Anything but Footy: Recent Episodes

Anything but Footy

The unashamedly biased Olympic, Paralympic & Commonwealth Sport focused podcast! "A relaxed, affable show. The hosts display wide-ranging knowledge" :The New York Times essential top six podcasts to follow for Olympics [25/07/2021]

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The countdown to the Paris 2024 Olympics and Paralympics is really getting going... UK Sport is confident Great Britain and NI will finish in the top 5 of the Olympics and Paralympics medal table next year, and it's also targeting that for LA and Brisbane. But as we visited Bisham Abbey, one of the UK Sport Institute bases in tis country, we also found out winning isn't enough, it has to be winning the right way, and why we should never call Paris 2024 a home games! In this episode, you'll hear from CEOs Sally Munday, Matt Archibald and Performance Director Dr Kate Baker... as well as our usual round up in our News from the Games! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Qualifying as many boats as possible for the Paris 2024 Games... The aim of British Rowing as 62 strong Olympic and Paralympic team named for the 2023 World Rowing Champions in Belgrade this coming week... We hear from 6 members of British Rowing in this special episode - reigning world champs Oli Wilkes and David Ambler of the men's four, Lola Anderson and Georgie Bradshaw from the Women’s quadruple sculls and Frankie Allen and Morgan Fice-Noyes from the PR3 Mixed Coxed Four Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Josh Kerr was the story from the World Athletics Championships for many of us - storming to victory in the men's 1500m and retaining the title for Great Britain from when Jake Wightman won it a year ago. Hear from the man himself on this episode! But there's so many more stories to tell from Budapest 2023, a glorious championships and not only for Great Britain who equalled their record haul from 30 years ago! A full review - good and bad - follows, if you follow (!), including shared gold medals!!!! Plus Paris prepares to stage its first ever Paralympics in a years time - and there's Para Canoe, Table Tennis, Rowing, Triathlon, Hockey and Modern Pentathlon! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This is Anything but Footy, and episode 92 we're joined by Olympic medalist Holly Bradshaw ahead of the 40th anniversary of the World Athletics Championships - this time being held in Budapest... The pole vault star is returning from injury and joins a 50+ strong Great Britain and NI squad. We also look back at some of the past World Champs - let us know your memories - and even discuss Mascots! Plus Scotland smashed the first ever World Cycling Championships with British Cycling winning 100 medals - we should definitely do it again!? And there's Winter Olympics, canoeing, boxing and archery in our News from the Games ! btw the Budapest mascot is Youhuu, a native Hungarian racka sheep #justforMichael Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cancelled - the Marathon swimming test events in the river Seine for next summer Olympics because of poor water quality. World Aquatics say it's clear something has to happen. Commonwealth chaos as Alberta pulls out of preferred bidder status to stage the 2030 Games. World Para Swimming in Manchester & World Cycling in Glasgow round ups And our News from the Games ahead of Paris 2024 next summer! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It was suggested in our 'Year to go' episode that Tom Daley might return for Team GB for Paris 2024. And he's back in the diving pool with the Olympics next summer 'a goal'. We've the latest from the Tokyo gold medalist - as well as the other British headlines from the World Aquatics Championships in Japan too. Plus there's World Triathlon, Cycling & Athletics. John reveals his thoughts behind how athletes from Russia and Belarus could compete in Paris next year, while Michael discusses how British Athletics smaller team might make it more successful! This is Anything but Footy - the Olympic and Paralympic podcast! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's One Year to Go! Paris 2024 organisers, and the French capital city, are in full preparation mode as John finds out on his trip on the Eurostar, across the channel! The International Olympic Committee are still refusing to talk about Russia and Belarus... And we're at the training ground of PSG (but we don't talk footy!), we it's actually the Georges Lefevre Stadium and complex which is one of three Team GB bases for the summer games next year. We hear from IOC President Thomas Bach, Team GB chef de mission Mark England, Olympic champion Helen Glover and Team GB gymnast Joe Fraser on the plans for Paris in 12 months time! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We were promised a Games like no other. A new way of doing the Commonwealth Games. Multi city. Across regions. But just like that, and apparently without consultation, the state of Victoria Government has withdrawn the funding for the Games, and pulled the plug on staging the 2026 edition. In a special 'breaking' edition, we bring you the latest statements and ask who could step up and deliver the event in just 3 years time? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

People keep talking about the new footy season - we won't here! We don't deal with weekly transfer tittle tattle or 105 million pound signings! We actually talk about heroes who've won something! We've had a great few weeks at Wimbledon, there's also been the World Para Athletics Championships in Paris and Glasgow is about to stage it's biggest ever sporting event - even larger than the 2014 Commonwealth Games! We hear from one of the riders taking part! This is Anything but Footy the Olympic and Paralympic podcast! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A bumper weekend of sport - none more so than in Manchester as the British Athletics Championships took place - and the chance to book your spot in Budapest for the Worlds later this summer! Michael spent the weekend avoiding the 'Manchester Monsoon' but also speaking to some of our new British champions - Zharnel Hughes, Daryll Neita, Jazmin Sawyers, Morgan Lake & Jessie Knight. We also hear from Paralympic champion Aled Davies as the World Para Athletics returns after 4 years in Paris. Plus as ever Tennis, Wimbledon & Cycling in our news from the Games! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This is Team GB at the European Games. With just a year to go before the 2024 Paris Olympics, there's been qualification spots on offer for British athletes, European titles and medals to be won and history to be made! In this special episode of the podcast, we hear from Team GB medalists, Olympic champions, and some new names from archery, diving, taekwondo, BMX freestyle, rugby 7s, fencing and artistic swimming! And for much more news, previews and interviews ahead of Paris 2024 check out @teamgb Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's Games time - again! The European Games is getting underway in Poland - their biggest ever sporting event with 6000 athletes from 50 countries including 170 odd Team GB athletes hoping to use Poland as a platform for Paris 2024. We talk to Chef de Mission in Krakow Paul Ford. But we start with the startling raid on the HQ of Paris 2024 this week - and hear from the IOC's Christophe Dubi. And Michael's on his home turf as Geraint Thomas and the British Cycling Road stars come to Redcar - we preview the event with 2021 British champion Pfeiffer George.... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The European Games, the mini Olympics on the continent, are now just days away. Team GB is sending 177 athletes, we've talked about and heard from many over the past few weeks. In this episode of the podcast we hear from two who have really different stories to tell - boxers Charley Davidson and Delicious Ore. They are forthcoming, honest, determined and concerned about the Olympic future of their sport. Things need to be sorted soon. As they do at GB Basketball - we discuss the dire predictions from their own chairman! Plus the rest of the news from the games as we continue our Poland for Paris podcasts! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's been another one of those brilliant sporting weeks - history in Paris for Novak Djokovic and an earthquake in golf with the PGA tour doing a deal with the Saudis. Andy Murray's back winning again, British records being set on the athletics track in Paris... and why Paris is the focus in Poland at the European Games for Team GB Rugby 7s stars Lisa Thomson and Alex Davis... The pair join us to discuss all this Krakow 2023 - ahead of the Olympics and Paralympics in Paris 2024 - which as we also heard this week is on time and on schedule! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode we discuss, through various Olympic and Paralympic sports, whether sportsmanship is real or just an ideal? And with the footy season over, it's our favourite time of the year! We round up Cycling, Rowing, Tennis, Taekwondo, Judo, Canoe Sprint, Triathlon, Hockey, Athletics, Diving, Skateboard - just you're average summer weekend of sport 😉 And Michael and John discuss some amazing destinations we'd like to attend in our 'bucket list' of sport! All ahead of the Summer Games of Paris 2024 coming up next year! Don't forget you can have your say, read our latest blogs and contact us via the website Anything but Footy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Anything but Footy runs a series called Great British Bosses where we interview men and women involved in the running of sport in this country. It's the behind the scenes conversation of British Sport.

We have had Chairs, CEOs, MDs, PDs, Head Coaches and this season guests have included Katherine Grainger (UK Sport), Greg Baker (Boccia UK), Helen Nicholls (British Equestrian) and Paul Buxton (GB Taekwondo).

In this last episode of the current season, we discuss one of the biggest Olympic sports that we know nothing about, hear how a small and passionate team is creating exciting opportunities and whether we'll ever see Team GB in the Olympic Handball tournament in the future!

Welcome to Great British Bosses, Scottish Handball CEO Ewan Hunter and Operations Manager Julia Stenhouse!

Bigger than the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in 2014! For the first time ever the World Cycling Championships are all coming together in one place, at one time, and showing off the beauty of the bike!

Trudy Lindblade is the chief executive of the 2023 World Cycling Championships, in Glasgow and across Scotland from 3-13 August this summer. She tells us the multi cycling event is in affect 13 World Championships all at once, and it'll be held every 4 years in different countries and cities, why she loves living in Scotland having never been there before, the challenge Brexit is posing bringing in staff and the story of being interviewed and accepting the role in the middle of the pandemic, all on zoom, before then moving her family across the world from Australia.

It's a great edition of Great British Bosses - the behind the scenes conversation of British sport - ahead of another great sporting event in the UK!

This is Great British Bosses - the behind the scenes conversation of British sport - and a real frank discussion in this episode about how this country's second most played sport among the young, gets hardly any professional attention and support.

It's something Steve Bucknall, the Head of Talent & Performance at Basketball England, has always wanted to change, and after guiding Team England to gold and silver success at last year's Commonwealth Games in Birmingham in 3x3, and further changes behind the scenes in Britain, he's already noticing the progress being made.

But as Steve says "we're focusing on football way too much". Hell yeah! Fortunately, not on this podcast or series, as we discuss Paris 2024, the wasted 2012 legacy and the not so small matter of this 6ft6 South London star, being the first English NBA player!!! A definite three pointer!

Season 4 of Great British Bosses - the behind the scenes conversation of British sport - continues from Anything but Footy!

With more than 20 years of experience in elite sport, Helen Nicholls is the relatively new Performance Director at British Equestrian. The former British windsurfer, joined the organisation in charge of taking Team GB and Paralympic GB riders and horses to Paris in 2024 a year ago, following several years as PD at the Boccia UK. She may have been a former rider herself when younger,but Helen tells John & Michael all sport needs people seeing things from a different point of view!

Great British Bosses was launched in early 2020 with the aim of speaking with the men and women who have roles as leaders in British sport. Download & follow for more!

A very special episode of Great British Bosses from Anything but Footy - the Olympic and Paralympic podcast.

For our 50th edition we're delighted to be joined by Dame Katherine Grainger - Chair of UK Sport – the organisation that is responsible for the high

performance sports system in Great Britain and Northern Ireland (you'll have heard a lot about them over the previous 49 episodes!) In this episode, we talk about Katherine's role, the new UK sport strategy, London 2012, Paris 2024, athlete protests and Russia, Belarus and Ukraine.

Great British Bosses was launched in early 2020 with the aim of speaking with the men and women who have roles as leaders in British sport. Guests have included Chief Executives, Managing Directors, Performance Directors and Head Coaches. Organisations which have participated include Team GB, The British Paralympic Association, British Athletics, Sport England and The Commonwealth Games Federation. And a third of the guests have been female leaders in sport. Download & follow for the full back catalogue.

This is Great British Bosses from Anything but Footy - the behind the scenes conversation of British sport.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

David Pond is one of those unique Great British Bosses in sport in this country.

He started off his working life teaching PE after studying at Loughborough at the same time as Lord Coe and with Sir Clive Woodward (who he's still on an 'old boys' WhatsApp group with). There was then more than two decades in the Royal Navy, followed by Consulting before running Great British Wheelchair Rugby from before 2012 right through to the Gold medal success at the delayed Tokyo Paralympics.

And now's he's overseeing the delivery of the European Wheelchair Rugby Championships in Cardiff in May, while also helping delivery supplies to Ukraine...

This is Great British Bosses from Anything but Footy - and its quite a journey! Enjoy!

If you thought last summer was good in England's second city with the Commonwealth Games - the countdown's underway for another multi sporting event!

It's now 200 days til the IBSA World Games in Birmingham this summer. More than a thousand partially sighted or blind athletes competing in a dozen sports, with qualification for the Paralympic Games in Paris 2024 next summer up for grabs in three of the events - football, goalball and judo.

In this episode of Great British Bosses, the podcast from Anything but Footy meeting the men and women behind sport in the UK, we hear from Event Director of the World Games John Timms - and his fellow MLS director Yuri Matischen about how they brought the event to Britain for the first time, their passion for Para sport, the building of a new basketball arena for their BBL team Sheffield Sharks and the development of the new 'Olympic Legacy Park' in Sheffield. Oh and Michael's now bidding for another Commonwealth Games in the UK as well as an Olympics! How did we fit it all in to half an hour? As Uri would say 'drive and passion'!

And for more 'Great British Bosses' - follow Anything for Footy for the behind the scenes conversation of British sport!

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For a sport that only started at the Olympics 23 years ago, Taekwondo has quickly become a firm favourite for the British fans and for Team GB and now Paralympics GB, after its Para debut in Tokyo. 5 medals at the delayed 2020 Olympics and Paralympics, three in Rio 4 years before that, Jade Jones' famous gold in London 2012 and Beijing 2008 was the setting for the first ever British medal thanks to the kicking talents of Sarah Stevenson.

But how do you maintain that success? As generations change and different athletes come and go.

In this episode of Great British Bosses from Anything but Footy, we aim to find out as we hear from the still relatively new CEO at GB Taekwondo - Paul Buxton.

And download and follow for many more men and women running sport in the UK!

Boccia* is the only Paralympic sport without a real Olympic counterpart and Paralympics GB has a strong record in it dating back to Sydney 2000.

Now there's a new Performance Director in charge - Greg Baker the former Head Coach of Para Table Tennis - and with the Paris Games now next year - once again it's time to start focusing on who could book their place on the plane or train to France next summer.

This is Great British Bosses from Anything but Footy - the podcast where we focus on the men and women behind the scenes of British Olympic and Paralympic sport. Welcome to episode 46, season 4, there's a great bak catalogue to head back and listen too and there's some great sporting names to come in the coming weeks! Download and follow for more!

*FYI it's pronounced like Gotcha!

What do you call a group of Olympic & Paralympic podcasters?

A gaggle?

A school?

Mascots?

What about 'Keep the Anything but Footy Flame Alive'?

We're delighted to team up with fellow fans of the Olympics and Paralympics Jill Jaracz and Alison Brown, who do what we do and discuss all things Olympic movement type things, but from across the Atlantic.

In this episode, as well as finding out about our love of the Games, get the low-down on LA '28, talk legacy, athlete retirement, future Games and Alison's love of the Commonwealths (well Canadians!).

Download, listen and follow for many more and check out Anything but Footy and Keep The Flame Alive

So much other sport going on at the moment, but you won't have seen or heard much about it due to the total domination of the Football World Cup.

