Sportsworld

On November 10th, 1991, South Africa were welcomed back into international cricket after a twenty-one year apartheid boycott. The one-day international series against India came four months after readmittance to the world game, and just five since the formation of the United Cricket Board of South Africa, which bought rival white and black cricket authorities together. Many believed the 1992 World...

During the Tokyo Olympics, many athletes have made public their problems with their mental health, whether it be during the games like US Gymnast Simone Biles or before the games like Dutch Cyclist Tom Dumoulin. Delyth Lloyd presents a Sportsworld special on sport's relationship with mental health. She is joined by Team Bath Coach Anna Stembridge, former kickboxing world champion Caradh O'Donovan...

On this special Sportsworld podcast, Maz Farookhi is joined by BBC Sport's Simon Stone and football journalist and editor of the United We Stand fanzine Andy Mitten to reflect on the career of a player and now a manager whose life will always be intrinsically linked with Manchester United, nearly 25 years to the day since he first arrived at Old Trafford. We look back at his early career at Old Tr...

John Bennett is joined by former Spurs defender Ramon Vega and journalists Daniel Storey and George Addo to discuss the upcoming domestic football season. The panel discuss a variety of different topics, from Manchester United's increased transfer activity, Harry Kane's future, the new managers in the Premier League and what's next for Lionel Messi and Barcelona. (Photo: Patrick Vieira, Credit: Ge...

Mariko Oi presents a BBC Sportsworld special documentary about the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. The games catapulted Japan into the 20th century, introducing new infrastructure that is still being used to this day like the bullet train. We'll hear from residents about what the experience was like hosting the games and we'll also hear from Olympic champions Billy Mills and Ann Packer as well as cyclist Vic...

Sportsworld's Lee James is joined by our football reporter John Bennett, Italian football expert Mina Rzouki and the Independent's chief football writer Miguel Delaney to preview the final of Euro 2020 between England and Italy at Wembley. Lee speaks at length to England forward Danny Welbeck, who was part of Gareth Southgate's England squad, which reached the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup in...

After a year's absence due to the Coronavirus pandemic, Wimbledon is back. Sportsworld will be covering the action across the 2 weeks and what better way to whet your appetite than listening to Lee James and guests - players Jill Craybas and Taylor Townsend preview this year's tournament. There will also be appearances from current champions Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Andy Murray and Ashleigh...

The European Football Championships has always been an exciting tournament whether it's the unexpected winners to shock results. Join Lee James as he speaks to players who have experienced the highs of European Championship glory such as: Kim Vilfort who helped Denmark win the 1992 title, Germany legend Bastian Schweinsteiger on his countries chances of regaining some pride and Iceland's Johan Ber...

Sportsworld's Lee James is joined by guests who featured on Sportsworld 12 months ago, to catch up and reflect on a year of destruction caused by the Covid pandemic.

On April 22nd 1996, sporting history was made when the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) was founded. It was a huge moment for women's basketball and sport. The concept of a professional women's basketball league wasn't new. Previous attempts to start a women's pro league had failed but the WNBA had two things going for it: the backing of the NBA and the determination of many women to...

The dates have changed but the goals remain the same , the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics have been billed as a symbol of human kinds victory, over the coronavirus, but will the ongoing global pandemic really allow the Olympic flame to provide the light at the end of the tunnel? Sportsworld’s Lee James is joined by Japanese Sports Journalist Yuko Suzuki, European correspondent for the Australian N...

In March 1996 Sri Lanka pulled off one of the biggest shocks in cricket history by winning the World Cup. Having been knocked out in the first round of four of the previous five World Cups, and finished eighth in the other, Sri Lanka were never taken seriously as an international side. This is the story of how that changed, told by those involved. And how a proud island nation overcame bombings, b...

Sportsworld looks ahead to the upcoming 2021 Formula One season, as Lewis Hamilton looks for a record-breaking eighth world title. Joining Sportsworld’s Lee James, is former Red Bull & Williams driver Mark Webber. We also hear from Alpine driver Esteban Ocon and Aston Martin team principal Otmar Szafnauer. Photo: Mercedes’ driver Lewis Hamilton walks on the grid during 2021 F1 Testing. (Credit...

