Sporting Witness

Shaul Ladany is a long-distance Israeli race-walker who set world records that stand to this day. But, even more remarkably, he survived a childhood in the Belsen concentration camp and then the terrorist attack on the Israeli team at the Munich Olympics in 1972. Shaul Ladany talks to Will Yates. Picture: Shaul Ladany in action at the 1972 Olympics (from his personal archive)

In 1998, a remote and impoverished region of Russia hosted the Chess Olympiad - one of the biggest events in the sport. The controversial president of Kalmykia, Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, spent millions of dollars on the venue, which he named Chess City. British Grandmaster Nigel Short played at the Olympiad.PICTURE: The plans for Chess City (BBC)

In 1992, the American sprinter Gail Devers was the surprise winner of the 100 metres at the Barcelona Olympic Games. Devers had only just recovered from a rare disease which nearly led to her feet being amputated. Simon Watts reports.(Photo: Gail Devers (AllSport/Getty Images)

In 1955, the British driver Sir Stirling Moss, faced one of the biggest challenges of his career. He headed to Italy to race in the famous - and extremely dangerous - thousand mile race around the country known as the Mille Miglia. Sir Stirling's victory was one of the proudest moments of his career. In 2012, he discussed the race with David Prest. The programme is a Whistledown Production for BBC World Service.(Photo: Sir Stirling Moss, right, and his navigator, Denis Jenkinson, left, celebrate their win covered in dirt. Credit: Getty Images)

In March 1999 the Baltimore Orioles became the first US Major League team to play in Cuba for more than 40 years. Fans in Cuba eagerly awaited the fixture, and the game was played in a carnival atmosphere, with Fidel Castro looking on from the crowds. It was hailed as a success of sporting diplomacy.Cuban baseball star Enrique Diaz was in the national team that day. He tells Witness about the highlight of his sporting career.(Photo: Cuban and American flags. Credit: Getty Images)

In March 1969, the Soviet Union and Czechoslovakia faced off in a tense ice hockey match at the World Championships in Sweden. The Czechoslovak team were determined to get revenge for Moscow's invasion of their country to crush the Prague Spring reform movement. The Czechoslovaks won an unexpected victory sparking celebrations and then rioting in Prague. Ashley Byrne talks to the Czechoslovak player, Jan Havel. The programme is a Made-In-Manchester Production.PHOTO: Czechoslovakia playing the Soviet Union in the 1960s (Getty Images).

In the 1980s, the American boxer, Gail Grandchamp, launched a long campaign for the right to take part in amateur competitions in the USA. Representing herself and raising money through part-time jobs, Gail was eventually successful in 1992 - blaising a trail for women boxers the world over. She talks to Rebecca Kesby.PHOTO CREDIT: Gail Grandchamp in 2007 (The Berkshire Eagle)

In 2007, England's rugby team played Ireland at Croke Park in Dublin for the first time. Croke Park was the scene of a massacre by British troops in 1920 during the Irish Revolution and is regarded by nationalists as the home of traditional Irish sports. After a tense build-up, the game ended with an emphatic Irish win. Robert Nicholson talks to Ireland winger Shane Horgan and England back Matthew Tait. The programme is a Whistledown Production.PHOTO: England and Ireland line up for the national anthems (Getty Images)

In 1996, Josia Thugwane won the closest marathon in Olympic history and became the first black South African to take a gold medal in athletics. Thugwane's victory was cheered by millions - including the sports-mad president, Nelson Mandela - but his story has now been largely forgotten in South Africa. He talks to Lisa Needham. The programme is a Sparklab Production for BBC World Service.(Photo: Josia Thugwane after winning the 1996 Olympic Marathon. Credit: Getty Images)

In February 2003, Zimbabwean cricketers Henry Olonga and Andy Flower risked their careers to protest against President Mugabe during the World Cup. After issuing a statement condemning the human rights situation in Zimbabwe, the players took to the field wearing black armbands to symbolise what they considered the "Death of Democracy" in their country. Henry Olonga talks to Rob Walker for Sporting Witness.PHOTO: Henry Olonga (Getty Images)

In 1978, US female sports journalists won a major victory in their fight to do their jobs in the same way as men. US sports had a tradition of allowing reporters to do interviews in the dressing-room after big games. Women were not allowed in until baseball reporter Melissa Ludtke's case went to court. Ludtke and pioneering American Football journalist Lesley Visser talk to Nija Dalal-Small. The programme is a Sparklab Production.(Photo: Melissa Ludtke in the 1970s. Credit: Associated Press)

