui in their homes.

The unexpected battle for a world record Back at the start of the year, Sean Conway set himself a challenge to cross Europe on a bicycle in the shortest amount of time. The record stood at 29 days. But just as Sean is about to start his challenge, Germany’s Jonas Deichmann on Thursday beat the record by four days and Briton Ian Findlay is halfway through his attempt and could bring the record down further. Sean says his confident he can complete the challenge in less than three weeks.

Stick or Twist The Uefa Women’s European Championships is currently taking place in the Netherlands and to celebrate, Panini released a sticker book. It is the first time; the company has released a sticker album for the tournament. Will Panini continue to print these books for every major women tournament? Nick Clark says companies will continue to invest in Women’s football as it is becoming more profitable.

The Namaste NFL player Keith Mitchell was a hard hitting tackler in the NFL, until he suffered a career ending injury. In order to help with his recovery, he started to practise yoga. Years later, as a trained yoga teacher, Keith has held a yoga class at the United Nations.

Mani Djazmi is joined by two time Paralympic sprint champion Martina Caironi and Lex Gillette, who is a four time Paralympic silver medalist in the long jump. The panel discuss performances at this years Para Athletic Championships and there are exclusive interviews with Paralympic Champions Jonnie Peacock and David Behre. Five years on from the London Paralympic games, Baroness Tanni Grey Thompson and journalist Mik Scarlet discuss whether the games have helped improve the lives of disabled people living in the United Kingdom. Plus, we'll hear how Paralympic gold medalist Heinrich Popow who took the dancing world by storm.

Wimbledon on location Caroline Barker is at the All England club to bringing you closer to the action on Ladies final day. She’ll be travelling around the ground, speaking to some VIPS as well as people that make the Championship special.

James Blake - Ways of Grace Former tennis world number four James Blake was waiting for a car in front of at Manhattan Hotel, when he was tackled and handcuffed by a police officer. It was a case of mistaken identity and he was released. Instead of seeking financial compensation, Blake opted for a public apology from the New York Police Department. The American says he thinks about the ordeal daily and wants to help the police in the future. He talks in length about inclusion and race in tennis, and whether more needs to be done to promote equality in sport.

Muguruza’s secret weapon Matthew James is a tennis coach at a Millfield School in Somerset. He signed up to be a hitter, who helps to warm up the players, during the Championship. In the first week, he was picked by Gabby Muguruza, who is into her second Wimbledon final. Matthew has practised with Gabby before every round of the tournament. She is very superstitious and Matthew has been told not to shave or cut his hair throughout the fortnight. Will Matthew have the magic touch and help her win her first Wimbledon title? We'll speak to Matthew live before the ladies final.

The win that created tennis history Alex Hunt has become the first disabled player to pick up a ranking point on the Men’s Professional Tennis Tour, the ATP. After, he won his first round match at an invitational tournament in Guam. The New Zealander, who was born without a lower left arm and has to wear a prosthetic one, when he competes. He says he wants to inspire kids to follow their dreams and that anything is possible.

New Beach Balls… Please Forget grass, clay or hard court, the future of tennis could be coming to a beach near you. Beach tennis has become popular in recent years on the beaches of California. We’ll be speaking to the head of beach tennis, Donny Young to see what the future holds for the sport? Can it be a future grand slam?

Sportmanship in Tennis Tennis, like most sports, is no stranger to an outburst but has Bernard Tomic comments about being bored and Daniil Medvedev’s outburst at the umpire, a sign that respect and sportsmanship has gone from the once gentlemanly game. We’ll ask former world number four James Blake, if he thinks the sport’s governing body needs to clamp down on these incidents like this or is this just a one off incident.

Social Hit or Social Miss Aston Villa signed former England captain John Terry this week. They announced Terry’s arrival via a video of a group chat. The video went viral but had a mixed response. Villa isn’t the only club, who’ve thought of an elaborate way to announce a new signing. We’ve spoken to media expert Carsten Thode and football and comedy writer JJ Bull on this new method.

The Roar of a Lions fan Auckland hosted the final test between the British and Irish Lions and the reigning World Champions New Zealand. The match finished 15-15, which meant the series ended in a draw. We’ve got reaction at the final whistle from a Lions fan Sean, who runs a pub in downtown Auckland. The drinks were flowing, after the final whistle.

Jungle Run In February, Gabon hosted one of the biggest international football competitions in the world, the African Nations Cup. Now the country is again hoping sport can lead it to prosperity, this time by saving its own iconic elephant. BBC's Andy Jones has been in Gabon, where some foreign signings have been helping the home side.

Captain America: The Ultimate Athlete Solider It’s been a good couple of weeks for pole vaulter Sam Kendricks. He cleared six metres for the first time and won meets in Paris and Lausanne. Kendricks is not only a track and field star but an active office in the US Army Reserve. Despite his good performances, Kendricks says the Army comes before his athletic career. Ed Harry caught up with the Olympic Bronze medallist.

The Fastest Hands in the West Andre Kajlich tells us about becoming the first para athlete to complete the 4,800 kilometre ‘Race Across America’. Andre competed on a handcycle, and finished the race in 12 days and 16 hours. One of only 14 to finish from the original 39 competitors.

Bony’s banging beats The Premier League table isn’t the only the chart Manchester City striker Wilfred Bony will be interested in this season. The Ivory Coast international has been telling us about launching his own record label. The aim is to help Afrobeat artists get into the music industry.

Scoring into the roof of Africa’s net Women from over 20 countries have played a full 90 minute football match at the top of Mount Kilimanjaro and with it setting a new world record for the highest match in history. The aim of was to encourage an equal playing field for women in sport. Laura Youngson played in the match and talks about the struggles of playing 5000 metres above sea level.

The Land of the Rising Rugby Fan Japan will host the Rugby World Cup in 2019. It will be the first time the tournament will be held in Asia. So how are preparations going and has their famous victory over South Africa in the 2015 edition sparked an interest in the sport? Simon Parker reports from Japan.