It's not even the biggest sporting event in the world for goodness sake - that's the Paris 2024 Olympics and Paralympics according to latest polling. But could Qatar be a future destination of the Olympic rings?

In our 'News from the Games' we also round up some of the other headlines you may have missed - from the Summer Games triathlon, swimming, athletics, judo and table tennis. And the winter sport season's underway so we discuss curling, snowboard, bobsleigh and skeleton!

This is Anything but the Footy World Cup - the Olympic and Paralympic podcast!

The World Gymnastics Championships, the European Breaking champs, the Rugby League World Cup...

Liverpool, Manchester, Middlesborough, Leeds, London...

Some of the world class sporting events being put on in UK cities in recent weeks...

Forget that Qatar thing for a second, and get into Anything but Footy as we talk gymnastics, rugby league, judo, swimming, Para-cycling, wheelchair tennis. Boxing and Breaking and with purse strings being tightened across the planet wonder what next for the Winter Olympics?

This is Anything but Footy the Olympic and Paralympic Podcast - get in touch anytime - @anythingbutf on twitter or @anthingbutfooty on insta & FB

Website www.anythingbutfooty.com

Email anythingbutfooty@gmail.com

A special edition of Great British bosses to end the latest season of episodes - with the man delivering something in the UK that's never been done before in the world - the first ever men's, women's and wheelchair Rugby League World Cup!

The trio of tournaments starting this Saturday October 15th in Newcastle, is being hosted across England - from Bolton to York, Leeds to London.

It's been 7 years in the planning and you may have noticed the Rugby League World Cup 2021 is also a year late...

Jon Dutton is CEO with 27 years of experience in the sports industry - and he talks to John and Michael about the trials and tribulations to put on this ground breaking competition....

Bye bye Boxing? Hello again Russia? Max is back as are the Brits in Rowing and Cycling! And who's the real King or Queen of Scottish athletics?

A summary of the 30 minute podcast in a couple of sentences, and John and Michael reunite to discuss the latest comings and goings in Olympic land!

We've more on how the no change to Boxing's governing body probably means the end of the historic sport in the Olympics after Paris. The IOC is said to be 'manoeuvring' into a position for Russian athletes to compete there, while Max Whitlock talks mental health and returning to gymnastics ahead of 2024.

We round up the rest of the news from the Games - World Gymnastics Champs in Liverpool, Rowing, Canoeing, BMX, Road Cycling, Basketball, Baseball, Taekwondo and who should be crowned Scottish Athlete of the Year!

This is Anything but Footy - the Olympic and Paralympic podcast! Check out our new website www.anythingbutfooty.com

If we were writing a headline we'd say Mike Sharrock swaps BP for the BPA!

The chief executive of the British Paralympic Association spent 30 years in international business with the oil giant, but since January 2019 he's been in charge of the BPA.

Working on partnerships with London 2012 and Glasgow 2014 seemed to ignite his sporting flame and with all the challenges he, the Para athletes and the organisation have faced in the last few years, he certainly needed it!

This is Great British Bosses from Anything but Footy - the podcast speaking to the men and women behind British sport. Download and follow for many more!

Channel 4 Sport is a force to be reckoned with after a series of high profile rights acquisitions. They recently started broadcasting England Men's football internationals to add to a portfolio which includes Rugby League, Formula 1 and the Paralympics.

Kate Clayton is the Sports Partnership Lead at the channel and is also on the Board at GB Wheelchair Rugby. .

She also spent four years as publicist to infamous Paralympian Oscar Pistorius. We find out about that role and how Channel 4 Sport is looking to continue to grow in this latest episode of season 3 of Great British Bosses - a podcast from Anything but Footy. Listen & follow and much more to come!

Tokyo 2020 wasn't the Olympics British Rowing was used to. The Paralympic team once again did the business on the water.

So the person who was in charge of that successful Para squad is now in overall charge of performance. Louise Kingsley is a former coach and PE teacher and was appointed at the end of 2021.

So how's it going? We find out in this latest episode of season 3 of Great British Bosses - a podcast from Anything but Footy. Listen & follow and much more to come!

Season 3 of Great British Bosses - the podcast from Anything but Footy - returns with some big names behind the scenes of sport in the UK. Listen & follow so you don't miss out!

In this episode, we speak to the man who openly admits he got it wrong at times at British Swimming when in charge of the Para team. But after an earlier stint at British Cycling, Chris Furber's now in charge of both the Olympic and Paralympic Canoe sprint squads at British Canoeing - based in Nottingham - a place he knows well!

After the Winter Olympics, Paralympics, World Championships & Commonwealth Games has the European Championships in Munich been too much?

It sounds like a daft question from an Anything but Footy podcast, but as we recover from the pandemic have we been too tough on our athletes, expecting too much with 3 major championships for some in 5 weeks?

We round up the mixed bag of results in the Olympic Stadium in Munich - Dina, Daryll, Hudson-Smith and the machine that is McColgan! There's also the stunning swimming and diving results in Rome, British rowing's back into its stride in Germany, as are our gymnasts...

In other footy news there's cycling, triathlon, curling, canoeing, hockey and the London Marathon - and what next for Birmingham now the buzz of the Commonwealth Games is fading?

And get in touch anytime - @anythingbutf on twitter or message us on insta & Facebook or check out the new website www.anythingbutfooty.com

That's it - what a games! Birmingham 2022 we salute you!

Australia may have come out on top, but Team England the the country's second city has done the us proud and massive moments to celebrate to for Team Scotland and the island of Guernsey too!

In this round up episode we have gold, silver and bronze medalists - England women's hockey, Keely Hodgkinson, Jake Wightman, Jack Laugher, Matty Lee and Noah Williams, Shanice Beckford-Norton and we talk the future of sports like swimming and basketball and why they can make a difference to the whole of the UK!

Thank you Birmingham, thank Commonwealths - that's #Brumstheword from Anything but Footy - but we'll be back soon as yet another footy season has kicked off this weekend!

Back by popular demand! This is Brum's the word from Anything but Footy - the podcast reviewing the latest action and news from the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.

4 more female stars that are showing the Commonwealth what they're made of - golden delight for Eilish McColgan and Katerina Johnson-Thompson in the athletics at the Alexander Stadium.

And we also hear from Grace Harvey and Amy Platten - two Team England medalists - and two friends from Hertfordshire!

This is Brum's the word from Anything but Footy - the podcast reviewing the latest action and news from the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.

Olivia Breen of Wales caused the shock of the night in the opening final of the first evening session of athletics in the new Alexander Stadium, as in the final race Hannah Cockroft achieved again what she, and the rest of us were anticipating - a Commonwealth gold!

Adam Peaty showed what a true champion he is in and out of the swimming pool as he won gold in the 50m Breaststroke.

We also have the two Team England superstars from the gym, review the thrills and spills in the Velodrome and hear from a new Commonwealth record holder!

This is Brum's the word from Anything but Footy - the podcast reviewing the first few days of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.

We talk Triathlon, Swimming, Gymnastics, Weightlifting and the Opening Ceremony - remember that?

There's also 'the Bull' and 3x3 Basketball!

If you've been supporting the Lionesses for the past few weeks don't worry - there's a week of sporting action to come in the Commonwealth Games - we'll bring you the Team England highlights so far!

With more women winning medals than men for the first time ever in a multi sports event - what a way to finish our preview podcasts!

We hear from 3 giants of female British sport - the greatest Olympian Dame Laura Kenny on her 'home' Velodrome in London - groundbreaking weightlifter Emily Campbell who's carrying the England flag at the Opening Ceremony of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games later. And Olympic, Commonwealth and World champion Christine Ohuruogo on her now coaching career and the work's she doing with Matthew Hudson-Smith!

As the show's about to start - settle down to 'Brums the word with Kukri Sports' - a podcast from Anything but Footy. And while listening, also explore the full range of official Team England merchandise at kukrisports.com. If you use the code 'ABF2022' you'll save 10%!

Thanks for listening and to our friends at Kukri, Team England & Birmingham 2022 - have a great Games!

One more day to go and the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games will be on! Welcome to Brums the word with Kukri Sports - a podcast from Anything but Footy.

English cricket and basketball may not on the surface have much in common, but they're both new sports to the Games this week. The women's T20 sees eight teams vying for a place in the final at Edgbaston - while the street style 3x3 basketball sees men, women and wheelchair medals up for grabs in the city centre of Smithfield. We speak to England skipper Heather Knight and new bowler Issy Wong along with London Lions star Shanice Beckford-Norton on all things Brum!

There's also athletics, judo and the Queen's baton relay in our News from the Games - plus a tip from John if you've got tickets for the Games!

And you can also explore the full range of official Team England merchandise at kukrisports.com and if you use the code 'ABF2022' you'll save 10% on the price just for listening to this podcast.

We're literally counting the hours now aren't we? Birmingham 2022 is here and if you've been with us throughout our 10 week countdown - thanks for listening to Anything but Footy's Brum's the word with Kukri Sports - the only podcast building up to the Games! If you're just joining - lots to go back and listen too!

In this episode, a focus on fighting - Boxing and Judo! We meet the Richardson's of Team England & GB Boxing - Gemma & Lewis - they're not related! And Lucy Renshall won't tell you but she's only the current world number one in Judo!

There's the rest of the 'News from the Games' - athletics, squash, netball - and who's hungry like the wolf for the Opening Ceremony? And while listening, also explore the full range of official Team England merchandise at kukrisports.com. If you use the code 'ABF2022' you'll save 10%!

Listen and follow 'Anything but Footy' as we countdown to the Commonwealth Games - and there's more tomorrow! See you then!

Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games week is here and we're doing daily pods to get you ready! This is Brum's the word, a podcast from Anything but Footy, brought to you with Kukri Sports, the official kit provider for Team England.

In the first of the week, we dive into another aquatics Team England special with Olympic champion Matty Lee, three time Olympic medalist Jack Laugher and rising (not good in diving!) Team GB star Eden Chang!

There's also Cricket, Netball, Athletics, Judo and basketball in our News from the Games!

And You can also explore the full range of official Team England merchandise at kukrisports.com and if you use the code 'ABF2022' you'll save 10% on the price just for listening to this podcast.

A special episode of the podcast focusing on F1 on water - SailGP - and particularly the Great British Sail Grand Prix in Plymouth at the end of this month.

We're into season 3 of the most competitive races on water, with Sir Ben Ainslie and his GB crew lying third in the league and looking for the benefit of home support in his home port! (Ben grew up across the border in Cornwall!)

Double Olympic champion and the most decorated female Olympic sailor, Hannah Mills OBE, is also part of the crew alongside her role as Global Purpose Ambassador - the mum-to-be joins us to talk all things Tokyo, teamwork, the battle against climate change and what next for her and Sail GP.

But this sport is more than just racing, so we also hear more about it's big plans and big ambitions!

On the 30th and 31st July, the Great Britain Sail Grand Prix will return to Plymouth for the second year in a row and you can buy your tickets at the website www.sailgp.com

Birmingham 2022 is next week! Thanks for listening to Anything but Footy's Brum's the word with Kukri Sports is the only podcast building up to the Games!

In this episode, a cycling special from Team England with 35 names led by the greatest British female Olympian of all time Dame Laura Kenny - but who's only won one Commonwealth medal! We'll hear from her team-mates Abi Smith (otherwise known as a fan-girl!), Joe Truman and Georgia Holt who's piloting for Sophie Unwin at the Games.

There's the rest of the 'News from the Games' - basketball, hockey, triathlon and find out what's literally coming home this summer! And while listening, also explore the full range of official Team England merchandise at kukrisports.com. If you use the code 'ABF2022' you'll save 10%!

Listen and follow 'Anything but Footy' as we countdown to the Commonwealth Games - and we've even more in store next week!!

The BAC Podcast - The Whyte Review looks into the revelation of years of abuse and mistreatment of gymnasts in the UK.

It explains the role the British Athletes Commission played and reveals what is happening now.

The BAC is the voice of Great Britain's elite athletes and in this episode you'll also hear from chair Vicki Aggar and new CEO Anna Watkins on what the Review should mean for British sport as a whole.

This is a special edition of the podcast, produced by Anything but Footy, for the British Athletes Commission.

For more information, check out britishathletes.org

This is Brum's the word, a podcast from Anything but Footy, brought to you with Kukri Sports, the official kit provider for Team England.

We're counting down to the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham this month and as the best athlete's also gather in Eugene for the World Championships this week, we've an athletics special!

It's Dina v Daryll in the women's sprints, Team England v Team Scotland in the middle distances, and hopefully a golden goodbye from the fastest walker in the world Tom Bosworth! We also talk long jump with Team England's Lorraine Ugen, Nathaniel Mitchell-Blake on putting the Tokyo relay nightmare behind him and multiple Paralympic champion Hannah Cockroft on her first Commonwealth Games - I know seriously!

There's also Hockey, Beach Volleyball, Boxing, Rugby Sevens and more in our News from the Games! You can also explore the full range of official Team England merchandise at kukrisports.com and if you use the code 'ABF2022' you'll save 10% on the price just for listening to this podcast.

And standby, it's two weeks to the Games - listen and follow for more!

It's Commonwealth Games month!

Birmingham 2022 is now just days away and Anything but Footy's Brum's the word with Kukri Sports is the only podcast building up to the Games every week!

In this episode, a Triathlon and Para-Tri special as Team England confirm their 10 athletes and 4 guides for the mens and women's individual, mixed team relay and visually impaired races in Sutton Coldfield on the first weekend of Birmingham 2022.

We've Olympic champion and silver medalist Georgia Taylor-Brown and Sophie Coldwell - who recently booked the first British spot at the Paris 2024 Olympics in the mixed relay. Dave Ellis and Luke Pollard, along with Melissa Reid, tell us why they're hoping to put behind them disappointing Paralympics in a home Commonwealths.

There's the rest of the 'News from the Games' - athletics, swimming, cycling, diving, beach volleyball and even the Games' voice of the venues! So while you're listening, also explore the full range of official Team England merchandise at kukrisports.com. If you use the code 'ABF2022' you'll save 10%!

Listen and follow 'Anything but Footy' as we countdown to the Commonwealth Games - see you next week!

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Welcome to a special edition of Brum's the word, a podcast from Anything but Footy, brought to you with Kukri Sports, the official kit provider for Team England, and it's one month to go before Birmingham 2022!

In this episode, we're at a special VIP event in the heart of Birmingham as Kukri unveil their new specifically designed kit for Team England. Around 440 athletes to be competing at their Home Commonwealth Games from Thursday July 28th for 12 days. We hear from the man in charge of those athletes Mark England, some of them who've been working with designers on the kit, and Commonwealth Games gold medalist Kelly Sotherton who tells us Birmingham doesn't know what's coming this summer!! And you can look the part too just for listening to this podcast - there's an exclusive discount code 'ABF 2022' to get 10% off any of the full range of official Team England merchandise at kukrisports.com

So download, get a discount and follow 'Anything but Footy' as we countdown to the Commonwealths!

