More than the Score

BBC World Service
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Unexpected questions and beyond the scoresheet chat. A multi-sport global podcast from the BBC World Service, every weekday. Every Monday to Friday, More than the Score tells stories beyond the scoreline from all over the world of sport. From the Winter Olympics to the Super Bowl, the Australian Open to the Diamond League, and netball to Formula 1. We've got interviews with extraordinary athletes like Ivory Coast legend Yaya Toure, boxing royalty Cecilia Braekhus and cycling sprint king Harrie Lavreysen, as well as the experts working behind the scenes, from the referees who run VAR to the coaches keeping athletes in peak form. Plus, we've got the expertise of the BBC's top journalists, who share their insights from decades of covering sport at all levels. And if you've got your own take on the stories we cover, we'd love to hear from you. Email morethanthescore@bbc.co.uk, or WhatsApp us on 0044 800 032 0470. You can find more information, along with our privacy notice, on our website: www.bbcworldservice.com/morethanthescore

  1. Dave Ryding's Olympic farewell

    8 HR AGO

    Dave Ryding's Olympic farewell

    Dave Ryding is the only British Alpine skier to ever win a World Cup race. His 2022 victory in the slalom at Kitzbuhel also saw him become the oldest man to ever win a World Cup slalom, aged 35. Ryding's career started years later than those of his peers, and in very different circumstances to skiers from the traditional Alpine superpowers. Dave learned to ski as a teenager on the plastic dry slope at Pendle in Lancashire, a world away from the snowy mountains where he would make his name more than a decade later. Through years of persistence and struggle, he finally reached the top of the sport, having taken a journey unlike any other. Now, aged 39, Dave Ryding is set to bring a close to his racing career in the men's slalom at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. Earlier this year, he spoke to former British Olympic skier Chemmy Alcott for the BBC's Ski Sunday programme about his decades in the sport, revealing what first brought him to the plastic slope that would change his life. Dave also shares how running a cafe with his wife played a major role in shaping his sporting success, and looks to what the future might bring when he crosses the finish line for the final time. Chemmy also joins the BBC's Ed Harry to discuss the qualities that enabled Dave Ryding to reach unprecedented heights for a British skier, and the legacy he now leaves for the sport. Every Monday to Friday, More than the Score tells stories beyond the scoreline from all over the world of sport. From the Winter Olympics to the Super Bowl, the Australian Open to the Diamond League, and netball to Formula 1. We've got interviews with extraordinary athletes like Albania's skiing star Lara Colturi, snowboarding icon Scotty James and cycling sprint king Harrie Lavreysen, as well as the experts working behind the scenes, from the referees who run VAR to the coaches keeping athletes in peak form. Plus, we've got the expertise of the BBC's top journalists, who share their insights from decades of covering sport at all levels. And if you've got your own take on the stories we cover, we'd love to hear from you. Email morethanthescore@bbc.co.uk, or WhatsApp us on 0044 800 032 0470. You can find more information, along with our privacy notice, on our website: www.bbcworldservice.com/morethanthescore

    28 min
  2. When does football punditry go too far?

    1 DAY AGO

    When does football punditry go too far?

    Earlier this month, Liverpool and Netherlands captain Virgil van Dijk commented that some former footballers who now work as pundits go too far in their criticism of young players. Speaking to Sky Sports' Gary Neville, he argued that "sometimes criticism also goes into being clickbait, saying things to provoke things, and without thinking about the repercussions for the mental side of players, and especially the younger generation, who are constantly on social media." Van Dijk's words have sparked plenty of debate among fans and pundits alike, but where does the line lie between fair comment and criticism for criticism's sake? Are pundits too hungry for headlines, or are players too sensitive to feedback? Former Scotland international Pat Nevin has worked in the media for three decades, following a distinguished playing career for clubs including Chelsea, Everton and Tranmere Rovers. He tells John Bennett how he was able to ignore media criticism during his own playing career, and says that there's now more pressure on pundits to have stronger opinions to keep their names in the public eye. Marcel van der Kraan, the chief sports editor for Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf, compares the tone of punditry in the Netherlands to that in the UK, and explains the kind of criticism Virgil van Dijk has faced from big names in Dutch football during his career. He also argues that the press risk damaging the careers of promising young managers by expecting too much from them too early in their careers. Every Monday to Friday, More than the Score tells stories beyond the scoreline from all over the world of sport. From the Winter Olympics to the Super Bowl, the Australian Open to the Diamond League, and netball to Formula 1. We've got interviews with extraordinary athletes like Albania's skiing star Lara Colturi, snowboarding icon Scotty James and cycling sprint king Harrie Lavreysen, as well as the experts working behind the scenes, from the referees who run VAR to the coaches keeping athletes in peak form. Plus, we've got the expertise of the BBC's top journalists, who share their insights from decades of covering sport at all levels. And if you've got your own take on the stories we cover, we'd love to hear from you. Email morethanthescore@bbc.co.uk, or WhatsApp us on 0044 800 032 0470. You can find more information, along with our privacy notice, on our website: www.bbcworldservice.com/morethanthescore