Glitter, Spandex and Suplex’s – Women’s wrestling in the 80’s In the 1980’s a new wrestling league was created. It was called the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling. It was made up of strong characters and over-the-top comedy. The story of the league has now been made into an online series; we’ll be speaking to one of the original Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling

The Power of Two

In 2014, US Olympian Alysia Montaño ran at the US Track and Field championships whilst eight months pregnant. The five-time national champion wanted to compete seven weeks before she was due to give birth to her first child. On Thursday, she ran at the same event four months pregnant with her second child. Does she feel her message “exercising during pregnancy is actually much better for the mom and the baby.

1,850km from the tee to hole.

Adam Rolston and Ron Rutland have set themselves a challenge, to play golf across Mongolia. They’re teeing off in the west of the country and ending their round in the capital Ulaanbaatar. It will take the pair 82 days to play 1,850km on a course that has a par of 14,000. Adam, from Northern Ireland will be playing golf, but spare a thought for Ron; he will be pulling a cart with all his and Adam’s gear across the country. Aside from hitting golf balls, they will have to scavenge for food.

Spiderwoman

Margo Hayes is 19 years old and a record breaker. She became the first female to climb La Rambla, a mountain face in Spain that is one of the world’s most challenging. Margo believes her success will encourage other female climbers to try harder classified routes.

The Javelin and the Shoemaker

Alphanso Cunningham is Jamaica’s most successful Paralympian in the modern era. After golds in Athens in 2004 and at London 2012 in his seated throws, he’s now set himself a new challenge. Alphanso wants to take up fencing, and start wheelchair racing too. A maker of adapted shoes at the island’s version of Stoke Mandeville, he’s seen Jamaican Para Sport evolve over the last 15 years and embraces his Bolt-style role in supporting its future growth.

Head over Heels

June 24th is International Handstand Day. We’ve got various members of BBC Sport to see if they perform a handstand. Some of them are brilliant, others are awful. We speak to Alvin Tam, who founded Handstand Day. Why did he want to turn the world upside down? And, with an expert on the programme, what better time to learn how we’re supposed perform a handstand.

The Real Miracle on Ice Craig Cunningham suffered a heart attack on the ice, just before the start of the national anthems at an AHL game. Whilst in hospital, Craig contracted an infection. In order to save his life, he had his leg amputated. Craig continues to recover but occasionally plays hockey thanks to an adapted prosthetic leg. He now works as a scout for the Arizona Coyotes.

Walking corpse syndrome to motor racing heaven Warren Mckinley suffered brain damage, after crashing his motorbike. The British Soldier was taken to Headley Court to recover but developed Cotard syndrome, a disease in which people believe that they have already died. Warren has recovered and now competes with other injured ex-servicemen in motorsport team called Team Brit. Their aim is to race in future editions of the Le Mans 24 hour race.

Grinding, its more than just a dance move Grinders are crew members that generate power for the boat. This year New Zealand ditched traditional arm grinders in favour of pedal grinders. So could we see Olympic champions Bradley Wiggins and Chris Hoy swapping sports? Matt Cormwell thinks they would be a great addition to the team.

Three… it’s the magic number Three on three basketball or 3x3 to give its street name is a faster form of the sport. The game is associated with playgrounds and driveways but has recently joined the Olympic programme for Tokyo 2020. Jesper Jobse is the Netherlands captain; he has mixed feelings on the sports inclusion.

The NFL start punished for his political view In the NFL last season, quarterback Colin Kaepernick refused to stand for the US national anthem in protest over the right of Black Americans. He has now become a free agent but can’t find a team for the upcoming season. We speak to Louis Moore a professor at Grand Valley State University in Michigan, who specialises in Black American history and sports history. Does he think Kaepernick regrets his decision?

The Greatest striker to never exist He's won everything in world football, a cult hero with a significant social media following, now he's helping people tackle the issue of mental health. But the most extraordinary thing about striker Ivica Strok is... He doesn't exist! Strok came to 'life' in computer game Football Manager and for gamer Jonny Sharples, Strok helped him through a personal tragedy and believes he can help other too.

Boxing champion turned Wonder Woman warrior Wonder Woman is this year's Hollywood blockbuster! It's broken all box office records for a film by a female director, but that's not the only way it's empowering women. Director Patty Jenkins decided that she wouldn't cast actors for many of the minor roles, but athletes. Former world champion boxer Anne Wolfe was one of them... Becoming one of the Warrior Women in the film is just the latest episode in her remarkable life.

Why Adidas and Puma really don’t get on In the 1940's an argument between German brothers Adolf and Rudolph Dassler helped create two of sportswear biggest companies. Before they fell out they co-owned a shoe company but after the Second World War Rudolf was interned by the American's. He believed that Adolf had provided the information that lead to his imprisonment. After Rudolph was released the brothers acrimoniously split the company. Adolf created 'Adidas' and literally across the river, Rudolf founded 'Puma'. The men and their families didn't speak for decades, and even to this day relations are somewhat frosty between the two companies

The Va’a and Furious Tahiti will host the Va’a World Championships later in the month. Va’a is a traditional boat dug out from a single log. Simon Parker explores the history behind the boat and why it’s important to the Polynesian people.

Court of Public Opinion Margaret Court is one of tennis’ greatest ever players, However, her comments about the LGBT community have caused controversy. We hear from four time grand slam winner Rennae Stubbs, who is gay, says she doesn’t agree with her fellow Aussies beliefs.

Photo: Computer generated striker Ivica Strok

Former Miami Dolphins tight end Dan Johnson tells us he has taken more painkillers than any other player in the history of the game, he took so many he earned the nickname “King of Pain”. He played in the 1984 Superbowl, catching a touchdown pass from the great Dan Marino, but the effects of a career on painkillers left him bed ridden for many years. Things got so bad that he considered suicide, Dan tells us that despite the problems he suffered he still finds it hard to say that it wasn’t worth it. We’re also joined by Jiri Dvorak, FIFA’s former Chief Medical officer and File on 4’s Beth McLeod who has been investigating the effects of painkillers in sport

The Legend of Nello Ferrara The Stanley Cup is ongoing at the moment, but Nello Ferrara doesn’t need to win ice hockey’s biggest prize to become famous. Ferrara lied his way to a 10 year professional career, he posed as his own agent “Nelli Lechance” to convince teams to sign him and snuck into the training sessions of an NHL team in the hope of being signed.