This is Brum's the word, a podcast from Anything but Footy, brought to you with Kukri Sports, the official kit provider for Team England. We're counting down to the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham this summer and the anticipation is high for the defence of the Netball gold medal - spectacularly won for the first time in 2018 by Team England in Australia, beating the world's best, in their own backyard!

Now Birmingham plays host and in this episode of Brum's the word, we're joined by new Head Coach Jess Thirlby and Superleague player of the season - and Avengers wanna-be - Layla Guscoth!! Also, in our 'News from the Games' we talk Athletics, Swimming, Diving, Judo, Hockey, Cycling, Gymnastics and we talk table tennis with a trio of Team England stars Jack Hunter Spivey, Charlotte Bardsley and world number 14 Liam Pitchford!

You can also explore the full range of official Team England merchandise at kukrisports.com and if you use the code 'ABF2022' you'll save 10% on the price just for listening to this podcast. And standby, it's a month to go to the Games - so we've an extra special episode building up to Birmingham 2022 dropping this week - stay tuned!

Anything but Footy's Brum's the word with Kukri Sports is the only podcast counting down to the Commonwealths this summer every week!

In this episode, we focus on three sports that have been major medal winners during the history of the Games - swimming, hockey and cycling!

Three GB Olympic champions, Tom Dean, Freya Anderson and James Guy tell us they're well up for Birmingham, as they compete in the World Swimming Championships in Budapest this week! Lily Owsley has won Olympic gold and bronze, and is now ready for her first Commonwealths in 8 years with Team England's Women's Hockey squad! And why are hosts John and Michael some 120 miles away from Birmingham but at a 2022 Commonwealth Games venue?

There's the rest of the 'News from the Games' and while you're listening, you can look the part too by exploring the full range of official Team England merchandise at kukrisports.com. If you use the code 'ABF2022' you'll save 10%!

Listen and follow 'Anything but Footy' as we build up to Birmingham 2022 - see you next week!

Welcome to another edition of Brum's the word, a podcast from Anything but Footy, brought to you with Kukri Sports, the official kit provider for Team England, and counting down to the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham this summer.

In this episode, we're beach ready! With a bumper Beach Volleyball edition, as we hear from Team England's mens and women's teams - Jess Grimson & Daisy Mumby and the Bello brothers of Javier & Joaquin. Both teams face the respective bronze medalists from 4 years ago in their groups and both pairs are looking for a place on the podium, in front of a home crowd at a specially built facility in Smithfield, the heart of Birmingham City Centre.

Also, in our 'News from the Games' find out about an English world number one in Judo, a European champion in Weightlifting and some of the other Home Nations athletes selected to compete against Team England!

Don't forget you can explore the full range of official Team England merchandise at kukrisports.com and just for listening to this podcast, if you use the code 'ABF2022' you'll save 10% on the price! You'll also look the part!

And don't forget to tell a friend, we're the only podcast building up to Birmingham 2022 every week - download and follow 'Anything but Footy' - see you next week!

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The Commonwealth Games is the fourth largest sporting event on the planet, and as well as bringing the best sports stars together from across the world, it's a wide sporting spectrum too, as it also stages top class Para events throughout the 12 days.

This is Brum's the word, a podcast from Anything but Footy, brought to you with Kukri Sports, the official kit provider for Team England, and counting down to the Commonwealths!

In this episode, as Team England announce their biggest ever number of competitors in Weightlifting and Powerlifting, we hear from Louise Sugden, the 2018 Commonwealth silver medalist and Tokyo Paralympic bronze medalist. She tells us how the extra exposure of Para sport helps all athletes, 'it's exciting, it is interesting and we work damn hard!' Listen up for the full squad announcement! And while you're listening, you can look the part too by exploring the full range of official Team England merchandise at kukrisports.com. If you use the code 'ABF2022' you'll save 10%!

PLUS with 50 days to go until the Opening Ceremony, rehearsals are underway and we talk Diving, Hockey, Triathlon, Athletics and Rugby 7s.

Listen and follow 'Anything but Footy' as we build up to Birmingham 2022 - see you next week!

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This is Brum's the word, a podcast from Anything but Footy, brought to you with Kukri Sports, the official kit provider for Team England, and building up to Birmingham 2022.

In this episode, we catch up with Sarah-Jane Perry, a Commonwealth Games silver medalist from 2018 and former Squash world number 5. She was born and bred in Birmingham, still lives there, and is now ready to compete for her country in her home City. And she tells us the best places to eat and hopefully celebrate in the City too!

Also, in our 'News from the Games' find out about the first gold given out, before the Games even begin!

Don't forget you can explore the full range of official Team England merchandise at kukrisports.com and just for listening to this podcast, if you use the code 'ABF2022' you'll save 10% on the price! You'll also look the part!

Download and follow 'Anything but Footy' as we countdown to the Commonwealths - see you next week!

To quote the Bryan Adams famous song 'Summer of '69' 'those were the best days of my life'...and episode 69 of Anything but Footy and the summer to come of 2022 could be just as rockin'!

We've a bumper Birmingham edition of the podcast - as Diamond League crowds returned to the second city and the new and improved venue for the Commonwealth Games this July/August! Dina Asher Smith, Keely Hodgkinson and Laura Muir all won and spoke to Michael afterwards - local 400m man Matthew Hudson Smith set a marker for the outdoor season too - we catch up with another GB superstar Katerina Johnson Thompson and Robbie Grabarz who ten years on finally gets an Olympic silver medal!

We round up the groundbreaking European Taekwondo Championships in Manchester and hear from 2 British canoe slalom Olympic stars - Mallory Franklin and Joe Clarke - ahead of their Euros too - plus a new world for British Boxing - the chair and CEO talk to us.

PLUS Tennis, Wimbledon, Russia, Ukraine, Hockey, Netball, Cycling, Rowing and have we mentioned its 9 weeks til Birmingham 2022 ??!

Get in touch anytime - @anythingbutf on twitter or message us on insta & Facebook or check out the website www.anythingbutfooty.com

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Coaching helps a person change and guides them in the direction they want to go. British Triathlon coaching courses have been developed to ensure Great Britain remains a leading nation in the sport at all levels, from local clubs to the Olympics and Paralympics.

In this special edition of the podcast, produced for British Triathlon, we hear from Olympic champion Georgia Taylor-Brown and former national champion now Paratriathlon pathway coach Mark Buckingham. We want to find out what makes a successful coach and what opportunities are available for everyone, from an elite athlete, an experienced racer wanting to give something back, to parents supporting their child.

British Triathlon courses and qualifications are open for anyone who wants to get involved in supporting others to swim, bike, run. For more information check out www.britishtriathlon.org/coaching

Season 3 of Great British Bosses, the podcast from Anything but Footy speaking to the men and women behind the scenes of sport in the UK, continues with a pair of special Paralympic and Olympic guests.

As well as rowing for Paralympics GB, Benjamin Pritchard sits on the board for Welsh Rowing, which along with British Rowing, is behind the staging of the World Rowing Coastal Championships and Beach Sprint Finals this year in Wales. Jack Beaumont is a rare Team GB rower who won a medal at the delayed Tokyo 2020.

We catch up with them both ahead of the events in Saundersfoot over two weekends in October - and Benjamin praises the greatest PR1 Para rower Ukrainian Roman Polianskyi.

This is Great British Bosses - the podcast from Anything but Footy speaking to the men and women behind the scenes of British sport.

In this episode, we hear from Ed Clancy and Graham Briggs - a three time Olympic cycling champion and a former British professional road racing cyclist - on their cycling academy for children, based in Doncaster, and their big ambitions...

This is Brum's the Word - a podcast from Anything but Footy - focusing on the sports and stars competing at this summer's home Commonwealth Games - Birmingham 2022.

Host nation Team England are likely to have around 400+ able-bodied and Para athletes competing in the red and white this July and August.

10 of them will be trying to win medals in badminton - across singles, doubles, mixed doubles and the mixed team event.

Marcus Ellis is one of the most successful competitors of recent years, having bagged an Olympic medal in Rio, and his partner on and off the court Lauren Smith has 5 Commonwealth medals to her name heading into her home games...

100 days too go and we continue to count down to the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games with British Triathlete, competing for Team England this summer, Sophie Coldwell.

The 27 year old from Nottingham is ready to compete in her home Games - her second Commonwealths - after claiming two podium finishes last summer in the World Triathlon Series...in Leeds and Abu Dhabi.

She'll be joined in the Team England triathlon squad by mixed relay Olympic champions George Taylor-Brown, Jonny Brownlee and Alex Yee.

Season 3 of Great British Bosses from Anything but Footy, continues to look behind the scenes at sport in the UK.

Matt Gentry is the agent of Sir Andy Murray and co-founder with the 2 time Wimbledon and Olympic champion, of 77 Sports Management, a marketing company that actually puts the athletes performance first, rather than money!

We talk to Matt about how he started in the business, how 77 has developed with new younger clients, the advice given to sports men and women, often incredibly young, about giving their opinion on world events and we discuss Sir Andy Murray, his passion to return to sport and maybe win another Wimbledon title this summer!

A formula 3000 driver, turned team founder, now CEO and Team Principal of current world champions Red Bull Formula One Team.

Christian Horner is one of the most recognisable Great British Bosses of the current sporting world - arguably the best in the business in the past 12 months. We talk leadership, rivalry, last season, this season, how it all started and what's the future hold.

He's also delighted to be heading back down under ahead of the third race of the season this weekend in Melbourne.

Welcome to a brand new season of Great British Bosses from Anything but Footy, where we speak to men and women leaders behind the scenes of sport in the UK.

Follow for more to come this season!

6 months on from British Triathlon's best ever performance on one day the Paralympics Games, the UK is preparing to stage its first ever standalone World Triathlon Para series in Swansea this summer, as well as visually impaired Para Tri athletes competing at the 'home' Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.

In this special edition of the podcast, produced for British Triathlon, we meet the medallists from Tokyo 2020 Paralympics - Lauren Steadman, George Peasgood and Claire Cashmore - and hear their stories on the challenges they all faced to reach the Paralympic podium. The trio also discuss the importance of themselves and fellow Paralympic, World and European champions being the centre of attention in South Wales on Saturday August 6th.

For more information on that event, how to watch or be involved check out - https://www.britishtriathlon.org/get-involved/paratriathlon or if you fancy volunteering go to https://www.britishtriathlon.org/get-involved/what-is-triathlon/volunteers-2022

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

On Commonwealth Day, we start our official countdown to the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games with one of the undoubted stars of the summer to come.

Three time Olympic breaststroke champion and 3 time Commonwealth gold medalist Adam Peaty will compete at new Sandwell Aquatics Centre...

And as you'll hear in this episode, he's hoping to compete in more events and his son gets to see him compete too...

This is Brum's the word - a podcast from Anything but Footy - focusing on the sports and stars competing at this summer's home Games.

It started with controversy and serious question marks about the integrity of sport and its place in the world due to the Ukraine invasion.

But once Russia and Belarus were banned, the Winter Paralympics and GB's athletes have delivered once again.

John & Michael round up the action from Beijing 2022 - with the man in charge for Paralympics GB chef de mission Phil Smith.

This has been Beijing Bound from Anything but Footy - that's for supporting the second Olympics and Paralympics in 6 months! Only 2 years til Paris!

Ollie Hill was riding motorbikes during the last Paralympics 4 years ago, now the 32 year old from Reading has become the first ever British snowboarder to win at medal at the Winter Paralympics.

He bagged a bronze in the banked Slalom and told us afterwards how lucky he was and how he found the sport after losing a leg in a car crash just 3 and a bit years ago.

This is Beijing Bound from Anything but Footy - the latest on the 2022 Winter Paralympics Games.

Anything but Footy celebrates the life of Robbie Brightwell - Olympic silver medallist at Tokyo 1964.

This conversation was recorded with Robbie and his wife Ann in 2021. Robbie and Ann agreed to speak to us for a special edition of the podcast that was produced exclusively for the athletes heading to the delayed Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

Robbie and Ann reminisce about taking part in the 1964 Olympic Games, also staged in Tokyo, and how they both returned home with medals. Ann won an unexpected gold medal in the 800m She had only agreed to take part after Robbie convinced her. She had wanted to go shopping instead! Anne also won the silver medal in the 400m at the same games. For Robbie, he had finished 4th in the individual 400m event and won his medal as part of the relay team.

Together they look back at Tokyo 1964 and offer words of advice and guidance to those who followed in their footsteps when the Games returned to Tokyo, after a 12 month delay, in 2021.

This is the first time this conversation has been made available publicly and is shared with the permission of Team GB.

This is Beijing Bound from Anything but Footy the Olympic and Paralympic Podcast with two giants of British Winter sports!

Menna Fitzpatrick is now Britain's most decorated Winter Paralympian after more medals at the Beijing Games in the alpine skiing - and a newish guide!

Fellow VI athlete Neil Simpson created history when he and his brother Andrew, won gold in the Super G - becoming the first GB man to end up top of the Paralympic podium on snow!

In this episode we hear from them all after helping take Paralympics GB medal tally to 5 in 3 days!

Unless you've been hiding under a bush for the past few weeks, Great Britain won a gold, silver and grabbed a 4th place in all of the 3 Curling events at the Beijing Olympics.

Now Wheelchair Curling takes centre stage at the Paralympics - with the mixed team of Hugh Nibloe (Skip), David Melrose, Gregor Ewan, Meggan Dawson-Farrell & Gary Smith (alternate).

At the Opening Ceremony of Beijing 2022, Gregor carried with union flag with debutant Meggan in third Paralympics, and he told us he wants to return to bronze medal form at least at these Games, after winning that eight years ago.

This is Beijing Bound from Anything but Footy - the series focusing on the 2022 Winter Paralympics in China.

NB This podcast was recorded before the Russian invasion of Ukraine and subsequent banning of RPC and Belarus athletes

This is Beijing Bound from Anything but Footy - with the latest news and interviews from the Beijing 2022 Winter Paralympic Games.

Day one brought joy for Paralympics GB and for Millie Knight and Brett Wild as the VI skier and her guide won bronze in the women's downhill.

It's a 4th Paralympic medal for Millie but means more since the journey of the last 4 years.

This is Beijing Bound from Anything but Footy - the series focusing on the 2022 Winter Olympics and now Paralympics in China.

Team GB won 2 medals in Beijing - Paralympics GB have been predicted to win between 5 & 9 by UK Sport.

It's chair Katherine Grainger looks ahead to the Games and what happens now for Team GB following their 2 Curling medals.

NB This podcast was recorded before the Russian invasion of Ukraine and subsequent banning of RPC and Belarus athletes

Introducing Asha Philip - The BAC Podcast reveals the latest member to the board of the BAC - the voice of Great Britain's elite athletes.