In 1908, hundreds of thousands of Londoners crowded the streets to watch the dramatic events of the Olympic marathon. Dorando Pietri, an Italian sweet-maker from Capri, was first into White City Stadium but he collapsed and had to be helped to the line. He was consequently disqualified and Johnny Hayes of the USA was declared the winner. However, with their love of a gallant loser, the disqualification made Pietri a celebrity for British people and he was greeted with cheers wherever he went. Simon Watts tells his story through newspaper reports from the time.Picture: Dorando Pietri crosses the line, Credit: Hulton Archive/Getty Images

The Iditarod dog-sled race runs through 1,000 miles of Arctic wildnerness in Alaska and is regarded as one of the toughest sporting events in the world. In the winter of 1985, Libby Riddles drew international attention to the Iditarod by becoming the first woman to win. She talks to Robert Nicholson. The programme is a Whistledown Production.(Photo: Libby Riddles in 1985. Credit: Associated Press)

In 1972, the Soviet gymnast, Olga Korbut, was one of the stars of the Munich Olympics. Just four foot eleven, the "Sparrow from Minsk" charmed the world by breaking down in tears after messing up a routine - but then fought back to take three Gold medals. Olga Korbut talks to Ashley Byrne. The programme is a Made in Manchester Production.PHOTO: Olga Korbut at the 1972 Olympics (AFP/Getty Images)

In 1991, Mike Powell and Carl Lewis took on Bob Beamon's iconic Long Jump world record at the World Championships in Tokyo. In an epic battle, both men went further than Beamon, with Mike Powell eventually setting a record that stands to this day. He talks to Adrian Moorhead for Sporting Witness. The programme is a Sparklab Production and was first broadcast in June 2015.PHOTO: Mike Powell breaking the record. Credit: Getty Images.

In 1967, the American motorcycle stuntman made his name with a spectacular - if unsuccessful - attempt to jump over the fountains of Caesar's Palace casino. Ashley Byrne talks to Evel Knievel's family about the man behind the legend. The programme is a Made-In-Manchester Production.PHOTO: Evel Knievel in mid-leap (Getty Images)

In 1990, the East German football team played their last ever match - just a few weeks before the country was officially dissolved. Only 14 players bothered turning up for the friendly against Belgium, but those that did were determined to go out on a high note. Tim Mansel talks to the former East German striker, Uwe Rosler.PHOTO: The East German team at the 1974 World Cup (AP)

In 1995, the Japanese wrestler, Antonio Inoki, organised an international tournament in secretive North Korea. Featuring wrestling stars from Japan and America, the Collision in Korea was an attempt to foster peace through sport and attracted crowds in the hundreds of thousands. Ashley Byrne reports. The programme is a Made-in-Manchester Production.(Photo: The crowd at the Collision in Korea in Pyongyang. Credit: Getty Images).

The New Zealander Jonah Lomu was the first superstar of international rugby. A virtually unstoppable combination of strength and speed, he burst on the scene in 1995 with a four-try demolition of England at the Rugby World Cup. But although he seemed invincible, Lomu was already sick with the kidney disease that led to his early death at the age of 40. The BBC's Rob Bonnet spoke to Lomu in 2004.(Photo: Jonah Lomu steams past the England defence in 1995. Credit: Getty Images)

In the early 1980s, Rifaat Turk became the first successful Arab player in Israeli football. The son of a Jaffa fisherman, Turk defied frequent racist abuse during a stellar career with Hapoel Tel Aviv and the Israeli national team. He talks to Robert Nicholson. The programme is a Whistledown Production.(Photo: Rifaat Turk showing off his skills. Credit: Associated Press)

In the 1970s and 80s, Communist East Germany dominated athletics -- thanks to the most sophisticated doping programme in the history of sport. The programme had a lasting physical and psychological impact on many East German competitors. Two of them, sprinter Ines Geipel and shot-putter Andreas Krieger, talk to Mike Costello for Sporting Witness. This material was originally broadcast on BBC Radio 5 Live.(Photo: Heidi Krieger, later Andreas Krieger. Credit: Ulstein Bild/Getty Images)

In the 1980s, the Pakistani squash player, Jahangir Khan, became a legend in his sport by going undefeated for five years. But, as Shumaila Jaffery discovers, to become unbeatable, Khan had to overcome childhood illness and family tragedy.(Photo: Jahingar Khan in action. Credit: Steve Line/SquashPics)

Jackie Robinson was a legendary figure in American baseball - the first black player in the professional game and the man who led the Brooklyn Dodgers to their only World Series triumph in 1955. Tim Mansel talks to Robinson's son, David, and to veteran US sports writer, Roger Kahn. The programme was first broadcast in 2011.(Photo: Jackie Robinson in the 1950s. Credit: Hulton Archive/Getty Images).