The Rainbow Player Anton Hysen became the first active footballer to come out as gay when he announced his sexuality to the world in 2011. When he did so he encouraged more gay players to follow his example, but he remains the only man to come out and continue playing. Hysen tells us that the new novel ‘The Rainbow Player’ could help gay footballers feel comfortable enough to come out in future. We also hear from David Kerby-Kendall who is the author of the book. His novel is about a young, talented player whose career goes off the rails because he fears the reception he’d get if and when his sexuality is revealed.

Petra Kvitova Return

Petra Kvitova made her comeback at the French Open less than six months after she was attacked and stabbed during a home invasion. Anthony Crolla knows exactly how Kvitova feels, he confronted intruders at his neighbour’s house in 2014, they escaped after smashing a concrete slab over his head. Crolla came back to become the light heavyweight champion of the world, he tells his story and offers his advice to Kvitova as she continues her recovery.

Cofveve – a sporting term? After President Donald Trump left the planet scratching their heads over the meaning of his tweet which included the word “cofveve” this week, BBC World Service broadcasters Lee James, Hugh Ferris and Mani Djazmi give their suggestions as to what it could mean in a sporting context.

Photo: Painkillers Credit Getty Images

On Monday, 22 people lost their lives in a terrorist attack in Manchester. Caroline Barker is at one of the city's biggest sporting events to see how the city is slowly recovering

The US gymnastic who competes whilst receiving chemotherapy, are non binary athletes rights being ignored and the delights of a doppelganger.

From October, players will be allowed to wear the hijab whilst competing. How will this help women's basketball going forward?

Caroline Barkers presents the global sports show, exploring the history of the NFL draft.

NBA basketball star Isiah Thomas played for the Boston Celtics in a playoff game the day after his sister died in a fatal car accident. In light of this and Prince Harry's comments that boxing helped him get over the death of his mother, Princess Diana, we ask how good sport is as a healer for coping with loss? We speak to the former three-weight boxing world champion Duke McKenzie, who lost a brother to suicide whilst he was a professional fighter.

Marathon of hope: Sunday's London Marathon is being dubbed "the mental health marathon" by the British Royal family, as they have joined up with a number of charities under the banner "Heads Together" to raise awareness of mental health. Paul Scates and his dad Norman from Bournemouth, in the south of England, are running for the charity Young Mind, and mental health is an issue close to their hearts.

A home run for female sports films? Twenty-five years ago the film about a women’s baseball team, A League of Their Own, was released with huge success. It was supposed to be a home run for women's empowerment, paving the way for many more films about women's sport to come. However, 25 years on, how much has actually changed?

Sport for a “new generation” of Muslim women: We speak to the British and European Kick-Boxing & Muay Thai Champion, Ruqsana Begum, who is trying to encourage more Muslim women to take part in sports at all levels by designing a range of everyday sport Hijab’s .

Photo: Boxer Duke McKenzie. Credit: Getty Images.

From pitch to boardroom

Having won just about all there is to win in European football, the former Ivory Coast international Didier Drogba is breaking new ground. At the age of 39, he's signed up with the Phoenix Rising who play in the second tier of the north American game, as player and co-owner. He's next goal - to take them to the top flight of the north American game. He also tells us about his fears for football in Ivory Coast.

Kenya's speed king

Jeremy Wahome is hoping to be the first Kenyan to line up on a Formula One grid. At the age of 18, he's taking the next steps by competing in the British Formula three Championship - a series won in the past by the likes of Ayrton Senna and Mika Hakkinen who went on to be crowned Formula One World Champions. Not content with a pursuing a career in motor sport, Jeremy is also studying at Cheltenham College and recently set up a library in the Kibera slum in his homeland.

From sports arena to silver screen

It used to be that the most popular films made in Bollywood were romances or action movies. But not any more. It's always been said that sport provides great drama - and now that's being transferred to the cinema screen by India's film-makers and is proving a big hit with cinema goers. It's also prompting a large number of Indian youngsters to take up a sport, as Rahul Tandon reports from India.

Raising the game

Australia's leading female cricketers are set for a pay rise of 125 per cent. On the international stage they're out-shining their male counterpart and later this year will bid to win the World Cup for the eighth time. Their captain Meg Lanning tells us progress has been for female cricketers, but don't compare the men's and women's games.

Playing for the crowd

Organ music used to be a regular sound at American baseball stadiums, but in the digital age some teams moving away from the 70 year old tradition. Not at the Minnesota Twins, where their organist Sue Nelson has been entertaining the crowd and supporting the team for almost two decades.

Picture credit: Didier Drogba (Getty Images)

Hakeem “The Dream” Olajuwon takes us on a journey from his childhood in Lagos to NBA champion. One of the greatest players in basketball history, he not only became an African sporting hero but one of the highest profile Muslim athletes.

Where the Lions sleep tonight: Not long now before thousands of British and Irish rugby fans make the journey to New Zealand and many hotels in the host cities and towns are oversubscribed. Others have raised prices to cash in on the influx of travellers. It all means that some are finding it difficult on find suitable accommodation. Step forward Kiwi Adam Gilshnan. He has set up a Facebook page designed to match up New Zealanders with a spare room and Lions fans looking for somewhere to lay their heads... For free!

Boarders versus Borders: The annual International Day of Sport for Peace and Development was marked on Thursday 6th April 2017. Organised by the United Nations it recognises the influence sport can have on human rights and equality. Mona Seraji, a snowboarder from Iran, explains the story behind "Boarders versus Borders" her campaign against President Trump's proposed travel ban.

The Strea-king: What is it about attending sporting events that seems to encourage some people to feel the need to take off all their clothes, and streak across the pitch?! We’re confident the free flow of alcohol might have something to do with it. Mark Roberts has streaked more time than you've had hot diners, but what pushed him to do it the first time, (incidentally at the Hong Kong Sevens which is taking place this weekend) and then keep doing it...

The gangster’s son and the Iraqi Olympic boxing team: American former boxer Maurice “The Termite” Watkins tells us about his experience of managing the Iraq boxing team at the 2004 Olympic Games. Using the chant “Iraq! Iraq! Iraq is back!” he became a celebrity in the country with thousands of people wearing t-shirts with the phrase printed on them. He also reveals the details behind his nickname!