The 2 time Olympian and sprint medalist at Olympic, World, European and Commonwealth level explains why she wants to work on behalf of all athletes and for the future of British sport. In this episode, she's joined by BAC chair Vicki Aggar on how the organisation itself is changing as it works to ensure the collective athletes voice is listened to.

This is a special edition of the podcast, produced by Anything but Footy, for the British Athletes Commission.

For more information, check out britishathletes.org

A bumper edition of the podcast reviewing all things Beijing 2002 - our first Winter Olympics as Anything but Footy!

We're joined by Curling gold medalists Eve Muirhead, Vicky Right, Jen Dodds, Hailey Duff & Milli Smith, and silver medalists Bruce Mouat, Grant Hardie, Bobby Lammie, Hammy McMillan Jr and Ross Whyte on what's been the most successful Games for British Curling ever!

But CEO of the British Olympic Association Andy Anson, joins us to review the rest of the games and start the process of what went wrong for Team GB, who were predicted to win up to 7 medals.

We can't talk Beijing 2022 without the Chinese hosts and Russian Kamila Valieva either - Gus Kenworthy gives us his forthright view on the figure skater competing at the Games - and the biggest doping scandal to ever hit Team GB too!

Plus there's Commonwealth Games, Athletics, Hockey, Judo, Rowing and netball to discuss too!

This is Anything but Footy - the Olympic and Paralympic podcast!

He started playing before the Opening Ceremony, and ended with a silver medal on the penultimate day of Beijing 2022 - it's been quite the rollercoaster for Bruce Mouat these Winter Olympics - in fact he has spent over 40 hours in competition since his campaign began on 2 February!

Now on the final day he'll carry the Union flag at the Closing Ceremony.

Bruce, Grant Hardie, Bobby Lammie and Hammy McMillan Jr just missed out to Sweden in the Men's Curling Gold Medal match - and Bruce had earlier finished 4th in the Mixed doubles with Jen Dodds.

Mica McNeill is heading to her second Olympics having built a 30m bobsleigh run in her backyard during lockdown! Montell Douglas is the first British woman to ever compete in the Summer and Winter Olympics and is a one of a kind having done it now in the same City - Beijing '08 and Beijing '22!

This is Beijing Bound from Anything but Footy - the Olympic and Paralympic podcast!

Charlotte Bankes was the favourite for the snowboard cross for Team GB heading into the Games - Ollie Davies a former junior world champion doesn't haven't that focus on him.

But he wants to achieve great things himself and do something for his friend Charlotte too!

This is Beijing Bound from Anything but Footy - the Olympic and Paralympic podcast!

This is Beijing Bound from Anything but Footy - the Olympic and Paralympic podcast!

Team GB are not having the greatest Games - into the second week and no places on the podium as yet.

But there's opportunities to come in Beijing - with 26 year old Lloyd Wallace continuing the Freestyle Skiing challenge!

More history has been made at the Beijing Winter Olympics - with Northampton based Jamaican Benjamin Alexander competing in alpine skiing.

Despite really poor weather conditions, he made it to the end of two runs of the Giant Slalom when 50% entrants fell. He may have been the lowest ranked in the end and more than a minute behind Marco Odermatt of Switzerland who took the gold, but as Benjamin told Michael that's not the whole story...

This is Beijing Bound from Anything but Footy - the Olympic and Paralympic podcast!

Just over 6 months ago, Triathlon's Mixed Team Relay was one of the standout moments of the delayed Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Now the event is set to make its debut at the World Triathlon Championship Series Leeds in June, as well as being part of the 'home' Commonwealth Games in Birmingham in six months time.

In this special edition of the podcast, produced for British Triathlon, we reunite the fab four of Jess Learmonth, Jonny Brownlee, Georgia Taylor-Brown and Alex Yee, to talk us through their history making Olympic gold medal! They look ahead to Leeds, Birmingham and even Paris 2024 and retaining that title!

World Triathlon Championships Series Leeds takes place in Roundhay Park on June 11 and 12. Entries are open now - there's swim, bike and run events for all levels and experiences, and there's a relay option too, where you can team up with two people to complete the Triathlon together by taking a discipline each! Check out /leeds.triathlon.org/ for more...

This is Beijing Bound - the podcast looking at the 2022 Olympic Games from a Team GB perspective - from Anything but Footy.

Figure skating has been the talk of the Games in the last few days - mainly for what's happening off the ice - as well as on it!

Britain ice dance pair Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson - who came 5th at the recent European Championships - are now preparing for their two dances in Beijing this weekend....

This is Beijing Bound from Anything but Footy - but more of a catch up this episode - after teenage sensation Kirsty Muir nearly caused an upset in the Freestyle Skiing Bir Air comp in Beijing!

After landing a huge first jump, and leading for a bit, the 17 year old and youngest member of Team GB in China for the Winter Olympics finished a fabulous 5th place - and she told Michael all about it afterwards...

Ahead of her event in the women's Slalom tomorrow/Wednesday, we caught up with Scottish skier Charlie Guest on all things Beijing 2022, the Athlete's Village, the covid testing, the chance of a medal the whole thing!

But we also got some unique insight into the difference between real and 'fake' snow - and its well worth a listen!

This is Beijing Bound from Anything but Footy - good luck to all our Team GB stars competing in the second Olympics in six months!

This is Beijing Bound from Anything but Footy - as the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics gets underway - we hear from the men and women competing for Team GB.

Matt Weston won World Cup gold in the Skeleton this year - and along with team-mate Marcus Wyatt is being tipped to be a big success in China by none other their double Olympic champion Lizzy Yarnold.

We caught up with Matt ahead of the Opening Ceremony and the start of training in Beijing...

Both been to the Olympics three times before - both picked to carry the British flag at the Opening Ceremony of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics.

Well done Curling star Eve Muirhead and skiing sensation Dave Ryding!

They will lead 50+ Team GB athletes and officials in the Birds Next - 14 years on from the 2008 Summer Olympics in the same stadium!

This is Beijing Bound - from Anything from Footy - counting down to the second Olympic Games in six months!

At aged 26, and having recovered from three ACL injuries, Katie Summerhayes from Sheffield is heading to her third Winter Olympic Games.

The freestyle skier will compete in the Big Air and Slopestyle at Beijing 2022.

This is Beijing Bound from Anything but Footy and the countdown to the 2022 Winter Games, which is now just a day away...

James 'Woodsy' Woods is competing in his second Winter Olympics and has two events - the freestyle skiing Big Air the first weekend of the Games and the Slopestyle in the second week.

Can he go one better at least and get a place on the Podium this time?

This is Beijing Bound from Anything but Footy - the Olympic and Paralympic Podcast - download and follow for more...

The Opening Ceremony for the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games doesn't begin for another two days - but Olympic debutants Bruce Mouat and Jen Dodds will be in action three times before that!

The mixed doubles curling round robin competition gets underway at lunchtime UK time on Wednesday (Feb 2) - and the Scottish friends are current World Champions!

This is Beijing Bound from Anything but Footy - the countdown to the 2022 Winter Games...which is now just days away...

We couldn't turn down the chance to speak to a real Olympic legend - and a skier hoping to rewrite the rules books too!

Enjoy this episode of the podcast - it'll get you feeling 'Olympic'!

Team GB's confirmed the final 50 athletes to compete at Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games - which begins officially on Feb 4...

Long track speed skater Ellia Smeding, who joins her boyfriend Cornelius Kersten in the team, will compete in the 1000m and 1500m in China.

Cross country skier Andrew Musgrave returns for his fourth Olympics as part of an exciting blend of experience and young talent competing at the 24th Winter Games.

This is Beijing Bound from Anything but Footy - the Olympic and Paralympic Podcast - download and follow for more...

This is Beijing Bound from Anything but Footy - the countdown to the 2022 Winter Games...

Laura Deas is an Winter Olympic medalist already for Team GB as she heads to her second Games in the sport of Skeleton. She stood on the podium with double British Olympic champion Lizzy Yarnold four years ago.

Now Laura's the most experienced slider leaving her training base in Bath for Beijing in 2 weeks time - one of 4 skeleton athletes confirmed by Team GB today - all making their Olympic debuts. Congrats to Brogan Crowley, Marcus Wyatt and Matt Weston.

The 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics is just weeks away & we're now 50 days to go until the Paralympics - this is Anything but Footy Beijing Bound again!

There's a medal range - not a target - for Team GB and Paralympics GB - there's more athletes in different sports and disciplines - and there's still covid-19 and every danger that brings to the team, athletes and staff alike. But every single member is vaccinated and now ready to go for gold in the second Olympic and Paralympic Games in 6 months.

As well as UK Sport CEO Sally Munday, Paralympic GB's Phil Smith, we hear from Team GB's newest confirmed athlete - and his special tribute to an Olympic giant who sadly passed away just before Christmas.

Follow and download for all the latest news from Beijing as the Games go on!

This is Great British Bosses from Anything but Footy - the podcast that hears from the women and men who run British sport in this country.

As we start another new year, and a further focus on getting fit and healthy following the covid-19 pandemic, we catch up with Natalie Justice-Dearn, CEO of Rounders England, formerly of British Cycling, British Triathlon and the Birmingham Football Association.

Rounders is a sport that's played by more than a million people every year and in schools up and down the country, but Natalie tells us of her plans to increase participation further, a national league, and with England having its own women's team, the dream of getting the sport into the Commonwealth Games in the next decade!

Back to work this week? It's never stopped for the British athletes heading off to the second Olympics and Paralympics in six months...

Team GB have picked 27 year old Cornelius Kersten as their first long track speed skater since 1992 - we hear how he 'brewed' up his success at the recent World Cups...☕️

Paralympics GB Chef De Mission Phil Smith joins us too to discuss the first athletes confirmed for Beijing in 2 months times - the British wheelchair curlers - skip Hugh Nibloe, Gregor Ewan, Meggan Dawson-Farrell, David Melrose & Charlotte McKenna...

This is Beijing Bound from Anything but Footy - the countdown to the 2022 Winter Games...

(📸 Skater Cornelius Kersten credit: Vincent Riemersma)

This is the 4th and final episode of the first season of Centre Pass from London Pulse - the podcast produced with Anything but Footy.

As Pulse head in a new Vitality Netball Superleague season, this episode shows why London's premier netball club is much more than just an elite franchise.

We spend an Evening with London Pulse - in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park - and catch up with players, new arrivals, sponsors, partners and even self confessed Pulse super-fans!

So as we head into the new year, download, listen and follow, and you'll understand why for London Pulse it's not just another new Superleague season...

This is Beijing Bound from Anything but Footy - the countdown to the 2022 Winter Games...

Kathryn Thomson and Farrell Treacy both return for their second Winter Olympics for Team GB after named in the squad. Brother Niall Treacy will also make his debut in Beijing in February 2022, after reaching his first world final this year.

Farrell - now based in the USA - will go in both the 1000m and 1500m events and talks to John and Michael about his ongoing battles against injury, his love of competing and now his first ever Christmas away from home....

Team GB now has 9 confirmed athletes for Beijing Winter Olympics in February 2022 - with 3 figure skaters joining the curlers!

After winning the British Championships in Sheffield for a 5th time, Natasha McKay, who we interviewed in an earlier episode of Beijing Bound, has been selected in the women's singles while Lewis Gibson and Lilah Fear will compete in the ice dance and caught up with John to celebrate their achievement so far...

This is Beijing Bound from Anything but Footy - the countdown to the 2022 Winter Games...

This is Great British Bosses from Anything but Footy - the podcast where we speak to the people who lead sport in the country, behind the scenes.

The British Judo Association is one of those national governing bodies with the widest scope possible, from getting kids and adults onto the mat, overseeing clubs and coaches, staging events and ensuring the best judoka stars represent GB at the Olympics and Paralympics.

Andrew Scoular is the man in charge and has been for the past 8 years, having switched from developing community rugby and playing international hockey for Scotland!

And as he explains to John and Michael, this year's been a huge success for the sport following the despair of the covid pandemic...

So much to talk to Nigel Holl about - his duel role as Executive Performance Director and CEO of British Curling, former CEO of Scottish Athletics and interim CEO of British Athletics, ideas for National Curling Day and the hand-made bike he made in lockdown!

There's obviously Beijing 2022 only a matter of weeks away and the hopes of more medals for Team GB from his world champion 'athletes' Bruce Mouat and Jen Dodds. And he has a real passion for the sport of Curling, but as we discuss the future of one of his former positions at British Athletics, he tells us "I don't think for a chief executive, you need to be from that sport."

This is episode 34 of Great British Bosses from Anything but Footy, the podcast speaking to the men and women who run sport in this country.

Listen, download and follow for much more!

This is episode 3 of Centre Pass from London Pulse - a must listen for all those involved and invested in Pulse, but also for fans of world class sport and high performance!

We're joined by Pulse's new Performance Director Lisa Alexander and Head Coach & CEO Sam Bird for a coaching conversation that covers everything from preparation to playing and pathway to elite, plus the future hopes and aspirations for London Pulse, London’s only Vitality Netball Superleague side, but as we know, is much more than that!

Lisa, despite 30 years as a winning high performance coach, also explains how she still learns from the likes of England's rugby and football coaches, Eddie Jones and Gareth Southgate.

This is Centre Pass from London Pulse, the brand new podcast produced with Anything but Footy. Download and follow to ensure you will automatically hear our next episode coming soon!

Georgina Harland's not the first Chef De Mission we've had on Great British Bosses, but she's the first woman to ever be selected to do the job for Team GB! Just weeks after performing the deputy role in Tokyo in the summer, she'll be leading the 50+ athletes and GB staff at the Winter Games in Beijing - a real achievement for her, and a poignant one too, as you'll find out in this episode!

Also, how a bronze medalist in Athens 2004 in Modern Pentathlon becomes Team leader for the entire squad in 2022, and her views on the future of the sport she still clearly loves, as it announces the end of the equestrian discipline!

This is Great British Bosses from Anything but Footy - the podcast that speaks to the women and men behind the scenes of sport in this country! There's 32 others to go back and listen too, download and follow for many more!

In this episode of Great British Bosses, the podcast speaking to the women and men behind the scenes of British sport, we hear from Fiona Stockley, Team co-ordinator for the Barbarian Women.

Unlike their male counterparts, the club has only been set up for 5 years ago, and without a match for 2 years, the Baa-Baas now prepare to play a Springboks XV at the end of November.

But how did this stalwart of women's rugby, and full time NHS worker too, break through the barriers of this male dominated sport? Listen to find out!

Match information: The Killik Cup Double Header - Twickenham Stadium, Saturday 27 th November 2021

Barbarians v Samoa - 2.30pm K.O.

Barbarian Women v Springbok Women’s XV - 5.15pm K.O.