In 2002, free diver Tanya Streeter attempted to set a No Limits world record by diving down to 160m and resurfacing, all on a single breath. She would have to survive the pressures of the deep and hold her breath for 3 and a half minutes. It almost went wrong. Hear Tanya's account of the dive. (Photo: Tanya Streeter holds onto the sled as she decends in her attempt to break the "No Limits" world record, AP Photo/Dan Burton)

In 2005, the Ivorian national football team - led by Chelsea superstar, Didier Drogba - began campaigning for an end to their country's devastating civil war. The side insisted on playing their matches across Ivory Coast - including an emotional game in the rebel capital of Bouaké. Robert Nicholson talks to Ivory Coast midfielder, Gilles Yapi-Yapo. The programme is a Whistledown Production.PHOTO: Ivory Coast striker, Didier Drogba, is escorted from the pitch. (Getty Images)

In September 1983, Gerrie Coetzee, nicknamed the Boksburg Bomber, thrilled apartheid South Africa by becoming the country's first world boxing champion. Although an Afrikaner, the mild-mannered Coetzee was popular among all races, and millions stayed up to watch his bout against Michael Dokes of the USA. SABC commentator, Heinrich Marnitz talks to Ashley Byrne. The programme is a Made in Manchester production.Photo: Gerrie Coetzee (Right) in action. Credit: AP)

Faramarz Assef is one of Iran's most famous pop singers. But most of his fans don't know that he used to be an international athlete, who won Iran's first medal in the triple jump in 1974, when the Asian Games were held in Tehran. He discusses his two careers with Golnoosh Golshani.(Photo: Faramarz Assef leaping for Iran in the 1970s. Private Collection)

In 2010, the New Orleans Saints swept to victory in the Superbowl - the biggest prize in American sport. The win came just five years after Hurricane Katrina devastated the city and severely damaged the Saints' own stadium, the Superdome. Former Saints player, Jermon Bushrod, recalls how the Superbowl run helped lift the spirits of New Orleans. The programme is a Whistledown Production.(Photo: The New Orleans Saints lift the 2010 Superbowl trophy. Credit: Getty Images)

The black American sprinter made history at the 1936 Berlin Olympics hosted in Nazi Germany where he won four gold medals. By winning gold for the 100m - in a time of 10.3 seconds, and for the long jump, the 200m and the 4x100m relay he made a mockery of the Nazi ideology of Aryan supremacy. Using the BBC Archive, we look back at his remarkable career.With contributions from his wife Ruth Owens, team mate Marty Glickman and Yogi Mayer, a German decathlete who had been excluded from the competition for being Jewish, but had managed to get tickets to see Jesse Owens. Presented by Alex Last. This programme first broadcast in August 2015. Picture: The sprinter and athlete, Jesse Owens. Credit: Hulton Archive/Getty Images

In the summer of 1989, the Catholic striker, Mo Johnston, shocked Scotland by crossing the sectarian divide in Glasgow and signing for the traditionally Protestant club, Rangers. His agent, Bill McMurdo, gives Sporting Witness an inside account of the deal.(Photo: Mo Johnston with his Rangers teammates. Credit: Getty Images)

In 1964, the Native American Billy Mills pulled off a shock victory in the Olympic 10,000 metres in Tokyo. Mills was virtually unknown and his chances were written off by the TV commentators. He talks to Ashley Byrne about his life story and his famous victory. The programme is a Made In Manchester Production.PHOTO: Billy Mills leading the field at the 1964 Olympics (Associated Press)

In 1967, the legendary British cyclist Tom Simpson died during a mountain stage of the Tour de France. His friend and team-mate, Vin Denson, remembers that day.(Photo: Tom Simpson (left) with Vin Denson in 1965. Credit: Cycling Weekly)

In 1972, the England women's football team played their first ever international match, following a long campaign for official recognition by the Football Association. Sylvia Gore scored the first goal for the side in a game against Scotland. She talks to Sporting Witness about an era in which women footballers struggled to be taken seriously.Photo: The first England women's team in the dressing-room in 1972 (Getty Images).

In 1998, a doping scandal rocked the most prestigious race in cycling. It centred on the French team, Festina - one of whose riders, Christophe Bassons, resisted huge pressure to take performance-enhancing drugs. Known as 'Cycling's Mr Clean', he talks to Rebecca Kesby.(Photo: Christophe Bassons at the 1999 Tour De France. Credit: Getty Images)

In 1991, Mike Powell and Carl Lewis took on Bob Beamon's iconic Long Jump world record at the World Championships in Tokyo. In an epic battle, both men went further than Beamon, with Mike Powell eventually setting a record that stands to this day. He talks to Adrian Moorhead for Sporting Witness. The programme is a Sparklab Production.PHOTO: Mike Powell (centre) on the winner's podium with Carl Lewis (right). Credit: Getty Images.