Photo: Hakeem Olajuwon and Shaquille O'Neal go up for the ball during a Finals game at The Summit in Houston, Texas. Credit: ALLSPORT USA /Allsp

Natasha Coates suffers with a rare condition called Mast Cell Activation Syndrome. It means her body struggles to fight disease and makes her allergic to many everyday things, including exercise. However it hasn't stopped Natasha pursuing her sporting dreams. Although not a Paralympic discipline, last week Natasha won a medal on every piece of apparatus at the British championships. Despite spending more time in the hospital than training, she says gymnastics is helping her stay alive.

The Persian Potter: Hossein Vafaei is enjoying best performance at a major ranking event this week. On Saturday he’ll face Wales’ Mark Williams for a place in the final of the China Open. Being Iran’s only professional player has many challenges. Hossien has been telling us about trying to make it without a sponsor, a coach and battles with visa applications.

Democratising Football: We speak to Patrick Arnesson a man trying to what he calls ‘democratise football'. He tells us of his recent discussions on creating a fan position on the board of FIFA. We also hear from some of the children benefiting from the football academy in Cambodia Arnesson has funded with profits from his successful 'Forza Football' app.

The Original Beach Boys: For the first time ever, surfing will feature at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. It's a sport practiced all over the planet, from Australia's golden beaches to California's wild Pacific shores - but where did it all begin? Well to find out, Sportshour's Simon Parker has embarked on a particularly tough assignment to the tropical islands of Hawaii, to meet the beach boys of Waikiki.

Photo: Photo: Natasha Coates with medals. Credit: Natasha Coates

When Islamist militant group Al-Shabaab were in power in Somalia they banned football. In 2014 US director JR Biersmith started filming ‘Men in the Arena' which documents this football-mad nation on its long road back to normality on and off the pitch. It is finally released next month. The story is told through the eyes of two its players Sa'ad Hussein and Saadiq Mohammed.

The first Saudi woman to climb Everest: Raha Moharrak comes from a traditional Saudi family and the ultra-conservative kingdom forbids women to take part in many activities. She tells us about the chance encounter that eventually led her to become the first Saudi woman to conquer Mount Everest. It pushed the boundaries of what her family, and more broadly the entire nation thought was acceptable and possible for women to do.

Sophie’s story: We hear from Sophie Cook, official photographer of Premier League Bournemouth and the most prominent transgender woman in football

Photo: The poster for the film "Men in the Arena" Credit meninthearena.com

Does what's happened with Durban tell us more about the preparedness of cities to host major sporting events or for sports governing bodies to attract suitable bidders. Or has the public fallen out of love with hosting major sporting events?

March Madness: The billion dollar college basketball tournament ‘March Madness’ is just underway. We look at this remarkable competition and the place it holds in American culture.

Six Nations on My Mind: We’re in Tbilisi as Georgia hand out another rugby union beating to Russia. A sweet victory considering the history the two countries have. Aside from the geo-politics of it, the win cements Georgia’s place in the world rugby. So is it time the Georgian replaced the Italians in the Six Nations, or swelled its ranks to seven?

Riding High: When Olympic equestrian Peder Fredricson beat Zlatan Ibrahimovic to the Swedish equivalent of Sports Personality of the year a few weeks ago it caused waves. It also helped one group “Boys Who Ride” in trying to change the perception amongst some in Sweden that equestrian sport is ‘just for girls’. We saddle up with them.

Photo: A cultural group perform during the formal bid from Durban, South Africa to host the 2022 Commonwealth Games (Credit: Julian Finney/Getty Images)

Etchegaray Nguluwe has represented Namibia in Paralympic sport at the World Championships and Commonwealth Games. But, born with a club foot, he struggled to keep up in a category where many of the men he raced against had one leg amputated below the knee and used a prosthetic blade. In March of 2016, Etchegaray took the decision to have his foot removed. He has now been fitted with his own blade - a huge financial investment by Namibia's Paralympic Committee. Why do they think he is worth it?

Do the Formula 1 drivers of today realise how much they owe to the pioneers of 1950? Amongst those lining up for the very first F1 race at Silverstone 67 years ago was a member of Thailand's royal family. Prince Bira was the driver, and he was managed by his cousin Prince Chula. Narisa Chakrabongse is Prince Chula's daughter. She tells Caroline about her family's involvement in the birth of Formula 1, how the pair would write their pit-lane boards in Thai so no-one else could work out their tactics and how the films her mother shot of the races helped her really get to know the father who died when she was just seven.

Socrates captained one of the greatest Brazil teams of all time, yet spent more time thinking about politics than tactics. He was passionate, charming and hedonistic, but above all he was a thinker. Andrew Downie has written the first full biography of a man who introduced democracy to the football club where he made his name, even as the rest of Brazil was in the grip of a military dictatorship in the early 1980s.

The council fields of Manchester are the new front line in the battle for supremacy between the city's two Premier League football clubs, United and City. Local boys have always made that journey from their local pitches to the biggest stage of all, but it is how both Manchester clubs are now pursuing children aged eight and younger that has brought comparisons with The Cold War, and an arms race.

Knock-Out Sister is a bespoke boxing gym for Muslim women. The facility in Newcastle protects its members' privacy but allowed the BBC's Anna Foster in to see first-hand how the sport is helping women of all ages build their confidence and learn self-defence.

A new study of water quality in public swimming pools has found that in 100% of cases, there was urine present. The survey, which was carried out in Canada, does not make for pleasant reading. So are public pools safe, and why don't people just leave the pool when they need to go for a wee? We hear from scientist, Fran Scott, and the Olympic Swimming medallist, Steve Parry

(Photo: Etchegaray Nguluwe Credit: Michael Hamukwaya)

Former college basketball star Bilqis Abdul-Qaadir tells us why she's being prevented from pursuing a professional career because she plays wearing a hijab. Wearing a hijab is banned by FIBA, the governing body for basketball.

Sporting Identity: The Proud Americans Representing Israel The World Baseball Classic, the most prestigious competition in international baseball, starts next week. Israel has qualified for the first time but most of the Israeli squad is made of US citizens, including MLB catcher Ryan Lavarnway. He tells us about balancing being a proud American and representing Israel, which has enabled him to discover more about his own identity.