    19 min

  3. 2 DAYS AGO

    How cloned horses conquered polo

    Polo is one of the world's oldest team sports, believed to have origins that date back more than 2,000 years, in which two teams of horse riders compete to hit a ball against posts at either end of a playing field. It might not seem like a place for innovation - but over the past decade, polo has been transformed by the use of cloned horses. At the heart of the cloning boom is Argentinian Adolfo Cambiaso, the man regarded as polo's greatest ever player. A decade ago, he took to the field with six identical horses, each cloned from his favourite mare, Cuartetera. Cambiaso and his cloned horses now dominate the sport - but what does that mean for the future of equine sports, and how far might people be willing to go in search of the "perfect" polo horse? The BBC's Marnie Chesterton has been to Argentina to see the polo fields and scientific laboratories where this story has played out. She talks to Ed Harry about how the experiment began, the big money that it's attracted, and the ethical concerns it's raised. You can hear Marnie's documentary, Game of Clones, in the BBC World Service's Documentary Podcast. Every Monday to Friday, More than the Score tells stories beyond the scoreline from all over the world of sport. From the Winter Olympics to the Super Bowl, the Australian Open to the Diamond League, and netball to Formula 1. We've got interviews with extraordinary athletes like Albania's skiing star Lara Colturi, snowboarding icon Scotty James and cycling sprint king Harrie Lavreysen, as well as the experts working behind the scenes, from the referees who run VAR to the coaches keeping athletes in peak form. Plus, we've got the expertise of the BBC's top journalists, who share their insights from decades of covering sport at all levels. And if you've got your own take on the stories we cover, we'd love to hear from you. Email morethanthescore@bbc.co.uk, or WhatsApp us on 0044 800 032 0470. You can find more information, along with our privacy notice, on our website: www.bbcworldservice.com/morethanthescore

    21 min
  4. How do coaches and athletes build successful partnerships?

    3 DAYS AGO

    How do coaches and athletes build successful partnerships?

    The 2021 US Open tennis champion Emma Radacanu is looking for the 10th coach of her career so how do coaches and athletes build successful partnerships? The BBC’s Lee James is joined by tennis journalist Molly McElwee and renowned boxing coach Joe Gallagher. McElwee believes Radacanu and Francis Roig had a difference in philosophy in how to play and that a player needs to have faith in a coach if a partnership is going to work for the long-term. She also tells us change can be a good thing for an athlete. Gallagher has led a number of fighters to world titles and he’s been named coach of the year on multiple occasions. He tells Lee how he builds a relationship with a fighter and says it can take up to two years to be in sync with a boxer. He also admits he’s sometimes guilty of getting too emotionally attached to his athletes. Every Monday to Friday, More than the Score tells stories beyond the scoreline from all over the world of sport. From the Winter Olympics to the Super Bowl, the Australian Open to the Diamond League, and netball to Formula 1. We've got interviews with extraordinary athletes like Albania's skiing star Lara Colturi, snowboarding icon Scotty James and cycling sprint king Harrie Lavreysen, as well as the experts working behind the scenes, from the referees who run VAR to the coaches keeping athletes in peak form. Plus, we've got the expertise of the BBC's top journalists, who share their insights from decades of covering sport at all levels. And if you've got your own take on the stories we cover, we'd love to hear from you. Email morethanthescore@bbc.co.uk, or WhatsApp us on 0044 800 032 0470. You can find more information, along with our privacy notice, on our website: www.bbcworldservice.com/morethanthescore