50 years on since the "Fight of The Century," Sportsworld looks back at that historic fight between Muhammed Ali and Joe Frazier and speaks to the last unified heavyweight champion of the world Lennox Lewis. Photo: Boxer Muhammad Ali steps away from a punch thrown by boxer Joe Frazier during their heavyweight title fight dubbed the “Fight of the Century” at Madison Square Garden in 1971. (Credit:...

How inclusive is sport to LGBT+ athletes, and what more needs to be done? Sportsworld presenter Lee James speaks with England and Aston Villa defender Anita Asante, San Diego Loyal midfielder Collin Martin and Jamaican swimmer Michael Gunning, who is aiming to compete at the Tokyo Olympics. All are openly gay and came out while playing their sports. Photos: Aston Villa’s Anita Asante in action dur...

In the United States of America, February is Black History Month - an opportunity for all Americans to reflect on the historical contributions of African Americans in the country's history and is now perhaps more poignant than ever following events in the USA over the last year. The death of George Floyd last May sparked a worldwide reaction of shock and horror at police brutality towards black pe...

Back in 1975, Lee Elder braved death threats to become the first African American golfer to play at the Masters. It was one of the last colour barriers in US sport and made him a hero to many black sportsmen and women, including Tiger Woods. But 45 years on, and in the wake of the death of George Floyd, what progress has been made to make golf more inclusive and accessible to the black community?...

We celebrate the athletes who rarely step foot on the pitch - only ever cross the white line to bring on drinks - and some who are able to lead the race but never reach the finishing line. It's the tales of the substitutes, the 12th players, the bib wearers and the pace setters. Lee James chats to England cricketer Jack Leach, former Netherlands and Tottenham keeper Michel Vorm and Olympic 800m ru...

Nigeria’s UFC world welterweight champion Kamaru Usman says it’s become ‘normalised’ to face racism in the United States. Last month, Usman was subjected to racist comments from UFC fighter Colby Covington – who said the backlash he received from fellow fighters was “unwarranted”. UFC President Dana White said he doesn’t want to "muzzle fighters, we let everybody speak their mind. I don't know wha...

In 2010 the Los Angeles Lakers were the kings of the NBA. The Lakers, thanks to legendary coach Phil Jackson and Laker great Kobe Bryant, defeated the Boston Celtics in game 7 of the NBA finals. But in the following the decade, the fortunes of the franchise changed. Phil Jackson left, franchise owner Jerry Buss died and the championship team was broken up. So what happened? Sportsworld’s Delyth Ll...

Remember the date – 26th August 2020 – the day athletes across US professional sports boycotted games. An unprecedented and historic protest for racial justice and the end to police brutality in America. Players were responding to the death of Jacob Blake, a Black man who was shot by police in Wisconsin. It was led by several Women's NBA teams and reached across the entire basketball leagues and a...

Ferrari – the biggest name in Formula One. Iconic cars, a global brand, a Formula One team that comes under more scrutiny than any other. As Ferrari marks its 70th anniversary and it’s 1000th Formula One race at the Tuscan Grand Prix this weekend, we’re taking a look at what makes the name such a dominant force within the sport. From the origins of the iconic Prancing Horse logo, their cars and th...

What's it really like to play for the obsessive and demanding Leeds United head coach Marcelo Bielsa? We’ve spoken to some of the people who have got closest to the 65-year-old Argentine through his well-travelled career – from Buenos Aires to Bilbao and Mexico to Marseille - to try to find out more about how he operates. Bielsa carries a mythology with him - but how many of the remarkable stories...

As Leeds United make their return to the Premier League after a 16 year wait, we take a look at their fall from the top, and their return to glory under manager Marcelo Bielsa. Joined by special guests Lucas Radebe, Jon Newsome and the Kaiser Chiefs, we unravel the last two decades of football in Leeds. From the glory days of Eric Cantona, Rio Ferdinand and Lee Bowyer, to their significant and rap...

Atlanta Hawks coach Lloyd Pierce is one of just a few black head coaches in the NBA, but says now is the time athletes around the world are ‘speaking louder and being heard’. Pierce was joined by This Is Us softball player Kiki Stokes for one of a series of BBC discussions about racism and whether we will see change following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis in May which sparked protests a...