Be part of the action from £35 for adults and £15 for children (booking fees apply) at www.ticketmaster.co.uk/barbarians

Hospitality packages are also from £119 per person via www.twickenhamstadium.com

Bobsleigh, Skeleton, Curling, Ski-ing, Snowboard, Short Track, Figure Skating, time to forget Tokyo and prepare for the second Olympic and Paralympic Games within 6 months!

In 100 days time, Beijing becomes the first city to ever stage both the Winter and Summer Games and Team GB has some big hopes for success!

John and Michael discuss some of the names to watch out for over the coming weeks and are joined by 4 time British Figure skating champion Natasha McKay from Dundee hoping to go to her first Games.

And as this is Anything but Footy - the Olympic and Paralympic Podcast - hear out take on the big resignations at British Athletics with the CEO and Performance Director stepping down - it's time for the sport to stop being so insular!

The fitness and leisure sector in this country is the engine room of activity, supporting millions of people to be active each day. But as ukactive Chair Tanni Grey-Thompson prepares to leave the role, she's calling on gyms and leisure centres to support millions more. She's also urged the Government to grasp the opportunity to ensure the Birmingham Commonwealth Games next summer leaves a greater legacy for activity than London 2012 ever had.

This is a special episode of the podcast, hearing from the main influencers, speakers and guests at the first ukactive conference in two years.

Hear from the new Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries, Sir Keith Mills on a new reward scheme for activity, ukactive CEO Huw Edwards and Tanni herself on how strong collaboration can deliver a shared ambition for growth, and getting more people, more active, more often.

In this special episode of the podcast with ukactive, we come live from the Guildhall in the City of London, with one of the sessions from the 2021 Conference that was opened by ukactive chair, Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson.

With a panel of guests, John and Michael explore what motivates people to adopt health-promoting behaviours, and identify the kinds of interventions the physical activity sector and the Government can put in place to create a more robust and joined up public health system, which encourages people to keep active and stay healthy.

It's the first ukactive conference since 2 years ago due to the covid pandemic, reuniting the sector, bringing together industry professionals, industry leaders and policymakers for a day packed full of debate and discussions, and you can hear more about that in our next episode - out soon!

This is Anything but Footy the Olympic and Paralympic podcast - official episode no.65!

Three time Olympic champion Max Whitlock heads into a gym for the first time since Tokyo, as John and he discuss inspiring people to get active, Sports Personality of the Year and what comes next, as he sits out the World Championships later this month. He was speaking at the opening of the Harpenden Leisure Centre following a total rebuild - and Michael reveals there used to be an outdoor pool there!

Joe Joyce should be Olympic champion himself but missed out in Rio due to bribery and corruption according to the latest stinging report from Richard McLaren - we ask if its actually worse than doping?!?

Greg Rutherford's aiming to be only the second man in history to win an Olympic gold in the summer and winter games but hear why there's a long way to go yet, despite Beijing coming up fast!

PLUS sooooooooo much more - judo, badminton, rowing, eventing, foil surfing, the London Marathon and Sliding Doors!

This is Anything but Footy - the Olympic and Paralympic podcast - episode 64!

When I get older, losing my hair...but what will be the future of swimming in this country - after a record breaking Tokyo 2020 in 2021 - real fears about the future of facilities across the country - and the cost of ensuring they exist by the time Brisbane 2032 comes along! Jane Nickerson CEO of Swim England joins us.

As the Ryder Cup gets underway, Michael and John discuss Olympic golf and the whether a change of format is needed to grow interest.

And we round up all the sports headlines you might not have heard about elsewhere - canoeing, climbing, cycling, judo, badminton, wheelchair basketball and athletics!

This is episode 31 of Great British Bosses from Anything but Footy, the podcast speaking to the men and women who run sport in this country. Listen, download and follow for much more!

This time, we're joined by Brian Facer, who's been the Chief Executive of British Cycling for 9 months.

After the best ever Paralympics for the sport, with 24 medals, and ground-breaking gold medals in the Olympics in Tokyo in the disciplines of mountain biking and BMX, it's time to also look ahead for the next three years to Paris. But not just for the elite sport and athletes but for the club, commuters, family and fun riders. Brian tells us about the organisation's new strategy and why he's confident he can deliver.

This is episode 2 of the brand new podcast - Centre Pass from London Pulse - produced with Anything but Footy.

We love netball, we love London, we love London Pulse, but we're much more than a Netball Superleague franchise and this podcast series, presented by CEO Sam Bird, aims to show why!

In this episode, we discuss the topics that aren't talked about enough - periods and playing sport and the challenges girls and woman face playing sport! We're joined by Pulse player Lindsay Keable and hear about her sporting journey through those difficult teenage years. Hear from co-owner Vanessa Smith of Iceni - which makes specially designed underwear for sport and and Flyhawk founder Stephanie Essex on her kit designs for women by women.

And should netball be in the Olympics? Of course!

This is Centre Pass from London Pulse - Please download and follow to ensure you will automatically hear our next episode coming soon.

Tokyo 2020 delivered once again - Paralympics GB delivered too!

The greatest British Paralympic ever in Dame Sarah Storey, the best ever performance by a cycling team, 8 medals for Para Table Tennis, 2 out of 4 golds for British Rowing, Hurricane Hannah Cockroft smashes it on the track again, Sir Lee Pearson and his dancing horses...

So many stories so many good moments to discuss - we try and round up the best bits for Britain - on what has been another extraordinary Games for so many reasons!

And if this got you in the mood, we also look ahead to Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games!

Enjoy!

This is our daily podcast with an athlete who're competing for Para GB at the Tokyo Games!

David Weir is a 6 time Paralympic champion having won 2 golds in Beijing and a fabulous unforgettable four in London 2012. Rio though was a different story. Hear how David got back on track - literally - after the nightmare in Brazil and why the time's right for another tilt at Paralympic glory in Tokyo...

Libby Clegg was like a number of athletes we've spoken too after Rio - delighted with two gold medals - but unsure of how to behave and what to do then! Fortunately, after becoming a mum, she's back on track for Tokyo and competing in the 200m again with her guide Chris Clark.

This is our daily podcast with an athlete who's just about to compete for Para GB at the Tokyo Games!

This is our daily podcast with an athlete who's competing for Para GB at the Tokyo Games!

And Ellie Robinson was a teenage Paralympic champion in Rio but revealed after finishing 5th in the S6 Fly at the weekend she's been struggling with a condition that could see her have a hip replacement.

Michael caught up with her to find out what's next...

This is bonus edition of the Podcast with British Triathlon - rounding up the results from the Odaiba Marine Park at the weekend.

A full set of Gold, Silver and Bronze Paralympic medals has been won by British Paratriathletes, and in this podcast we'll hear from them all - Lauren Steadman, George Peasgood and Claire Cashmore.

And if you've been inspired to try Swim, Bike, Run - check out the ‘What is Triathlon’ page on the British Triathlon website (https://www.britishtriathlon.org/get-involved/what-is-triathlon) which includes a specific ‘Getting into Paratriathlon’ section.

(📸 Ben Lumley)

This is our daily podcast with an athlete who's just about to compete for Para GB at the Tokyo Games!

Matt Skelhon won gold at the Beijing Paralympics in the air rifle shooting and is back in the Far East ready for more medals.

But he's certainly not bored in the Athletes Village in Tokyo before his time comes to compete...

Jonnie captured the 2012 crowds as a teenager, came back to win gold in Rio and then danced his way into hearts on Strictly Come Dancing. Can the 100m sprinter grab a third Paralympic title in Tokyo or is it someone's else time?

This is our daily podcast with an athlete who's just about to compete for Para GB at the Tokyo Games!

This is our daily podcast with an athlete who's competing for Para GB at the Tokyo Games!

Inspirational is a word often used during the Paralympics - but listen to this story from Ali Jawad talking to Michael and you'll really understand what the word means! Well Done Ali!

This is our daily podcast with an athlete who's just about to compete for Para GB at the Tokyo Games!

Stef Reid is a Scottish long jumper who could've competed for a number of nations - but she picked Paralympics GB and has won two silver medals in the past two Paralympics... will it be gold this time in Tokyo?

Kadeena Cox created history in Rio by becoming the first person in 20 years to win a gold medal in two sports and now she's back for more!

This is our daily podcast with an athlete who's just about to compete for Para GB at the Tokyo Games!

This is our daily podcast with an athlete who's just about to compete for Para GB at the Tokyo Games!

Maria Lyle broke world records as a teenager before breaking down herself.

Now she's ready to run once again in Tokyo...

It's opening ceremony day - the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics are finally getting underway a year later than planned.

14 time gold medal winning cyclist Dame Sarah Storey is a year older too but she's planning on three events in the Velodrome and on the road at the Fuji Speedway...

This is a BONUS edition of the podcast as we hear from three key players in tomorrow's Opening Ceremony in Tokyo.

Ellie Simmonds grabbed our hearts as she won two golds back in 2008 as a 13 year old - now the 5 time Paralympic swimming champion carries the British flag.

In a new tradition, a male and female athlete lead out the teams, so Beijing gold medal winning archer John Stubbs joins her and he's lost for words!

PLUS we catch up with Chef De Mission Penny Briscoe on how the team is preparing for the Paralympics despite first positive covid test in camp.

This is our daily podcast with athletes who are just about to compete for Para GB at the Tokyo Games! Download and Follow for more throughout the Games!

This is our daily podcast with an athlete who's just about to compete for Para GB at the Tokyo Games!

Tully Kearney's won multiple World Championship golds, but now faces her the Paralympics for the first time - 5 years on from when she thought she'd be making her debut...

We're back as the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics is about to start - a year later than planned!

This is our daily podcast with an athlete who's just about to compete for Para GB at the Tokyo Games!

This time its Paralympic champions Neil and Lora Fachie...

This is the British Triathlon Paralympic Podcast with everything you need to know about paratriathlon at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.

In this latest special edition of the podcast with British Triathlon, we hear from ParalympicsGB athletes Claire Cashmore, George Peasgood, Alison Peasgood, Dave Ellis and Michael Taylor on their preparation and hopes for Tokyo 2020 in 2021. We also ask guide Hazel MacLeod about her role, and the partnership she needs to have alongside Rio bronze medallist Melissa Reid, who goes again in Japan.

Head coach for the Paralympic Programme at British Triathlon, Jonathon Riall, discusses the challenges of getting a team ready in the midst of a global pandemic, while ParalympicsGB chef de mission Penny Briscoe, the woman in charge of the whole British team, reveals how plans continue to change ahead of the Games on August 24.

ParaTri takes place over the August Bank Holiday weekend - find out much more on the new dedicated Paralympics page on the British Triathlon website https://www.britishtriathlon.org/the-games/paralympics

(📸 Ben Lumley / British Triathlon)

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As we know it was the best ever start, and boy did the women and men of Team GB deliver in the second week of Tokyo 2020 in 2021...

65 medals matching the achievements of their British counterparts in 2012 when it was a home games!

So much success across a wide variety of sports and disciplines - we try and round up the best bits for Britain - on what was an extraordinary Games for so many reasons!

Enjoy - before it all starts again for the Paralympics!!

As we head into the final weekend of the Olympics they thought might never happen, this is our daily podcast with an athlete who's just about to compete for Team GB at Tokyo Olympics!

Derby runner Ben Connor runs in the men's marathon in Sapporo which begins at 11pm Saturday night (UK time) 7am Sunday morning (Japan time), the last official day of the 2020 Olympics in 2021! And he's not too bothered about the food in the athlete's hotel!

This is our daily podcast with an athlete who's just about to compete for Team GB at #Tokyo Olympics!

Steph Twell goes into the women's Marathon - her third event in three Olympics dating back to Beijing 2008.

In these editions of Tokyo Time - we catch up from a Team GB athlete who won a medal at Tokyo 2020 in 2021...

Jack Laugher is the 2020 3m springboard bronze medalist - having won a gold and silver in Rio 5 years ago...

But he tells Michael why this means so much more....and his plans for Paris!

In these editions of Tokyo Time - we catch up from a Team GB athlete who won a medal at Tokyo 2020 in 2021...

And it's gold again for Max Whitlock, the Great British gymnast who's now won 6 medals across 3 games and could be aiming for a 4th...

In these editions of Tokyo Time - we catch up from a member from Team GB after the latest medal haul at Tokyo 2020 in 2021...

As we're into the second week of these Olympics - we hear from Chef De Mission Mark England on success and the row at British Rowing!

This is our daily podcast with an athlete who's just about to compete for Team GB at #Tokyo Olympics!

And for some the athletics is the highlight of the Olympics - with Great Britain looking to beat its Rio medal tally of 2 golds, a silver and 4 bronze...

Adam Gemili has become GB's most consistent sprinters of his generation but can he turn 4th into a podium place?

She shone as a youngster, now can Jodie Williams achieve her glory at the Olympic Games?

The Hertfordshire runner has had a brilliant season in the 200m and 400m but is focusing on the longer distance and relay in Tokyo..

This is our daily podcast with an athlete who's just about to compete for Team GB at #Tokyo Olympics!

In these editions of Tokyo Time - we catch up from a Team GB athlete who won a medal at Tokyo 2020 in 2021...

How are they feeling? How did they do it? And when can they party?

Matt Williams is one of the 5 British swimmers with a gold medal for the 4x200m freestyle relay (and yes the semi-final swimmer get a medal too!)

A week ago it was all about to start, one week in and Team GB have got off to flier at Tokyo 2020 in 2021...

This is our review of the first 6 days of action with the help of gold medalist Matty Lee, silver stars Georgia Taylor Brown and the Men's quad scullers, and bronze medalists Bianca Walkden and gymnast Alice Kinsella...

What will the second week have in store?

This is our daily podcast with an athlete who's just about to compete for Team GB at #Tokyo Olympics!

Hannah Williams should make her Olympic debut as part of the 4x400m relay squad in the first ever running of the mixed event tomorrow (Friday) in the Olympic Stadium.

But she's also been telling her us how she's getting on sharing a room with big sister and 400m British champion Jodie ...

Sophie McKinna is breaking all boundaries at the moment, having qualified for her first World Champs in Doha and now her first Olympics in Tokyo 2 years later.

She's in action in qualifying for the Shot Put final on Friday July 30 - and knows her family including Norwich City legend Dave Stringer will be supporting her from home in Great Yarmouth.

This is our daily podcast with an athlete who's just about to compete for Team GB at #Tokyo Olympics!

This is our daily podcast with an athlete who's just about to compete for Team GB at #Tokyo Olympics!

Eilish McColgan, like Marc in episode 6, is going in both the 10,000m and 5000m on the track after a summer of strong running and personal bests.

And she's fully aware of the stories about following in her mum Liz's footsteps 30 years on...

Marc Scott is competing in his first Olympics and goes in the first athletics final on the opening night of action in the Olympic Stadium.

Britain has won the last two 10,000m races and 5000m a week later of course thanks to Sir Mo Farah.

But we're talking to and about Marc in our daily podcast with an athlete who's just about to compete for Team GB at #Tokyo Olympics!