    24 min
  5. Minions, music and medals: The art of figure skating with Robin Cousins and Benoit Richaud

    4 DAYS AGO

    Minions, music and medals: The art of figure skating with Robin Cousins and Benoit Richaud

    Ilia Malinin, Kaori Sakamoto and Matteo Rossi are among the figure skaters who've already lit up the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. Figure skating and ice dance are among the most-watched sports at any Games, with crowds enthralled by the flair, risk and technical brilliance. But what goes into making a winning routine? Ed Harry speaks to Benoit Richaud and Robin Cousins, two men who know what it takes to wow judges, stadiums and viewers around the world. Benoit Richaud is one of figure skating's most acclaimed and in-demand choreographers. He's working with 16 skaters at this year's Games, including Tomas-Llorenc Guarino Sabate, with whom he devised a routine based on the hit Minions movie franchise that's already hit the headlines all over the world. Benoit explains how music is at the root of everything he does, why he visualises his programmes as being like cinema, and his search for viral moments that will connect with audiences in the arena and at home. Robin Cousins became a sporting hero in the UK when he won men's figure skating gold at the 1980 Lake Placid Winter Olympics. Now a commentator for the BBC, he's spent more than 50 years at the heart of figure skating, having choreographed his first routine as a 12-year-old junior. Robin discusses how the sport has been transformed in that time, the vital importance of emotional connection between performers, music and the audience, and the moments that make him sit up and take notice. He also reveals why, though it may not challenge for medals, Tomas-Llorenc Guarino Sabate's Minions routine is among his favourites in this year's field. Every Monday to Friday, More than the Score tells stories beyond the scoreline from all over the world of sport. From the Winter Olympics to the Super Bowl, the Australian Open to the Diamond League, and netball to Formula 1. We've got interviews with extraordinary athletes like speed skating legend Arianna Fontana, snowboarding icon Scotty James, and Albania's teen skiing star Lara Colturi, as well as the experts working behind the scenes, from the referees who run VAR to the coaches keeping athletes in peak form. Plus, we've got the expertise of the BBC's top journalists, who share their insights from decades of covering sport at all levels. And if you've got your own take on the stories we cover, we'd love to hear from you. Email morethanthescore@bbc.co.uk, or WhatsApp us on 0044 800 032 0470. You can find more information, along with our privacy notice, on our website: www.bbcworldservice.com/morethanthescore

    27 min

  6. 6 FEB

    Can South Africa stop India from winning the ICC Men's T20 World Cup?

    The tenth edition of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup is being co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka. Defending champions India are the strong favourites but could South Africa build on their recent success and go all the way? Beaten finalists in 2024, the Proteas travel to the sub-continent as World Test Champions. India cricket commentator, Prakash Wakankar, explains to Delyth Lloyd why he can't see anyone stopping India captain Suryakumar Yadav and his teammates winning back-to-back World Cups. South Africa has some big hitters in their batting line-up including, Dewald Brevis. ESPN's Southern Africa & Women's Cricket Correspondent, Firdose Moonda, discusses his potential and whether he can lead his team to their first ever T20 World Cup. Every Monday to Friday, More than the Score tells stories beyond the scoreline from all over the world of sport. From the Winter Olympics to the Super Bowl, the Australian Open to the Diamond League, and netball to Formula 1. We've got interviews with extraordinary athletes like Albania's skiing star Lara Colturi, snowboarding icon Scotty James and cycling sprint king Harrie Lavreysen, as well as the experts working behind the scenes, from the referees who run VAR to the coaches keeping athletes in peak form. Plus, we've got the expertise of the BBC's top journalists, who share their insights from decades of covering sport at all levels. And if you've got your own take on the stories we cover, we'd love to hear from you. Email morethanthescore@bbc.co.uk, or WhatsApp us on 0044 800 032 0470. You can find more information, along with our privacy notice, on our website: www.bbcworldservice.com/morethanthescore