Manchester United’s Quiet Maestro: To spend 11 years at any one football club is pretty unusual in the era of modern football - To that at a club like Manchester United is even rarer. We’ve been spending time with Michael Carrick the Manchester United midfielder who looks beyond his playing days.

(Photo: Bilqis Abdul-Qaadir in her college days playing in her hijab for Indiana State University)

After Claudio Ranieri is sacked just nine months after winning the most unlikely of league titles we look at the cold hard analytics behind when a manager should be sacked. We are joined by Professor Adrian Bell author of the paper ‘The Performance of Football Managers: Skill or Luck?. We also take a look at the state of the modern game if emotion and sentiment are removed.

The Medical Power of the Six Nation Many of the French players taking part in the Six Nations come from the city of Toulouse which likes modestly to call itself the capital of French rugby. Now the city's medical professionals have been backed by those players in an exciting project in the fight against cancer. We’re in town to find out more.

The World's Fastest Blind Man on Two Wheels Ben Felten, who is blind, with help from his sighted guide (and former MOTO GP star) Kevin Magee will attempt to crack the world record for the fastest speed for a motorcycle ridden blindfolded.

Mr. Mouse A couple of weeks ago prize money of over $60,000 (£50,000) was on offer to those taking part in the original and most infamous obstacle course race in the world "Tough Guy". However the 30th running of Tough Guy was its last as its creator, some might say evil genius Billy Wilson, known as Mr. Mouse has decided to retire. Before he did he took us on a tour of the course.

Photo: Former Leicester City manager Claudio Ranieri looks on during the a Premier League match in the title winning season (Credit Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)

After Donald Trump commented that getting to know the Japanese PM on the golf course is the best way to begin their diplomatic discussions, we look back on when political policy has been born on the golf course.

We hear from a golf writer who has played two rounds with Trump, he claims that POTUS is the best golfer ever to be sworn in.

Comedians Tim Vine (Sutton United) and Ian Stone (Arsenal) face off for laughs ahead of a non-league vs Premier League FA Cup sixth round tie.

We visit the Yorkshire Roses quidditch team and hear from the man who adapted a fictional game from JK Rowling’s Harry Potter books into an international sport. To mark the death of Dick Bruna, the creator of cartoon rabbit Miffy whose books have sold more than 800 million copies worldwide, we explore his impact on sport. Miffy was chosen as the mascot for the Grand Depart of the 2015 tour de France in Bruna’s home town of Utrecht. Curator Edwin Jacobs tells us why the world’s greatest cycling race was lucky to be associated with the famous bunny. And as former Liverpool and France international striker Djibril Cisse brings an end to his football career to concentrate on becoming a DJ, Sportshour speaks to a man whose made that transition. Former Everton and Chelsea winger, (DJ) Pat Nevin, tells us what it takes to successfully swap the dressing room for the DJ booth.

(Image: Donald Trump at The Trump International Golf Links Course. Credit: Getty Images)

One of rugby union's finest players, the South African, Joost van der Westhuizen died this week at the age of 45. Diagnosed with motor neurone disease in 2011, he set up the J9 Foundation to raise funds for awareness of MND and help support families of those with the disease, dedicating as much commitment and energy as he did to his rugby career. Dr Franclo Henning - the Chairman of the Motor Neurone Disease Association of South Africa tells us how van der Westhuizen inspired others to keep battling the disease.

Million dollar pitcher

Softball player Monica Abbott is the first woman in American team sports to sign a million dollar contract. Her deal with the Scrap Yard Dawgs in Texas means she is in receipt of the most lucrative contract ever awarded to a female athlete in team sport. She tells us how she finalised the deal.

Fair play in India

India recently launched its first ever national women's football league. It may only feature six teams but it's being seen as a crucial moment for the sport in the world' largest democracy. We're with England and Manchester City Women footballer Jill Scott as she travels to Kolkata to encourage girls to take up the game

Re-united

In 1970 Bronwyn Burrell was one of a handful of women who took part in the World Cup Rally, from London to Mexico. Now in her 70s, she's re-united with her car and one of her co-drivers to take part in this year's Lisbon Rally. She tells us how she's preparing for her first rally in decades.

And Sporting witness

The story of one of the best-loved - but least successful - football teams in Europe: Germany's FC St Pauli. Claire Bowes has been talking to long-time fan Sven Brux about punks, politics and the most unlikely win in the club's history.

A special show from Super Bowl LI in Houston

Photo: Players celebrate after winning the Vince Lombardi Trophy (Credit: Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

Formula One has new owners, who want to expand and modernise the sport. So could it become truly global, and feature a race in Africa, the only continent without a Grand Prix.

It's hard to think of a country as obsessed with one sport as India is with cricket. The game helps to give a country of 1.3 billion people an identity. Getting a ticket for a one day match when India are playing is for many impossible We go to Chennai and Kolkata to discover just how difficult it is.

At the age of 63 Charles Eugster was tempted back to competitive rowing by the introduction of a category for the over 60s. He says he's not unique and everyone can enjoy a rewarding later life by following a similar regime, where exercise is a preventative measure and a treatment.

The two Belgrade football clubs - Partizan and Red Star have great histories, but it's a different story today, and Partizan have been banned from European competition because of financial irregularities. Sportshour reports from Belgrade as both clubs continue to struggle in the post-Yugoslavia era.

As Donald Trump takes charge of the world's most powerful nation we head back to the early 1980s when his goals were slightly more modest.

One of his 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.

We hear from some of those involved with the USFL and the team including Trump’s right hand man at the Generals, Jimmy Gould.

(Photo: Donald Trump (R) at a press conference for the New Jersey Generals of the USFL: Credit: AP)

Can mental toughness developed on the football field help kick cancer? Phil Brabbs thinks so.

It can be the loneliest job in all of sport. You sit on the sidelines and watch your team mates toil for the whole match, and American football games last for hours, but you might only be on the field for a matter of seconds. Yet it could be you alone who snatches victory or condemns your team to defeat. Welcome to the world of the place-kicker!

