Sportshour

Earlier this year, The International Association of Athletics Federations announced a new ruling that from November 2018 onwards, female athletes with naturally high testosterone levels who wanted to continue competing in female events (400m to the mile events) would have to take medication to reduce the hormone in their bodies - or race against men. Olympic and World 800m champion Caster Semenya is set to contest these rules at the Court of Arbitration for Sport. This week Sportshour talks to a number of experts to discuss the social, legal and medical implications of these new rules and whether we’ll ever see Semenya run the same again.Last year, rising star of British Motorsport Billy Monger suffered a high-speed crash while racing in Formula 4 resulted in a double leg amputation........while in 2001, former Formula One driver Alex Zanardi lost both of his legs in a crash in Germany. Billy travelled to Rome to meet Alex as part of a special programme for the BBC.This week, 100 and 200 metre World Record ho

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

Football's e-scout Becoming a professional footballer is a dream shared by many children across the globe, but very few ever see that ambition become a reality. Of the 1.5 million boys who play organised youth football in England, only around 180 make it to the top level playing in the Premier League. Well two football-mad Danes decided they wanted to change this. Peter Holm and Simon Hjaere created Tonsser - an App that allows young players to create their own profile, upload videos and stats from their games and share this information with teammates and scouts hunting for the next star.From court room to cricket pitch Ben Stokes' skills as both batsmn and bowler, have made him one of the highest earners in the lucrative Indian Premier League. He's one of the most recognisible figures in the game. But he missed England's win over India in the second Test win at Lords while in court facing a charge of affray. Stokes was found not guilty on Tuesday, and shortly afterwards was named in the squad for the third

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

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

We're with a group of women who have spent the last there weeks riding the grueling Tour de France course one day in advance of the men. We join the Des Elles au Velo, as they ride for the last stage in the hope that next year there might be an official, complete and competitive Tour de France for women.Getting Hy at the Palace Hy Money has had a long and distinguished career as a sports photographer, finding fame in particular by capturing the images of her beloved football team Crystal Palace. However she has had to fight through the most extraordinary attitudes and discrimination to get to the top. That's reflected in some of the language you are about to hear. Caroline Barker has been to visit her to find out about her struggles and to look at some of the images she has created over the years.Justine Siegal: Baseball For All Challenging attitudes in traditionally male dominated sport is a long and difficult struggle, and even when you've made it, the challenge never ends. There are few, if any, better qua

As the Women's Hockey World Cup begins we look at how the sport deals with concussion.Danish Donation: FC Nordsjælland join Common Goal FC Nordsjælland have made history by becoming the first club in the world to donate 1% of their match day revenue to charity, after beating Cliftonville FC in the Europa League. The charity in question is "Common Goal", which was set up by Manchester United star Juan Mata. The initiative encourages players to donate 1% of their salary to charity. Tom Vernon is the Chairman of FC Nordsjælland and explained to Sportshour how it works.The man behind the greatest ever football chant We travel to Cuba to find out more about the man who composed the greatest football chant of all time. Admittedly that wasn't his goal at the time, but still... "There's only one Joseito Fernandez!" Our guide is Dr Katia Chornik, researcher specialising in cultural history of music, migration and human rightsPhoto: Shona McCallin in action at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. McCallin will miss this years 2

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

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

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

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 MerkleFIFA 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 Lo

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

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 o

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

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 an

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 U

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

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

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)