This is our daily podcast with an athlete who's just about to compete for Team GB at #Tokyo Olympics!

Tom Mitchell is back at the Olympics looking to go one better than the silver he won in Rio...

It was Rugby Sevens debut back then, now he's returning as captain of Team GB, before they face Canada, Japan and gold medalists Fiji in the group stages over the next couple of days (Mon & Tue)...

Lizzie Deignan won the first medal of London 2012 and now with Anna Shackley's she's in action in the Women's Road Race tomorrow (Sunday)

We catch up with her after a year like no other...

It's Opening Ceremony Day - officially day zero of the Olympics - with the main sporting action beginning in earnest in just a matter of hours...

Could Team GB start the Games with a medal in the men's Road Race at the Fuji Speedway - we hear from former Tour de France winner and 4 time Olympian Geraint Thomas...

It's such an honour to compete for Great Britain, even more so in the Olympics, and even more so if you're asked to lead the team into the Opening Ceremony.

Stand up Hannah Mills and Mohammed Sbihi who have been chosen as not only reigning Olympic champions, but they represent the culture and team ethos of Team GB.

They will both carry the flag at tomorrow (Friday 23) Tokyo opening ceremony in the Olympic Stadium...

Chef De Mission for Team GB Mark England on how the team is coping with covid-19 restrictions in Tokyo ahead of the Games and calling for reduction in isolation timeframe as testing regime is so comprehensive.

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This is the last Anything but Footy podcast before Tokyo 2020 finally begins in 2021.

An extra year in the making, with strict covid-19 regulations, a state of emergency in the host city, and no spectators - this Olympics will be like no other.

But there'll be glory and golds, success and silvers, brilliance and bronzes. They'll be cheers and tears. Great stories. Great disappointments. In fact like every other Games.

Team GB is sending its biggest ever squad in its 125 history with more women than men for the first time - we hear from two of the newbies BMX freestyler Charlotte Worthington and diver Scarlett Mew Jensen. 51 Olympic medalists are returning to Tokyo including 6 time gold medalist and now 4 time Olympian Jason Kenny...we'll hear from him throughout the pod.

Sit back, relax and enjoy - it's finally time for Tokyo!

Two weeks to go to Tokyo 2020 in 2021 - it seems we've waited a long time for it - for the athletes it's been a lifetime! This is their moment to create their own history in the sport they love.

This is Anything but Footy - and in this episode - we talk all things new - new sport of skateboarding with Sky and Bombette the teenagers representing Team GB as the sport makes its debut in Tokyo. Paul Casey and Tommy Fleetwood are well known British golfers of course but they're new to the Olympics and pressures that brings. And fellow debutants Mallory Franklin and Adam Burgess in canoe slalom on how the last minute prep - and packing has gone!

We also talk selection issues with Badminton and just who was responsible piling the pressure on a British teenager at Wimbledon?

Don't forget to like and follow us for the all the latest Olympic & Paralympic news as we head into Tokyo - and we're also on Twitter, Insta and Facebook for daily updates!

The title of the pod comes from a quote from GB chef de mission Mark England. Even as Britain's had a team at every Olympics - Summer and Winter - since the Games began in 1896, it cannot be understated that history is being made at Tokyo 2020.

We speak to Alice Dearing - the first ever black female swimmer to represent Team GB and why it's important.

We're also joined by Olympic Head Coach of British Athletics Christian Malcolm as 65 athletes are confirmed in the athletics teams for Tokyo - we discuss when a decision will be made on the fitness of World Champion Katerina Johnson Thompson.

Ellie Robinson's been Paralympic champion for 5 years - she's amongst 11 returning Paralympians in the swimming pool along with 12 debutants. We ask her what's it like.

And there's everything else but footy - Tennis, Modern Pentathlon, Badminton, Rugby 7s, Fencing, Rowing, Canoe Sprint - and are Russia competing at these Games not?!?

Happy Olympic Day!

It's a month to go before Tokyo 2020 and in this episode we hear from the Olympic bronze medalist cyclist Katy Marchant and Olympic champion Maddie Hinch on the fallout from Rio ahead of this summer's Games in 2021. Eye-opening stuff!

Both have been selected to represent Team GB again - we'll also round up the latest team announcements from Cycling, Boxing, Para Athletics and Artistic Swimming - although as GB pair Isabelle and Kate tell us we can still call it synchronised swimming!

And to celebrate the Olympics day - what better guest to finish to the pod on than GB gymnastic legend Beth Tweddle and the launch of 'I am Team GB' with Toyota - you can sign up to all the events at www.IAmTeamGB.com

"We're going to Tokyo to win OUR first gold medal" says Rio Olympic champion and now GB captain Hollie Pearne-Webb, who tells us why the British women's hockey team that's been named aren't the reigning champions 5 years on. We also hear from Jack Laugher - Olympic gold and silver medalist from Rio - on his learning from his mistakes in the build up the Japan Games, which are now 5 weeks away.

We're also joined by Adam Nixon the Great Britain men's hockey team captain as 36 names in total were added to the Team GB roster for Tokyo. And diver Lois Toulson on her second Olympic Games.

Every week there's new names and new dreams for Britain's Olympic and Paralympic athletes - stay with us and follow Anything but Footy - the Olympic and Paralympic podcast.

Welcome to a brand new podcast - Centre Pass from London Pulse - produced with Anything but Footy.

We're the only London franchise in the Vitality Netball Superleague Championship and our aim is to be the beating heart of netball in London, a truly international city. We are passionate and committed to find and develop super talented athletes and to deliver world class netball at the Copperbox Arena in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. We also want to connect with the communities in London to play, watch and enjoy netball. This is what this podcast is all about.

In this episode, presented by CEO and Director of Netball Sam Bird, you can hear all about Pulse's plans to bring netball to the blind and visually impaired to London, in partnership with Metro BlindSport. And also the latest on the Pulse pathway with Head Dannii Titmuss, and the opportunity for finding, inspiring and developing the next generation of leading netballers.

We love netball, we love London, we love London Pulse.

This is Centre Pass from London Pulse - Please download and follow to ensure you will automatically hear our next episode coming soon.

So much to get into the podcast this week - with Michael and John back in their home studios - this bumper edition covers all the British Olympic and Paralympic news you need to know this week!

The delay to the Games by a year has been a blessing for some athletes, while for others it might have ended their sporting journey. We'll discuss.

We've the Rowing 'register' of 45 athletes inc. the return of a double Olympic champion, and the delight and excitement of first time GB gymnasts confirmed in the team. We're joined by Men's eight rower James Rudkin and trampolinist Laura Gallagher who'll both be making their debuts in Tokyo.

We also discuss those not there.

Find out about the magnificent 'eleven' British boxers and gr-eight Para Canoeist confirmed for Tokyo 2020. There's Triathlon, Athletics, Para Athletics, Canoeing, Hockey, and a rainy night in Stoke too - well hopefully not!

It's the Tokyo 2020 Olympics next month! So time for Team GB and Para GB to keep making their teams!

A special this week with John in London and Michael in Manchester to meet the latest members booked on the plane to Japan, for the Games that begin mid July.

Tom Daley talks about diving partner Matty Lee's annoying habits, Jade Jones gets that deja-vu feeling - we hear from two newbies to the Olympics in Katherine Torrance and Noah Williams - and there's the wheelchair Rugby team announcement too!

But Anything but Footy also covers all sport - so who are the Commonwealths 'gamesmakers' - and how do you volunteer? We hear from 2022 board member and 2018 gold medalist Ame Agbeze and Hannah Cockroft, who also backs Naomi Osaka's Grand Slam walkout.

It's Anything but Footy - the Olympic Paralympic and Commonwealth pod - counting down to Tokyo 2020 in 2021 and in 6 weeks!

We're back - and we're unashamedly talking about footy - women's footy - which as we know has been badly impacted like many sports during the covid pandemic. And also Football is an Olympic sport!

For only the second time in history, Team GB are sending a squad to the Games to compete for a gold medal - in London they were knocked out in the quarter finals. Some of that team return in the 18 strong squad - 10 of them are from one Superleague team - and the squad isn't all English!

And as we're Anything BUT footy, we also round up latest Taekwondo, Judo, Cycling and Athletics news ahead of the Olympics and Paralympics this summer.

Roll on the 2020 Games in 2021!

Max, Joe, Giarnni and James - the new Fab Four of British gymnastics. The men's team for Tokyo 2020 has been named by Team GB in Lilleshall the home of gym in the UK and Anything but Footy was there too! Michael catches up with World Champion Joe making his Olympic debut later this summer, and catches up with now 3 time Olympian and double gold medalist from Rio 2016 Max Whitlock.

This weekend was also a huge one for Olympic sport, with British athletes performing superbly in and out of the water at the European Championships in swimming, Para swimming and rowing. It was a wet but wonderful return to International athletics in Gateshead. The Sky's the limit for British skateboarding PLUS we round up the last British Hockey matches before Tokyo!

This is Anything but Footy - the Olympic and Paralympic podcast - follow as we continue our countdown to Tokyo 2020 in 2021.

AJ Bell 2021 World Triathlon Leeds is back this year!

Roundhay Park in Leeds on June 5-6 is the location for the world's best triathletes and paratriathletes to compete for a place at this summer's Olympics and Paralympics, and for those British athletes already selected to represent Team GB this summer to prepare for Tokyo. Plus, for the first time ever, the World Triathlon Para Series will be taking place in the UK, bringing the highest level of international paratriathlon racing to Leeds.

There’s also chance for you to take on a triathlon during the event weekend and experience a blue carpet finish in front of Mansion House for yourself. Whether you’re an aspirational or Age-Group triathlete, everyone can get involved with a choice of three triathlon distances to choose from.

In this special episode of the podcast, with British Triathlon, hear how to book your place and get involved and the options available for you to swim, bike, run. British Triathlon Chief Executive Andy Salmon and Event Director Wayne Coyle reveal how they're staging this year's Covid-Secure event following last year's postponement. And we hear from Jonny Brownlee, Claire Cashmore, Georgia Taylor-Brown and Jess Learmonth.

To find out more visit https://www.festivaloftriathlon.co.uk/ (Race entries close on Sunday 16 May)

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this podcast series, from Anything but Footy, we speak to Team GB and Para GB athletes preparing for Tokyo 2020 in 2021, following the historic delay to the Games because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Adam Peaty became Olympic champion in Rio in 2016, and continues to dominate the world of Breaststroke heading into the delayed Olympics - we hear from him on creating more history, protests on the podium and how he'd describe himself!

24 names have been added to the Team GB plane bound for Japan - we also hear from debutant Cassie Wild and Team GB chef de mission Mark England.

British Swimming is back on track for Tokyo 2020 in 2021!

This is Back on Track from Anything but Footy - a series that features Team and Para GB athletes aiming for Tokyo 2020 in 2021.

In this special 10th edition of the pod, we hear from 3 of the 10 members of the teams picked for the Olympics and Paralympics this summer.

Naomi Folkard and Patrick Huston looking to win Britain's first Archery medal in 20 years - and first time Paralympian Hazel Chaisty on her flying 7 year career so far!

This is Archery GB - back on track for Tokyo 2020!

The Tokyo 2020 Olympics in 2021 is now just 100 days to go...

The latest news headlines surrounding the event don't make the most comfortable reading, but being honest when has a preparation to any Games had nothing but positivity!

There are huge challenges ahead, alluded to by double Olympic champion Jade Jones who joins us just back from Bulgaria and competing at the European Taekwondo Championships, but she won a third title and will be looking to make history again in Tokyo!

We also catch up with Leeds Triathlete Jess Learmonth again as she's getting ready for her first Olympics, and dreaming of success!

This is Anything but Footy the Olympic and Paralympic Podcast - we also round up the latest Para Swimming, Hockey and Rowing news...

Great British Bosses is the podcast series that looks behind the scenes at British Sport. Dr Neil Fell is a leading sports scientist having worked in the industry for 25 years, working in rugby and at St George's Park, the new home of English football. We hear his views on elite sport!

And as the director and co-founder of gym OnePT in Rochdale, Neil gives us the insight on what it's been like in and out of opening and closing during the past year's covid lockdowns - and how he hopes when they reopen this month, they stay open!

This is episode 30 of Great British Bosses from Anything but Footy - if you enjoy listening, follow for future episodes and dive into the back catalogue for past editions!

The new series featuring Team and Para GB athletes aiming for Tokyo 2020 in 2021

In this podcast series, from Anything but Footy, we speak to Team GB and Para GB athletes preparing for Tokyo 2020 in 2021, following the historic delay to the Games because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Niamh Emerson is the World Junior Champion and has also won European Indoor Championship silver medal and Commonwealth Games bronze medal. She is targeting selection in the heptathlon in Tokyo and admits in this interview how the postponement of the games may prove helpful after getting injured in 2020.

Niamh is also an ambassador for Glorious - an online platform which is aiming to promote women's sport and participation by girls and young women and she describes how important sport was to her whilst growing up.

This is Niamh Emerson - back on track for Tokyo 2020

The latest spin off podcast from Anything but Footy with Team GB and Para GB athletes aiming for Tokyo 2020 in 2021...

Liam Heath is preparing for his third Games after becoming Olympic champion in Rio in 2016 and World Champion in Sprint Canoe in 2019. But preparation following the postponement of the Olympics a year ago to this summer is anything but ordinary.

Liam talks all things Rio, how life has changed since, why GB is so good at Canoe sprint and maintaining form during a pandemic and focus on Tokyo.

This is Liam Heath - back on track for Tokyo 2020 in 2021

Team Bath Netball is back in action later for their Round 7 fixture against Surrey Storm in the Vitality Netball Superleague.

The netball season is being held behind closed doors with the first half of the season in Wakefield and the second half of the season in London at The Copper Box Arena on Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. In this special edition of the podcast, Anything but Footy joined Team Bath for a crucial weekend of action when they played their crunch clash with Manchester Thunder. Both sides had made unbeaten starts to the season so something had to give.

The Blue & Gold were also without their Head Coach Anna Stembridge for the match after she was forced to self-isolate as a family member had shown symptoms of COVID-19 in the build-up to the fixture. Following the Friday night contest with Manchester Thunder, Team Bath Netball were due back on court the following afternoon to face Severn Stars.

Listen to find out how Team Bath Netball got in during these two games and to find out more about how Netball England and the Superleague are staging the matches during the ongoing global pandemic and a third Lockdown in England.

Includes interviews with England International trio Serena Guthrie, Layla Guscoth and Imogen Allison as well as Australian shooter Kim Borger.