In 2002, in front of 110,000 people, Phil Brabbs kicked a last minute field goal to claim a place in University of Michigan football folklore. It's a moment that never left him and it was a good job too, because it was the mental toughness he developed during his football career that he credits with helping him beat his toughest challenge, cancer.

Photo: Phil Brabbs, Founder of the Cancer Kickers Foundation at the offices of the business he started Torrent Consulting (Credit: BBC)

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)

Listen back to the two most significant moments in the Sportshour year

Remembering and rejoicing. We hear from those whose lives were influenced by Muhammad Ali, who passed away in 2016.

Plus, San Quentin Correction Facility, one of North America's most notorious prisons. It has held convicts like Charles Manson, and today it houses the largest death row population in the USA. The cells are dark, claustrophobic and threatening. However outside in the Californian sun is one of the more progressive rehabilitation projects in the American penal system: The San Quentin tennis program. The tennis court is one of very few places in the prison where racial divides do not exist. No matter of race or gang affiliation, the tennis court is a neutral zone. Caroline Barker is on court with murderers, bank robbers and kidnappers. Photo: Cassius Clay (later Muhammad Ali) lying on his hotel bed in London in 1963. He holds up five fingers in a prediction of how many rounds it will take him to knock out British boxer Henry Cooper. Credit: Len Trievnor/Express/Getty Images

A selection of the most listened to features and interviews from Sportshour in 2016 including:

How America Suzy Favour Hamilton went from Olympic finalist in Sydney to a Las Vegas escort. She failed to win 1500m gold, she apparently settled into family life, but it subsequently came out that she'd been working as a high-class escort. Suzy explains how mental illness drove her to prostitution and how she wrote her autobiography to set the record straight.

Plus how Houry Gebeshian, the sole Armenian female representative in gymnastics at the 2016 Rio Olympics, combined her training with a job delivering babies!

And in the year the SuperBowl celebrated its 50th anniversary, we heard from Tom Brown part of the winning Green Bay Packers team back at Super Bowl I. He recalls working under his legendary coach Vince Lombari, whom the trophy is now named after.

Photo: Suzy Favor Hamilton Credit: Getty (L) Suzy Favor Hamilton (R)

We look at the sexual abuse scandal that has engulfed gymnastics in the USA. We hear from former gymnast Rachael Denhollander on waiving her right to anonymity to accuse former USA national team doctor Dr Larry Nassar of sexual abuse. We also hear from John Manley the lawyer representing two gymnasts, including an Olympian, who are suing Gymnastics USA for their failure to act on allegations brought to them about Dr Nasser. Mark Alesia one of the investigators from the Indianapolis Star, the paper that broke the story, also joins us.

"I feared for my own safety" The documentary 'Forever Pure' centres on Israel's most notorious football club, Beitar Jerusalem. The film follows the team, its fans and owners after signing two Muslim players from Chechnya. The first Muslims to play for the team... The angry reaction of fans shocked the country with director Maya Zinshtein receiving death threats.

Acting the part of captain Ed Rolston had two dreams growing up, to play international rugby and to be a star of the big screen. There was a time when neither seemed attainable. He left professional rugby before his career ever really got going, but now he is the captain of the Hong Kong national side and the first half of his ambitious double is complete. So what happened to his attempt to conquer Hollywood?

Sporting Witness: It is 60 years since a love affair between a Czechoslovak discus thrower and an American hammer thrower made the headlines at the Olympic Games in Melbourne. The discus thrower was Olga Fikotova, who won gold in her event but was then ostracised by Czech officials for starting a relationship with a westerner. At the height of the Cold War, Fikotova was treated as a potential defector and virtually ignored on her return to Prague despite winning Czechoslovakia’s only gold of the Olympics.

Photo: Gymnasts practice Credit Guang Niu/Getty Images

DeAndre Levy is a star of the Detroit Lion's American football team, but it is not just on the field that he excels. Never afraid to speak out, he has dedicated to educating and changing the 'macho culture' that exists in American football and wider society. DeAndre has joined the effort of other organisations and individuals across the city of Detroit to test more than 11,000 neglected rape kits and investigate and prosecute the resulting cases as part of the Enough Said programme. The BBC's Joel Hammer has been to Detroit to meet DeAndre and Peg Tallet of the Michigan Women's Foundation and enoughsaiddetroit.org

Post Surrealist Cech and his Mate: What is the relationship like between goalkeepers and their goal? Arsenal’s Petr Cech and Chelsea’s Asmir Begovic discuss this abstract concept, and it turns out it is a love-hate relationship! It follows Gianluigi Buffon who earlier this year penned a heartfelt open letter to the goal that he defends.

Sporting Witness Fifty years on from an historic basketball match in the United States between an all-white team from the University of Kentucky and an all-back team from Texas Western College. The teams went head-to-head for the NCAA national championship – one of the most prestigious prizes in American sport. Kentucky were the overwhelming favourites but the black players from Texas Western pulled off a surprise win despite enduring racial insults on the court. Their victory also dispelled the general view among basketball experts that black players were too ill-disciplined to play their sport tactically.

(Photo: DeAndre in action for the Detroit Lions Credit: Getty Images)

In 1960 the plane carrying the Cal Poly American football team crashed on take-off. It claimed the lives of 22 people, including 16 players. Gil Stork was a member of the team and on board that night. He survived those terrible events and tells of a terrifying night, the life long aftermath and how to deal with the feeling of guilt for surviving.

Women’s Afcon We’re in Yaoundé ahead of the Women’s AFCON final. According to FIFA’s Isha Johansen the game of football is helping educate and protect children against child marriage in Cameroon and across Africa.

America Kabaddi Champions!? (We’re not holding our breath) Rap performer David Richey recently swapped spitting lyrics for repeating the same word over and over again, all in the name of sport. The musician used what he's learnt on stage to enhance his sporting achievements. His sport is Kabaddi and David competed for America at the recent world cup.

Indian Tee Time Golf is largely a rich man's sport and most of India's population live in villages in the rural part of the country and have little access to sporting facilities. Including 12 year old Shubham Jaglan, but that's not stopped him becoming the rising star of Indian golf. We’ve been to meet him

Rocky Road It's forty years ago, a movie came out which was phenomenally successful. It won the world's most important film award: Best Picture, at the Academy Awards, beating fellow nominees Taxi Driver, All The President's Men and Network. The winning film not only won an oscar but had a long lasting effect on the sport it portrayed.