In 1998, Iran invited an American wrestling team to a tournament in Tehran as a goodwill gesture.The five Americans were the first to visit the Islamic Republic officially since the two countries had become sworn enemies two decades earlier. Golnoosh Golshani talks to US wrestler Shawn Charles and his Iranian opponent Mehdi Kaveh.PHOTO: Shawn Charles and Mehdi Kaveh after their fight (Reuters)

In the 1970s, the American transgender tennis player, Renee Richards, fought a long campaign for the right to play tournaments as a woman. Despite objections from fellow players and the tennis establishment, she was eventually allowed to play in the US Open. She shares her story with Ashley Byrne. (Photo: Renee Richards prepares for a forearm shot in a match at the professional womens tennis tournament in Seattle, 1978. She defeated Sue Mappin of England, 7-6, 5-1 (tiebreaker), 6-1. Credit: AP/Kerry Coughlin)

In 1955, tragedy struck the prestigious Le Mans 24-hour race in Northern France when a car crashed into the crowd at more than 100 miles-per-hour. The accident killed 83 spectators and the driver, and led to an overhaul of safety rules in motor-racing. In 2010, Claire Bowes spoke to the American driver John Fitch, who took part in the race.PHOTO: The aftermath of the Le Mans disaster (AFP/Getty Images).

In 1956, the Manchester City goalkeeper, Bert Trautmann, became an FA Cup hero by breaking his neck at Wembley but playing on to the end of the final. Trautmann was a former Nazi paratrooper who adopted England as his home country after being taken prisoner during World War Two. Simon Watts introduces BBC archive recordings of Trautmann and speaks to Catrine Clay, author of Trautmann's Journey.(Photo: The injured Bert Trautmann at the end of the 1956 FA Cup Final. Credit: Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

In 2004, the British wheelchair racer, Tanni Grey-Thompson, faced the toughest challenge of her career at the Paralympic Games in Athens. Suffering from a loss of form, the great champion was humiliated in her best event and had to go for glory in the 100-metre sprint. She tells Lucy Burns about the race and how becoming a mother gave her a fresh perspective on sport.(Photo: Tanni Grey-Thompson at the Athens Paralympics. Credit: Getty Images).

In 2000, the great Ethiopian distance runner, Haile Gebrselassie, won the Olympic 10,000 metres by a single second - beating his closest rival in the process. Gebrselassie, who announced his retirement in May 2015, describes the race to Fred Dove. The programme is a Whistledown Production and was first broacast in 2012.PHOTO: Haile Gebrselassie celebrates (Getty Images).

In May 1980, a match between Yugoslavia's top teams, Hajduk Split of Croatia and Red Star Belgrade of Serbia, was interrupted by the annoucement of the death of the dictator who had ruled the country since World War II. Players and fans from both teams burst into tears and left the stadium in silence. Barely a decade later, Yugoslavia collapsed, leaving Croats and Serbs on opposing sides of a bloody civil war. Robert Nicholson reports. A Whistledown Production.

In May 2000, the rising star of Nascar, Adam Petty, was killed in an accident on the track in New Hampshire. Petty was the fourth generation of one of the most famous dynasties in American motor sport. His father, Kyle Petty, talks to Simon Watts.(Photo: Adam Petty. Credit: Getty Images)

In 1976, the Cuban runner, Alberto Juantorena, pulled off a unique double at the Montreal Olympics - winning both the 400 and 800 metres. The victory made the athlete known as 'White Lightning' a hero on the Communist island. He talks to Will Grant.(Photo: Alberto Juantorena winning the 800 metres in 1976. Credit: Getty Images).

In 1991, the Hungarian chess prodigy, Judit Polgar, became the youngest Grandmaster ever at the age of 15. She speaks to Robert Nicholson about her unconventional childhood and how her extraordinary career defied expectations for female players.PHOTO: Judit Polgar (Associated Press).

In 1976, the Yale women's rowing team stripped naked to demand equal treatment for women's sport. The protest attracted national attention in the USA and helped force universities to make the same funding and facilities available to women athletes as to men. Catherine Davies talks to two of the Yale protestors, Christine Ernst and Ginny Gilder.(Photo: The 1976 Yale women's rowing team in action. Credit: Getty Images).

The crucial Africa Cup of Nations qualifier between rivals Rwanda and Uganda. A match that had it all - amazing saves, ‘witchcraft’, a mass brawl and a goal that made history. Rob Walker reports.(Photo: Rwanda's forward Sinzey Sinda fights for the ball during the Africa Cup of Nations finals in 2004. Credit: Franck Fife/AFP/Getty Images)

In 1983, India beat the mighty West Indies to win the World Cup final at Lord's cricket ground. The unexpected victory put Indian one-day cricket on the map. David Prest talks to Indian bowler, Madan Lal.(Photo: The Indian team celebrate with the World Cup trophy. Credit: Getty Images).