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Stephen Park oversees the form and career of every single elite British cyclist from the track stars to the up and coming BMX and mountain bike riders, in the Olympic and the Paralympic programme. As Performance Director his job is ensuring the athletes are at their peak to perform at the right time. Tokyo 2020 in 2021 is the focus for this year but Stephen reveals the next 18 months are potentially the most 'exciting' for the sport with a home Commonwealth Games, World Championships, Road Races etc

He tells us his team probably know 80% of there Tokyo team already, admitting 'some will miss out but only because some are better.' And after topping the Cycling medal tables in Beijing, London and Rio he says 'we're not going in expecting a replica of past games, but equally I recognise that was the view before Rio. We're trying to diversify our medal winning - the opportunity and gains we made on Track - the rest of the world has caught up on that.'

This is Great British Bosses from Anything but Footy - the podcast focusing on the men and women behind the scenes of British sport.

This is Anything but Footy the Olympic and Paralympic Podcast - the 50th episode!

Michael and John reunite, via the power of the pod, to review the weekend sporting action as the build up to the Tokyo Games starts to gather some pace. Sport is happening around the world and British elite sport stars are getting to compete.

We're joined by Verity Ockenden, Bronze Medalist from the European Athletics Indoor Championships, held in the the aptly named Torun as she now has Tokyo times in her sights. Great Britain delivered in Poland winning 12 medals led by the GB women, in the week of International Women's Day.

Tashkent and Sofia are also on the schedule as Taekwondo and Judo fighters gear up for the Games - we also talk Sailing, Netball, working from home, home schooling and much more!

The new series featuring Team and Para GB athletes aiming for Tokyo 2020 in 2021

In this podcast series, from Anything but Footy, we speak to Team GB and Para GB athletes preparing for Tokyo 2020 in 2021, following the historic delay to the Games because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Adam Gemili won gold and silver medals at World Championship level as part of the Great Britain and Northern Ireland 4x100m relay squads, but after finishing 4th at the 2016 Olympic Games and then again at the 2019 World Championships in Doha over 200m, he is targeting an individual medal and believes he is very capable of winning the gold.

Lockdown was difficult for sportsmen and women who were unable to compete and earn money and, in association with Nationwide Building Society and their Start to Save campaign, Adam tells us how having some savings helped him to build a gym at home to continue training.

This is Adam Gemili - back on track for Tokyo 2020

When was your first swim, bike and run? How did you get on in the very first race? How to balance school, studying and Triathlon? And an elite journey from youth to senior.

In a special edition of the podcast, produced on behalf of British Triathlon, Growing up Tri-ing speaks to three Olympic and Paralympic Podium Potential athletes to find out all the answers and their experiences.

Hear Sophie Coldwell on her jump from the talent squad and the realisation that 'wow someone thinks I'm quite good here!'. Ben Dijkstra reveals how he's learnt from the experience of nearly missing out on a Youth Olympic gold medal and George Peasgood explains how sometimes the toughest conversations he has are with his university lecturers!

For more information and to find out more about the sport of Triathlon, Great Britain's elite athletes and the location of your local clubs, go to www.britishtriathlon.org

📸 © Ben Lumley/British Triathlon

We know women's sport has been badly affected during the Covid-19 pandemic, but netball is back and for the first time ever every match is being show live on Sky Sports, as Wakefield and London's Copperbox Arena are the two neutral venues for the entire season.

CEO, Director of Netball and Head Coach of London Pulse, the youngest franchise of the Vitality Netball SuperLeague, Sam Bird describes the return of the sport as 'imperative', why her and her brilliant team didn't shut up shop during the coronavirus crisis and reached out into the community with their 'Inspire Educate Train' initiative and why after receiving a free pair of socks (!) while playing for England, she wants to challenge the sport she loves to continue to change and develop for the better and good of women everywhere!

This is episode 28 of Great British Bosses from Anything but Footy, the podcast speaking to the women and men who run sport in this country. Listen, download and subscribe for much more!

This is Back On Track from Anything but Footy. The podcast series where we speak to Team GB and Para GB athletes preparing for Tokyo 2020 in 2021.

Matt Skelhon is a three time Olympic medalist - having won gold in Beijing, silver and bronze in London. After Rio he nearly quit. Now he's back at Olympic trap World Champion and is one of the first athletes to be picked by Paralympics GB for the Games this August.

Matt reveals like millions of us he's been 'working from home' - seriously - shooting in his front room! And after nailing a Land Rover Discovery and an Apollo 11 Lunar Landing in lego during lockdown, he's now aiming for another gold in Tokyo!

Happy New Year! Welcome to the latest edition of Great British Bosses from Anything but Footy. It's another Olympic and Paralympic year, hopefully with some sport in it this time! In this podcast series we go behind the scenes of British sport.

In this episode, we catch up with three Olympic champion Andrew Triggs Hodge to discuss his perfect retirement from rowing in Rio, what happens next for athletes when they finish, his latest project on the River Thames, after winning the Boat Race with Oxford to now helping deliver the so-called super-sewer with Tideway London, and his work as a volunteer at London Youth Rowing to encourage the next generation!

And to take part in 'Race the Thames' event mentioned in this podcast - check out https://www.londonyouthrowing.com/event/racethethames2021

In this episode, Olympic hopeful Natasha Cockram describes how at the start of 2020 she left her home and job in Wales to re-locate to Norfolk in an attempt to represent Team GB in the women's marathon in Tokyo.

Despite the set backs of the year - lockdown forcing the cancellation of many events which natasha aimed to compete in to earn a living and picking up an injury, Natasha became the British Champion in London in October. She narrowly missed out on the Olympic qualification time in 2019, but is hopeful that the right race and the right conditions mean she will achieve the mark that will allow her to compete in Tokyo in 2021.

This is Back On Track from Anything but Footy. The podcast series where we speak to Team GB and Para GB athletes preparing for Tokyo 2020 in 2021.

As Noddy Holder would say 'It's Christmas......' and even covid-19 can't stop the Darts at Alexandra Palace and what's even better for CEO of the Professional Darts Corporation Matt Porter, there's spectators in attendance too - admittedly slightly differently and socially distanced! Matt tells us all the rules and regulations and the only reason you can leave your seat this year!

As well as leading the world of darts through this particularly tough year, Matt's also the former CEO of Leyton Orient Football Club - find out why running darts is a breeze in comparison!!!

This is Great British Bosses from Anything but Footy - the podcast speaking to the men and women behind the scenes of British sport.

Lauren Price is super talented! Not only is she the world's number one middleweight boxer, but reigning World, European and Commonwealth champion, having been European kickboxing champion and winning more than 50 caps for Wales in football too!

After not fighting at all in 2020, it's confirmed she'll return to the ring to compete in London again at the Olympic Boxing qualifying event in the Copperbox in the Olympic Park from 22–26 April 2021, but is likely to be behind closed doors.

It does mean though she's back on track for Tokyo 2020 and talks about how Anthony Joshua and Rio bronze medalist Joshua Buatsi are helping her and her GB Boxing team-mates prepare.

This is Back On Track from Anything but Footy. The podcast series where we speak to Team GB and Para GB athletes preparing for Tokyo 2020 in 2021.

Like most of us, and the sporting world, 2020 didn't turn out the way the Sport & Recreation Alliance was planning. Representing hundreds of sports and activity organisations, including the FA, ECB & RFU, many are now fighting for their own survival following a series of lockdowns and tiered restrictions due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Millions of pounds worth of funding has been allocated to help the sports and recreation sector, but for many it's not enough while some grassroots and community sports clubs might not even know it's available to access.

It's Lisa Wainwright's job as CEO to work with and lobby government and then spread the word. And she's doing all this, months after shielding in her own home during lockdown, following months of treatment for cancer.

In an informative and inspirational episode, Lisa talks about everything - from cash to coming out and from discrimination to distributing cash. This is Great British Bosses from Anything but Footy - the series where we hear from the men and women running British sport and the key roles they have in many of our lives. Listen & subscribe and spread the sporting word!

In this episode, who and what is the British Athletes Commission? We speak to its chair two time world champion and Paralympic bronze medal rower Victoria Aggar.

She reveals the BAC has had to employ more staff to cope with the rising number of athletes reaching out and asking for support, following several high profile abuse and bullying scandals in British sport. And wishes she could've supported Rio 2016 medal winning gymnast Amy Tinkler in her relationship with British Gymnastics, but told us BAC never got to speak to any athletes at that organisation.

Since retiring from rowing, Vicki’s also held roles with the British Paralympic Association and now works with the English Institute of Sport. She's also a strong campaigner against drugs in sport, working with the independent Athletics Integrity Unit but recently quit her role at the World Anti Doping Agency. She tells us she remains unconvinced WADA is listening to athletes and doing enough to prevent cheating in sport.

This is Great British Bosses from Anything but Footy, the podcast where we profile the men and women responsible for running sport in this country, from grassroots participation to those medal moments at Olympic, Paralympic and elite level.

In this episode, multi Paralympic medalist Claire Cashmore calls on film makers and actors to think, and do more, to help fight the prejudice against those with a disability. It follows the latest 'Witches' movie depicting a witch with three fingers, a change from the original Roald Dahl text. Claire says it's a massive step backwards and recalls her experiences as a child of being called 'Captain Hook'.

After the postponement of the Games to 2021, Claire is back on track for Tokyo for what will be her 5th Paralympics, but has switched sports from swimming to triathlon despite winning gold in 2016. She talks about the challenges the first lockdown brought her - including the squiggly worms! - but her determination to succeed again next summer shines through.

This is Back On Track from Anything but Footy. The podcast series where we speak to Team GB and Para GB athletes preparing for Tokyo 2020 in 2021.

This is Great British Bosses from Anything but Footy, the podcast where we profile the men and women responsible for running sport in this country, from grassroots participation to those medal moments at Olympic, Paralympic and elite level.

In this episode we speak to Huw Edwards who is the CEO of UK Active. They are the body that is responsible for improving the healty of the nation by getting more people more active. In 2020, this aim has never been more important as participation levels in sport dropped dramatically during the first lockdown.

This episode was recorded on the first day of the second lockdown and Huw pleads with Government to hear and heed the message UK Active promotes, as he believes the closure of sports and leisure facilities is having a massive detrimental effect on the nation's health and wellbeing.

Huw also reflects on his time as part of the team who delivered the London Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2012 and discusses what the true legacy of the event was, especially in light of the global pandemic.

This is Great British Bosses from Anything but Footy. If you like what you hear, and there’s over 20 more episodes to catch up with, please subscribe and download and maybe even leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Thanks!

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In this podcast series, from Anything but Footy, we speak to Team GB and Para GB athletes preparing for Tokyo 2020 in 2021, following the historic delay to the Games because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Jessica Learmonth is set to make her Olympic debut in Tokyo in 2021 after being officially named by Team GB in November 2020 as part of the triathlon team. She will travel to Japan alongside Jonathan Brownlee, Georgia Taylor-Brown and Vicky Holland. Further triathletes, including two time Olympic Champion Alistair Brownlee, could still be selected.

She describes how strange is was to be officially named for her first Olympic Games whilst sat in her dining room on a zoom call and how she became emotional when she heard the news formally for the first time. She also reveals that her partner John has been helping her prepare in lockdown by constructing a home gym and kayaking alongside her when open water swimming.

This is Jessica Learmonth - back on track for Tokyo 2020

In this new podcast series, from Anything but Footy, we speak to Team GB and Para GB athletes preparing for Tokyo 2020 in 2021, following the historic delay to the Games because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Charlotte Henshaw is a double Paralympic medalist, after winning silver and bronze in the swimming pool in London and Rio respectively. But the 33 year old has now swapped sports for Tokyo and is aiming for gold with British Canoeing.

She reveals the challenges she's overcome during the first lockdown and Games cancellation, how the London Paralympics didn't just change the sport in the UK, and the support she's received as an elite athlete since the switch to canoeing.

This is Charlotte Henshaw - back on track for Tokyo 2020.

This is Great British Bosses from Anything but Footy, the podcast where we profile the men and women responsible for running sport in this country, from grassroots participation to those medal moments at Olympic, Paralympic and elite level.

In this episode we speak to the man responsible for delivering one of the biggest sporting events on the planet. And, in 2022 it returns to England for the first time in 20 years when Birmingham will stage The Commonwealth Games.

Ian Reid is the CEO of Birmingham 2022 and describes the challenges his team has been faced with since agreeing to take over the staging of the event from Durban who were named as the original host city.

Despite the limited preparation time, Ian is confident the new Alexander Stadium and Sandwell Aquatics Centre will be ready in time, but expresses his disappointment at how the proposed athletes village in Perry Barr had to be scrapped. He confirmed the regeneration of the area will still go ahead but will not be ready for July 2022.

Ian also faces up to the lack of diversity on the Birmingham 2022 board, and whilst this inequality is being tackled, he commits to a diversity drive across all levels of the organisation and with the volunteer programme too.

This is Great British Bosses from Anything but Footy. If you like what you hear, and there’s 20 more episodes to catch up with, please subscribe and download and maybe even leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Thanks!

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This is Great British Bosses from Anything but Footy, the podcast where we profile the men and women responsible for running sport in this country, from grassroots participation to those medal moments at Olympic, Paralympic and elite level.

Coronavirus and lockdown has dominated our lives in 2020 and for our guest, in this the 21st episode, he faced the unenviable task of closing 1800 golf clubs just 9 weeks after starting his job.

Chief Executive of England Golf Jeremy Tomlinson, started in January, and admits his organisation was inundated in the first three weeks of the cover-19 crisis in the spring with all the uncertainty, but since an early easing of lockdown in mid May, the success of the return to golf has been ‘overwhelming’ and it's now his key focus to "make sure we come out of this with substance" and keep and engage the 20,000 new members and participants, which has seen the number of rounds increase this year by 40%.

Jeremy tells us golf is a top 5 sport in this country and it's for everybody, for all ages, gender and ethnicity. He also reveals he’s a huge fan of the Olympics and thinks its great golf is now part of it again but also wishes for more coverage of the sport on terrestrial TV.

This is Great British Bosses from Anything but Footy. If you like what you hear, and there’s 20 more episodes to catch up with, please subscribe and download and maybe even leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Thanks!

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This is Anything but Footy - the Olympic and Paralympic Podcast.

New faces on and off the track for British Athletics as the sport returned with the British Championships after lockdown. Christian Malcolm is the new Head Coach for the Olympic Programme, a welcome appointment for many, but and alongside new CEO Joanna Coates, there's a lot of issues to sort out! But all we ask is please give them time - this isn't footy!

Holly Bradshaw, Jake Wightman, Sophie McKinna and Abigail Irozuru were just 4 of Britain's 16 podium funded athletes competing at the national championships in Manchester as others sat it out, or ran elsewhere around Europe. Should they not all be supporting the governing body and its broadcast deals? And could it be the end of the Diamond League sparkle in the UK? We also talk Adidas, Nike, Reebok ...

Georgia Taylor-Brown became another British world champion in Triathlon in Hamburg and Giles Scott remains on course for another Olympic sailing medal - but what colour?