Photo: The last photo of the Cal Poly American football team taken before a crash claimed 22 lives, including 16 players. Courtesy of Cal Poly Public Affairs

"Sports in our country is not an instrument of politics, but sports in our country itself is a consequence of the Revolution" The words of the Cuban leader, Fidel Castro, who has died. So what will Fidel Castro's legacy on Cuban Sport be? We hear from Manuel Barcia, Professor of Latin American History at Leeds University and has written on sport in Cuba.

Breaking the Silence: We look at the implications from a week of revelations about child abuse in English football. This issue of course is not restricted to just English football. We hear from survivors of abuse from different parts of the world and question if authorities and governing bodies do enough to protect young people when they are in the care of coaches.

In a League of Her Own: Australian Ruan Simms comes from a Rugby league family... Brothers Ashton, Korbin and Tariq are all professional rugby league players, and now she is too! She’s just become the first female rugby league player to receive a paid contract by signing with the Cronulla Sharks.

Photo: Cuban leader Fidel Castro playing baseball. (Credit Keystone/Getty Images)

Caroline Barker brings you the stories of the week, from the adventurer facing death head on rowing the Pacific from Japan to Alaska, to the youngest and most controversial heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson and how the new language of cricket on the radio, is helping grow the game in Zimbabwe.

(Image: Ronnie O'Sullivan in Soho, credit: Getty Images)

England and Scotland lining up at Wembley - but the build up to the oldest fixture in international football focused not just on the match, but the decision by both associations to wear black armbands bearing a poppy to commemorate those who have died through conflict. This was despite being told by FIFA, that they were not allowed to and would face punishment.

Cricket in The Jungle, a different Calais

How will history remember the now demolished Calais Migrant Camp? Reporting of this story would suggest that the ripping apart of 'The Jungle' has been a narrative of human suffering and hopelessness - but perhaps there's more to tell. Journalist Rosamund Urwin visited the camp in its final weeks and returned home determined to do something. Her partner, Charlie Campbell, is a publisher and captain of The Authors cricket team. Together, they returned to The Jungle with bats, balls and stumps and played cricket with those they found there. How much of a difference do they think they made that day and is that where there involvement with those refugees ended?

Who'd be a Host?

Is London's Olympic Stadium fit to host Premier League football? There'll be extra policing when West Ham host Stoke City on Saturday, a reaction to rival fans clashing during last week's League Cup tie against Chelsea. The cost of converting the venue for Football is also now the subject of an enquiry, ordered by London's Mayor. What did London get wrong, and why do host cities and nations appear to make similar mistakes? Is there a 'How To' checklist which potential bidders should be looking at before entering any race? Professor Mikkel Draebye believes that there is. He's an expert in Strategy, Entrepreneurship & Sports Management. Based in Milan, he's recently seen Rome pull out of the race for the 2024 Olympic Games - but believes that's actually a positive ... suggesting a greater "maturity" now with bidding cities weighing risk against reward.

How can you pedal a bicycle if you're paralysed?

What you'll need is Functional Electrical Stimulation. F.E.S uses electric pulses to activate the leg muscles and get them pedalling. The technology has been showcased at what's been dubbed the very first "Bionic Olympics". Actually called The Cybathlon, last month's event held just outside Stockholm was all about assistive technology and a glimpse of the future in terms of how people with disabilities might be able to overcome day-to-day practical challenges.

Susie Dent's Secret Language

The 'professional eavesdropper' Susie Dent has been tuning into other people's conversations all her life. She tells Sportshour how she's uncovered the secret language of popular culture 'tribes' ... words that bin men, solicitors and cabin crew use only between themselves. Susie explains that sport also has its fair share of terms which make no sense to anyone else - not clichés, but insiders' speak - and shares some of her favourites with us.

Man versus Fat

A football league for overweight men, where you're rewarded for winning (matches) and for losing (weight). Set up early in 2016 by Andrew Shanahan, his idea is working. Thinner and fitter, Roger Smith has been among the beneficiaries. He explains why he joined MANvFAT Football and the results he's seen on and off the pitch, while Andrew himself discusses becoming an entrepreneur in the world of men's fitness after so many people signed up for such a simple idea.

It's Pole Sports, NOT Pole Dancing

The International Pole Sport Federation is seeking official recognition by the International Olympic Committee, with a view to one day competing at the Games. But what is Pole Sports? IPSF President Katie Coates tells Sportshour that, if the pole was horizontal, they'd be classed as gymnastics - but one thing they are not is exotic dance.

(PIcture: Migrants play cricket in the Calais 'Jungle' camp Credit: Getty Images)

During 1966 English football enjoyed a momentous year. It was also a significant moment for football in South Africa and in particular for the inmates of Robben Island. It was the year the Macana Football Association was created by the prisoners locked up in apartheid South Africa. Former inmate Dumisani Mwandhla recalls the importance of football to those imprisoned.

The Wanderer: Erden Eruc was the first person to complete an entirely solo human-powered circumnavigation of the globe. So, no cars, no trains, no planes - just legs and arms! It took him over five years to complete his journey. Now aged 55, his desire to explore remains undimmed and new projects are planned. But it was deciding to take on that first challenge that changed his life forever.

The Female Game Changers: When film director Molly Schiot had another pitch for a feature about women’s sport rejected, she decided to create a website, so she could tell the stories of the unsung pioneers of women's sport. She has collated them in to a new book, Game Changers: The Unsung Heroines of Sport History, which charts the women who have paved the way for many of today’s female sport stars to succeed.

The Perfect Man: Last week the Minnesota Vikings were beaten. Meaning the NFL's last undefeated record this season was ended. No real surprise because in nearly 100 years of the sport, only one team has had a 100% record at the end of the season. That was back in 1972 when the Miami Dolphins completed a 'Perfect Season'. Manny Fernandez, was a member of that team and recalls that season.

Ian Brown might be homeless, but it hasn’t stopped him training for and successfully completing the Melbourne marathon last week. After years of homelessness Ian found help and redemption in running, supported by Australian charity ‘On My Feet’. They provide new trainers and use running to raise the homeless self-esteem with remarkable results. We speak to Ian and ‘On My Feet’ CEO Keegan Crage.

