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Artwork for Sporting Witness

Sporting Witness

BBC World Service
Football
Manchester United
Boxing
World Cup
Ayrton Senna
Nelli Cooman
Winter Olympics
Women's Rugby World Cup
Colonel Gaddafi
Athletics
FIFA
West Germany
Women's World Cup
Muhammad Ali
NBA
European Indoor Athletics Championships
Alpine Skiing
1990 World Cup
Hockey
Prozone

Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive and testimony. Sporting Witness is for those fascinated by sporting history. We take you to the events that have shaped the sports world through the eyes of the people who were there. For nine minutes, you become a fan in the stands as we take you back in time to examine memorable victories and agonising defeats from all over the world. You’ll hear f... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes672Founded14 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
SportsHistory

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Artwork for Sporting Witness

Latest Episodes

In 1991, the NFL decided to create an international league of American football teams.

Six new teams were formed in the USA, one in Canada and three in Europe. This eventually became an entirely European league in 1995, with teams in Germany, Spain... more

On 15 October 1981, at a baseball game between the Oakland Athletics and the New York Yankees in the USA, American cheerleader Krazy George Henderson got fans to stand up and sit down in sections around the stadium. Over the next few years, the cheer... more

Rafael Nadal was known for being one of the best clay court tennis players but, ever since he started playing at four years old, it was his ambition to triumph on grass and win Wimbledon. After losing twice in the final to his great rival, Roger Fede... more

In July 1990, West Germany won the World Cup for the third time, beating Argentina 1-0 in Rome.

The shirt the victorious players were wearing that night has become one of the most sought-after by classic kit collectors.

With its distinctive black... more

Key Facts

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Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

Witness History
Witness HistoryBBC World Service
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ProfileBBC Radio 4

Recent Guests

Ina Franzmann
Football shirt designer for Adidas; creator of the 1990 West Germany World Cup shirt
Adidas
Episode: The making of West Germany’s iconic 1990 football shirt
Nilton Petroni Villar de Junior
Physiotherapist who treated Ronaldo Nazario
Fluminense Football Club (Brazil)
Episode: Rebuilding Ronaldo’s knee
Thomas Müller
German footballer, Bayern Munich forward, World Cup winner
Germany National Team; Bayern Munich
Episode: Brazil 1-7 Germany: Brazil's heaviest defeat
Alan Rothenberg
Executive in charge of organizing the 1994 FIFA World Cup in the United States
US Soccer/World Cup Organizing Committee
Episode: When Diana Ross missed a penalty at the World Cup
Antonio Moreno
Sports journalist and president of the International Football Hall of Fame in Mexico
International Football Hall of Fame (Mexico)
Episode: Mexico’s Cachirules scandal
Darijo Srna
Former Shakhtar Donetsk captain and long-time club figure
Shakhtar Donetsk
Episode: Shakhtar Donetsk win the UEFA Cup
Wes Morgan
Leicester City captain during the title-winning season
Leicester City Football Club
Episode: Leicester City’s Premier League win
Enefiok Udo-Obong
Athlete (Nigerian 4x400m relay team member)
Nigerian Olympic team
Episode: Nigeria’s 12-year wait for gold
Innocent Eboniki
Coach of the Nigerian 4x400m relay team
Nigerian athletics
Episode: Nigeria’s 12-year wait for gold

Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars from 165 ratings
  • Fantastic

    I love this podcast, so many inspirational stories and interesting facts, I often find myself delving deeper into the subject matter after listening. If they ever run out of ideas, doing slightly longer podcasts to revisit some of the most popular ones would be great!!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    PoppyKey
    United Kingdom4 months ago
  • These are fabulous glimpses of history

    I love these these 10 minute glimpses into history speaking to people there at the time. A fantastic taster to sometimes research certain subjects further and evidence of what the BBC are really good at educating us in an informed way !

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Jazz Puppy
    United Kingdom6 months ago
  • Amazon Swimmer

    Loved the interview with the man who swam the Amazon. Great story will listen to more of these.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    ItunesDon
    United Kingdom2 years ago
  • Good but too short

    Plenty of scope for this series, but really, 9 minutes is far too short to cover any topic except in the most rudimentary detail. Half an hour would have been better.

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    Charlie1745
    United Kingdom2 years ago
  • PM

    Love this podcast.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    PMcFlegal
    United Kingdom4 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Listeners appreciate firsthand recollections that bring moments to life without unnecessary fluff.
Audience feedback highlights concise history bites that feel immersive and well-researched.
Some critiques mention the episodes could benefit from longer runtime for deeper exploration.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#65
Ukraine/Sports

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Mexico’s Cachirules scandal
Q: Did you have any indication that it was going to be such a big scandal when you discovered it?
I did not expect the scale because I assumed the directorate would deny it, but once we had solid evidence and external verification, the case could not be dismissed, and FIFA decided to take it seriously.
The Juventus match-fixing scandal
Q: As a reporter who'd worked in Italy for decades, were you surprised by the scandal?
I was surprised by the resilience of Italian football and the country's long-standing history of corruption, but the simultaneous rise in footballing brilliance and national pride during the World Cup years made the scandal feel even more jarring.
The Fabiola Rule
Q: But what exactly is vert skating?
Vert skating is performed on a large U-shaped ramp, typically four meters high, where skaters perform aerial tricks and combinations judged by complexity, height, and execution.
The English samurai
Q: How did you feel after the three days of racing and training?
Michael describes being totally exhausted yet filled with a sense of accomplishment and relief, recognizing the extreme physical and mental demands of participating in such a perilous, ceremonial event.
Mira Rai: Child soldier to sky runner
Q: Were you scared?
No, I wasn't scared really. I learned a lot with my friends and our leaders.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
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Frequently Asked Questions About Sporting Witness

What is Sporting Witness about and what kind of topics does it cover?

The show offers concise, archive-driven storytelling around memorable moments in sport, guided by witnesses and historians. Episodes blend first-hand recollections with investigative or historical context, often highlighting underreported angles, cultural impact, and the people behind iconic moments. A standout trait is the breadth of subjects—from doping disclosures and scandals to triumphs, transformations in women's sport, and pivotal matches—delivered through intimate, time-anchored narratives that make history feel immediate. The format typically runs around nine minutes, giving sharp, focused portraits that are easy to sample and share with audiences who crave vivid, credible storytelling in sports history.

Where can I find podcast stats for Sporting Witness?

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How many listeners does Sporting Witness get?

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What are the audience demographics for Sporting Witness?

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How many subscribers and views does Sporting Witness have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Sporting Witness has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Sporting Witness?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Sporting Witness:

1. Witness History
2. The History Hour
3. From Our Own Correspondent
4. 5 Live Sport: All About...
5. Profile

How many episodes of Sporting Witness are there?

Sporting Witness launched 14 years ago and published 672 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Sporting Witness?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Sporting Witness?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Sporting Witness from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

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What guests have appeared on Sporting Witness?

Recent guests on Sporting Witness include:

1. Ina Franzmann
2. Nilton Petroni Villar de Junior
3. Thomas Müller
4. Alan Rothenberg
5. Antonio Moreno
6. Darijo Srna
7. Wes Morgan
8. Enefiok Udo-Obong

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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