    24 min
  7. Arianna Fontana: A Winter Olympic legend's long road home

    5 FEB

    Arianna Fontana: A Winter Olympic legend's long road home

    Arianna Fontana is Italy's most-decorated Winter Olympian. She won her first Olympic short-track speed skating medal in 2006, when she was just 15 years old. Twenty years on, Fontana heads into Milan-Cortina as one of the faces of this year's Games. She'll be carrying the Italian flag in the opening ceremony, before bidding to add to her tally of 11 Olympic medals - including golds in the 500m at both the 2018 and 2022 Games. Earlier this year, Arianna Fontana spoke to the BBC's Ed Harry from her home town in the Italian Alps about how far she's come from that first Olympic medal to now. She explains how she's spent two decades at the top of one of the most intense and unpredictable sports in the Olympic programme, and how she manages to stay in control at high speed on the ice when surrounded by her rivals. Fontana also talks about why she's spent four years on the road with her husband and coach, Anthony Lobello, to prepare for the Games, and how the dynamic between them works. And as she gets ready to race at an Olympics in Italy for a second time, Fontana shares what competing in her home country means to her. Every Monday to Friday, More than the Score tells stories beyond the scoreline from all over the world of sport. From the Winter Olympics to the Super Bowl, the Australian Open to the Diamond League, and netball to Formula 1. We've got interviews with extraordinary athletes like Albania's skiing star Lara Colturi, snowboarding icon Scotty James and cycling sprint king Harrie Lavreysen, as well as the experts working behind the scenes, from the referees who run VAR to the coaches keeping athletes in peak form. Plus, we've got the expertise of the BBC's top journalists, who share their insights from decades of covering sport at all levels. And if you've got your own take on the stories we cover, we'd love to hear from you. Email morethanthescore@bbc.co.uk, or WhatsApp us on 0044 800 032 0470. You can find more information, along with our privacy notice, on our website: www.bbcworldservice.com/morethanthescore

    20 min

  8. 4 FEB

    Field of dreams: How to prepare an NFL turf for Super Bowl

    Super Bowl LX between the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks will have an estimated global audience of over 127 million. The field at the Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California, not only has to cater for the players and dozens of staff, but also the pre-game and half-time festivities that help to make Super Bowl Sunday such a huge cultural phenomenon. Jordan Achay was part of the grounds crew that handled the 2022 Super Bowl which was held at Los Angeles' SoFi Stadium. He tells John Bennett why preparing the turf must start months, sometimes years in advance. He also explains the challenges the event's famous half-time show brings - this year featuring Puerto Rican pop star Bad Bunny. Former Buffalo Bills coach, Phoebe Schecter, explains what coaches and players are looking for from a Super Bowl field. Every Monday to Friday, More than the Score tells stories beyond the scoreline from all over the world of sport. From the Winter Olympics to the Super Bowl, the Australian Open to the Diamond League, and netball to Formula 1. We've got interviews with extraordinary athletes like Ivory Coast legend Yaya Toure, boxing royalty Cecilia Braekhus and cycling sprint king Harrie Lavreysen, as well as the experts working behind the scenes, from the referees who run VAR to the coaches keeping athletes in peak form. Plus, we've got the expertise of the BBC's top journalists, who share their insights from decades of covering sport at all levels. And if you've got your own take on the stories we cover, we'd love to hear from you. Email morethanthescore@bbc.co.uk, or WhatsApp us on 0044 800 032 0470. You can find more information, along with our privacy notice, on our website: www.bbcworldservice.com/morethanthescore

    19 min
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About

Unexpected questions and beyond the scoresheet chat. A multi-sport global podcast from the BBC World Service, every weekday. Every Monday to Friday, More than the Score tells stories beyond the scoreline from all over the world of sport. From the Winter Olympics to the Super Bowl, the Australian Open to the Diamond League, and netball to Formula 1. We've got interviews with extraordinary athletes like Ivory Coast legend Yaya Toure, boxing royalty Cecilia Braekhus and cycling sprint king Harrie Lavreysen, as well as the experts working behind the scenes, from the referees who run VAR to the coaches keeping athletes in peak form. Plus, we've got the expertise of the BBC's top journalists, who share their insights from decades of covering sport at all levels. And if you've got your own take on the stories we cover, we'd love to hear from you. Email morethanthescore@bbc.co.uk, or WhatsApp us on 0044 800 032 0470. You can find more information, along with our privacy notice, on our website: www.bbcworldservice.com/morethanthescore

Information

  • Creator
    BBC World Service
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    116
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © (C) BBC 2026
  • Show Website
    More than the Score

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