Ultra Marathon There was a time running 26.2 miles would be enough to fulfil a personal dream and/or be sufficient to brag endlessly on social media. Now however if you’re running anything less than 50 miles you’re not trying! We look at the growth in popularity of ultra-marathon by taking part (figuratively) in an overnight race which also raised funds for schools across Africa.

Joggling Marathon: When Michal Kapral finished the Chicago marathon in less than 3 hours, he was rightly proud… What’s more he never dropped a ball on the entire route… That’s because Michal is a joggler and ran the entire marathon whilst juggling 3 balls, never once braking stride or dropping a ball. But why?

Peruvian On Up We’re on the start line at one of motorsport's toughest races; the Camino del Inca which gets underway in Peru on Saturday. It's the 50th running of the race and 98 cars will attempt the 4,000 kilometre route, sometimes driving for more than 12 hours a day. The race is more than just a sporting event, it has become a chance for people to celebrate the country’s culture and landscape. The route heads through the Andes Mountains, around Lake Titicaca and through the arid deserts of southern Peru.

Footy App Kelly Davies is a former footballer turned entrepreneur but with a socially responsible attitude. She played for Arsenal and Liverpool and on the international stage for Wales, but since retiring has developed a computer game designed to test your ability to run a football club. The aim of the "Football CEO" app is not just to win cups and trophies, but to manage a club's finances and avoid bankruptcy! In turn the company behind the game, Vi-Ability use the profits it makes from the app to transform run down clubs (IRL), offering opportunity to people in areas needing regeneration.

Photo: Ian Brown (R) and Kyle Holtzman having completed the Melbourne Marathon. Credit:James Carmody/OnMyFeet

Donald Trump's dismissal of his comments about women as "locker room talk" has angered the sporting community. But is there some truth in what he's saying - in terms of what is said in players' dressing rooms? Former NFL player Joe Ehrmann is now coaching American sportsmen to change their negative attitudes towards women. He believes that the outcry over Trump's comments can be used as a catalyst to change those attitudes.

As Fifa continues its process of reform following a series of corruption scandals, Joyce Cook has become the first disabled person to be appointed to the management board of world football's governing body. A wheelchair user herself, she's initiated a range of diversity and inclusion projects within the game. How does she see her new role at Fifa?

The Volvo Ocean Race is encouraging more female sailors to take part by introducing mixed crews for next year's race. Men-only line-ups will be limited to seven sailors, while an all-female crew can number eleven. But there will be various combinations in between, such as seven men and two women. Two veterans of the race, two-time winner Phil Harmer and Abby Ehler, debate the new rules and consider what the best combination would be.

When Spain's Carolina Marin won badminton gold at the Rio Olympics it was a landmark moment for her country and for the sport. Never before had a woman from outside of Asia won the Olympic title. Marin tells how she abandoned flamenco dancing for badminton and became the world's best.

The quest is on to become the first rider to take a motor cycle past the 400 miles an hour mark, with recent attempts taking place in the American state of Utah. But land speed records aren't limited to motorcycles and cars. We've been to the 'Straight-liners' event in the north of England - featuring plenty of weird and wonderful machines.

This week stories from the Iron Curtain to the baseball diamond, the boxing ring, to the stage.

We hear from Dutch cyclist Annemiek van Vleuten as she returns to the road after her horror crash during the women's road race at the Rio Olympics. The first female Olympic boxing Gold medalist Nicola Adams is with us as we hear about Muhammad Ali and Me, the play combining dance and poetry to tell the story of the world's greatest boxer.

We follow one man's 10,000km ride from Norway to Bulgaria as he cycles the Iron Curtain plus we're in Los Angeles as legendary baseball broadcaster Vin Scully hangs up his microphone after 67 years in the LA Ddodgers commentary booth.

Photo: Annemiek van Vleuten. (Credit: Annemiek van Vlueten/Twitter)

It sounds like science fiction, but the world's first bionic Olympics is being organised. It's called the Cybathalon and will be held in Switzerland. We hear from some of the competitors taking part and to Professor Robert Riener from the University of Zurich, an expert in developing robot-aided rehabilitation and organiser of this unique competition

“If Only Australia Were Proud Of Us” Is counting medals the best way for nations to judge Olympic success? We hear from Australian rower and Rio gold medalist Kim Brennan who thinks that people should worry less about the number of golds won, and concentrate much more on creating opportunities to inspire young people to participate in sport.

Ryder Cup: The Ryder Cup is a mainstay of the sporting calendar, but what drove a flower seed salesman from the small English town of St. Albans to start the tournament and lend his name to it. We look at the life and legacy of Samuel Ryder.

Far From the Fame: For many being an athlete in the NFL allows for a comfortable lifestyle, with some players very happy to show the world just how comfortable! But what happens when you find you aren’t getting any enjoyment out of this lifestyle detached from the reality of how most of the fans live... That’s what happened to David Vobora who played for the Rams and Seahawks but gave up the game at a young age to pursue something that it's fair to say, has changed him.

PHOTO: Claudia Mitchell the first woman to be equipped with a bionic arm. She can think to make it move. (CREDIT: Dayna Smith/Washington Post/Getty Images)

Anne Seel made motor-racing history last year when she became the only Swede to ride both a motorcycle and a car in the Dakar Rally. Very few women take part in the Dakar Rally in South America and Seel wants to encourage more women to get involved and has set up a women's only rally course just outside of Stockholm.

Game of Thrones: We visit the once run down seaside resort of Portrush where thanks to the unusual combination of Game of Thrones and the game of golf, the town has been rejuvenated..

Ballet Football West Ham take on Southampton on Sunday. It's not however West Ham's only fixture of the weekend. On Saturday night and in cooperation with the Sadler's Wells theatre company, there's a community dance production inspired by football. 'Home Turf' features 93 performers aged between 6 and their late 80's including community dancers and football fans!

Homophbia Following on from a report released this week about homophobic abuse by football fans we investigate what it’s like to be an LGBT football fan and how significant football is in sending a message of equality around the world

(Photo; Annie Seel with her rally car, Credit; Nathalie Rothschild)