This is the Olympic and Paralympic podcast - Anything but Footy! Let us know what you think @anythingbutf on twitter or message us on insta & FB or check out the website www.anythingbutfooty.com

Pics © Getty Images

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This is Great British Bosses from ‘Anything but Footy.’ John Cushing and Michael Weadock present the podcast having covered the Paralympic, Olympic and Commonwealth Games, Euro 2016, Wimbledon, World Cycling Championships, Tour De Yorkshire and the Rugby World Cup for our leading commercial radio stations during the past 10 years and between them they have 50 years of broadcasting experience.

In our 20th episode of 'Great British Bosses’, we go to the heart of one of the biggest and influential sporting organisations of the world. Craig Spence joined the International Paralympic Committee as Communications Manager ten years ago and is now Chief Brand and Communications Officer - as well as outstanding athletes and performance in London and Rio in recent Games - Craig's effectively responsible for the continued good name of the IPC!

He tells us how encouraged he now is the Olympics and Paralympics will go ahead next summer as sport begins to return around the world - and they have 12 months to work as hard as they can to stage a safe Games for athletes and spectators alike! Craig reveals his parents are his secret weapon in ensuring the Paralympics gets the exposure and media coverage it deserves. He reveals London 2012 may have been a game changer but actually Rio 2016, despite being 24 hours from cancellation, kicked the movement on even more! And why kicking out Russia from the Paralympics 4 years ago was his proudest moment!

If you’re listening to this podcast for the first time - please subscribe and download the other 19 episodes all focusing on the behind the scene decisions, in an effort to make British sport a success.

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This is the podcast that speaks to the men and women at the top of their game, at the head of their sport, making decisions behind the scenes that impact on everyone - staff, volunteers, athletes, supporters and you! This is Great British Bosses from Anything but Footy!

In this episode, we hear from David Grevemberg CEO of the Commonwealth Games Federation about the future of multi-sport events like the Olympics, Paralympics and Commonwealths. He thinks the pandemic of 2020 will change the way everyone thinks about these events and how they're staged. He's told us nothing is off the table in terms of the future staging of his event, and thinks it'll be similar in the corridors of power at the International Olympic Committee and the International Paralympic Committee, where he used to work in Bonn.

David, now an honorary Scot after organising and delivering the Glasgow 2014 Games so successfully, admits he regrets not ensuring Birmingham 2022 had the right diversity on the board for the next instalment of the games in 2 years time and has promised change now and in the future.

Find out how the one time schoolboy in Louisiana, worked his way up to the top job in the Commonwealth, via wrestling and being an agent, and how he really feels about working from home in lockdown - "you’re living at work"!

If you like this episode, please subscribe and there's 18 more stories from the key decision makers in British Sport to download too!

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This is Great British Bosses from Anything but Footy - the series where we profile the men and women responsibly for running sport in this country - from grassroots participation to those medal moments at Commonwealth, Olympic, Paralympic and elite level.

Jane Nickerson is the CEO of Swim England - the national governing body for swimming. It's a sport with more than 4 million people taking to the pool every month before the coronavirus lockdown of 2020. As restrictions were eased in early summer, with shops restaurants and pubs reopening, swimmers remained locked out of their facilities before a highly successful media campaign, led by Jane and her team, changed minds and priorities. But still the challenges remain with only 20% of swimming pools having re-opened and the future for leisure centres and clubs looking bleak. Jane also reveals she's yet to get a swim herself!

It's undoubtably a worrying time as we also hear her fears that we could lose a generation of children to swimming as "this pandemic will be the next big excuse, not to take them to the pool."

But have a listen to Jane's story - from working in hotels to running this huge organisation - an inspiration for all!

There's one year to go until the Olympic Games in Tokyo. Now, we've been here before of course, but as it stands the organising committee are continuing their planning and preparation. The venues have all been secured for the new dates in 2021 and the schedule has also been released of what events will be taking place and when.

We re-cap some of the changes you need to expect for the games in 2021. These include new sports and new disciplines. We also review the athletes that had already secured their place in Team GB prior to the postponement and who have been re-confirmed to take part in 2021.

But, what should the postponed games look like? Will it go ahead exactly as planned or do the organisers need to reflect that the world has changed significantly over the past few months and in fact an expensive Opening Ceremony might not be appropriate. And, we discuss how this could be an opportunity for the International Olympic Committee to reflect and review on how cities go about staging the games in the future as the trend has been to go bigger and better with each edition to date.

This is Great British Bosses from Anything but Footy - the series where we profile the men and women responsibly for running sport in this country - from grassroots participation to those medal moments at Olympic, Paralympic and elite level.

In this episode we catch up, remotely of course, with Joanna Coates, the new Chief Executive of British Athletics (UK Athletics). She only began her role six days before the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics were postponed and closed the BA offices, for staff to then work from home, just days later due to the coronavirus pandemic!

Joanna tells us she wants people, staff and athletes to be proud of the organisation again, but that it also needs to be fit for purpose once again, following an independent investigation into it, launched before her appointment.

She also tells us how important it is for a sport they stage the British Championships in Manchester this September, after the cancellations of all other major events this summer and we discuss Black Lives Matter protests and how British Athletics will support them!

This is Great British Bosses from Anything but Footy - the series where we profile the men and women responsible for running sport in this country - from grassroots participation to those medal moments at Olympic, Paralympic and elite level.

In this episode - recorded remotely from three separate locations, Mark England - Chef de Mission of the Team GB delegation for the next summer Olympic Games in Tokyo, joins us via Zoom from home to discuss how he has had to re-work the British Olympic Association's strategy for the event following the postponement to 2021.

Mark will be leading the delegation from Great Britain and Northern Ireland to Japan - a repeat of his role with the history making team from Rio de Janeiro in 2016. He talks about the challenges that elite sport has had in this country in order to ensure the unprecedented medal success has not been at the expense of the welfare of the individual athletes involved. He also discusses how he is in dialogue with the International Olympic Committee over their stance on the Black Lives Matter campaign and what would happen if a Team GB athlete chose to take the knee at the games.

With exactly one year to go until Tokyo 2021, he also reveals how Johanna Konta's skirt caused him a real issue in Rio and why he needs to listen to John and Michael more about how he decides his schedule during games time in order not to miss the key medal winning moments.

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This is Great British Bosses from Anything but Footy - the series where we profile the men and women responsible for running sport in this country - from grassroots participation to those medal moments at Olympic, Paralympic and elite level.

In this episode, recorded remotely from three separate locations, Sue Storey - the CEO of Volleyball England joins us via Zoom from home to discuss how the volleyball community has been coping with lockdown and not being able to play their sport. Volleyball England has run a number of online initiatives during the past few months but is now eagerly awaiting Government advice on how indoor sports can resume playing.

Sue only took over at Volleyball England in late 2019 and oversees the disciplines of Indoor Volleyball, Beach Volleyball and Sitting Volleyball in the country. Whilst she admits the chances of sending a GB team to take part in the Olympics is a long way off, she highlights the achievements of the Sitting Volleyball team and highlights the involvement of Martine Wright, who lost both her legs in the Aldgate underground explosion, on the 15th anniversary of the 7/7 bombings in London.

She also notes that with Beach Volleyball on the programme for the next Commonwealth Games in Birmingham in 2022, there is a fantastic opportunity to raise the profile of the sport. Although, she gives us few clues as to where Birmingham will stage the events, other than saying it will be another iconic location!

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The lockdown is easing and that means sport is also returning - from snooker to Royal Ascot and football to tennis. It's right that new events like Jamie Murray's 'Battle of the Brits' takes centre stage this week, when we'd usually be preparing for Wimbledon. But organisers of the US Open have also announced their event in New York in August will just be mens and women's singles and doubles - no mixed, juniors or wheelchair competitors. We all want sport to be back but at any price?

We have the pleasure of welcoming Mark Milne to the podcast to talk about a new format for tennis that he's come up with which he hopes will generate more excitement and more interest from younger audiences - its called Thirty30 and despite the new format he says its more 'traditional tennis' than any other shorter version of the sport out there! Check out more at https://www.thirty30tennis.com

And Anything but Footy wouldn't be Anything but Footy without the latest athletics 'drugs' controversy as World Champion's Christian Coleman and Salwa Eid Naser are provisionally suspended for 'missing tests.' Michael's had enough and tells us why!

It's all in this latest edition of Anything but Footy - the Olympic and Paralympic Podcast!

We are joined by two freelance sports journalists to find out how they have been able to continue working despite having no live sport to report on.

Mark Woods is a journalist and broadcaster who writes for various newspapers and is the host of the basketball podcast MVP Cast. We are also joined by Liz Byrnes, a freelance journalist for various newspapers and the European Correspondent for Swimming World magazine.

Ordinarily, both would currently be looking forward to covering the Olympic Games in Tokyo and would have been present at events this summer including the Anniversary Games, the British Championships in both athletics and swimming and the Diving World Series Finale which was being held this year in London. We find out how they've been carrying on with their work despite not having these events and a weekly diet of live sport to focus on.

We also hear from them about their views on how sport will begin to recover from Lockdown, their thoughts on how events will now need to be staged and their views on holding the Olympics in 2021.

Mark can be found on Twitter @markbritball and Liz can be found on Twitter @LizByrnes14

The Olympic and Paralympic games of 2020 have been postponed for a year, Wimbledon has been cancelled and the Premier League are lookin at ways of finishing their season.

In this special episode, we discuss the impact Lockdown has had on sport in this country and across the globe. We talk about the consequences for UK Sport, Team GB and Para GB following the announcement that Tokyo 2020 will take place 12 months later than scheduled. We also ask whether sport in Great Britain should be using this time to look at how it is structured and administrated.

We ask the question about whether you have missed sport and how the current situation has maybe highlighted the importance of keeping active and fit for the health and well being of the general population.

And, we round up some of the latest headlines fromthe world of Olympic and Paralympic sport including news from British Canoeing, British Sailing and British Rowing.

This is a special edition of the podcast produced on behalf of Swim England.

The swimming family, like the rest of the country, has been hugely impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. We hear about some of the steps Swim England has taken, and continue to take, to support clubs, members, staff, pools and the wider swimming sector during this challenging time for everyone.

Jane Nickerson - the CEO at Swim England describes how the organisation has been able to react to the situation and how it has implemented Government advice.

George Wood - the Sport Development Director describes the action plan the organisation has put together to support the swimming community.

And, Grant Robins - the Head of Talent talks about some of the practical support and resources that have been made available.

For more information, go to www.swimming.org or follow Swim England across all its social media platforms.

An unforgettable night in Highgate - overlooking the City of London - with world class competitors, results and times!

We hear from Steph Twell, the new British champion, European Cup gold medalist who has automatically qualified for the 10,000m at the World Championships in Doha while with just a year to go to Tokyo 2020 she also bagged herself an Olympic qualifying mark! The women’s ‘A’ race was for many the highlight as 29 year old Twell outpaced the 2018 European Champion Lonah Chemtai Salpeter of Israel.

Eilish McColgan grabbed silver in the European Cup and a World and Olympic qualifying time - before her mum, coach and 1991 10,000m World Champion Liz revealed exclusively to us she wasn’t intending to run 25 laps in Doha - this was all about Tokyo! The British women also secured Team Gold for a second year in the European Cup.

The #Lane3BeerNCheer was a ‘wall of sound’ inspiring athletes to dig deep - we speak to Ben Connor after he was crowned Men’s British Champion after coming third in the European Cup - but he missed out on a qualifying time - will he try again before the Worlds in Doha in late September? GB Men also won Team silver.

The #Highgate10k event is praised for its attention to detail for everyone - not just the athletes but spectators too! We hear from the gong man encrusted in gold, the bright orange ’Strava’ man running in a morph suit (!!!), the Q&A with legend Liz McColgan & Britain's Andy Vernon and those constant cowbells clanging encouragement!

And Major Events Director of British Athletics and a Vice President of European Athletics Cherry Alexander, along with BBC newsreader Sophie Raworth on her first visit, tell us why running, athletics and this night in particular, can inspire the next generation!

Relive it all in just under 27 minutes - virtually the same time as Mo Farah’s British 10,000m record!!

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This is Great British Bosses from Anything but Footy - the series where we profile the men and women responsibly for running sport in this country - from grassroots participation to those medal moments at Olympic, Paralympic and elite level.

In this episode we practise Social Distancing in light of Government advice around the spread of COVID-19. Hugh Brasher - the Event Director at London Marathon Events Limited joins us via Skype from home to discuss, at length, why it was right to postpone this years event which was due to go ahead in April.

Since the first race in 1981, the London Marathon has captured the public imagination attracting tens of thousands of runners, hundreds of thousands of spectators, millions of television viewers and raising over a billion pounds for charity at the same time.

The event has spawned a number of spin offs - including cycling and swimming events - but the Virgin Money London Marathon remains the flagship. This year it is now scheduled to take place at the start of October, when it is hoped thousands will be able to take to the streets of the capital city with COVID-19 under control across the globe. There would be no better event to announce that sport was back at the centre of society.

A special edition of Anything but Footy focuses on the choice facing the IOC and IPC about Tokyo 2020.

Currently, the position is that the organisers are committed to staging the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games this summer in Tokyo. The British Olympic Association and British Paralympic Association are planning accordingly, albeit with a warning for their athleties not to endanger their health or wellbeing.

This week has seen many leading names, including Katarina Johnson-Thompson and Adam Gemilli, question the current position. The qualification process is in tatters following the cancellation of so many events and it's not clear how teams will be selected if the events do happen.

The World Anti-Doping Authorities have also had their work impacted by the spread of COVID-19 and this could lead to the integrity of the Games being questioned if athletes aren't subject to the usual strict testing procedeures that normally operate.

We hear from Rob Koelher of Global Athlete - an organisation that representes athletes interests as well as Team GB hopeful Verity Ockendon who was hoping to line up for great Britaon and Northern Ireland in athletics.

Plus, the latest on the ongoing dispute between UK Athletics and UK Anti-Doping over the role of Mo Farah's former coach Alberto Salazar.

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This is Great British Bosses from Anything but Footy - the series where we profile the men and women responsible for running sport in this country - from grassroots participation to those medal moments at Olympic, Paralympic and elite level.

At the Rio 2016, British canoeists won 2 golds and 2 silvers in the Olympics and also topped the medal table as the sport made its Paralympics debut. Just before that, David Joy arrived, and set about delivering fundamental changes after an independent review into British Canoeing was instigated by UK Sport, following allegations from athletes. And after his time at Scottish Athletics and England Golf, he also had to bring together the 'paddle' community - British Canoeing is the governing body for all these disciplines - slalom, sprint, marathon, surf kayak, canoe polo, freestyle, white water rafting, wild water racing, ocean racing, outrigger canoeing and canoe lifeguards!!!

This is Great British Bosses from Anything but Footy. If you like what you hear, please subscribe and also leave a review on Apple podcasts.

A special edition of the podcast recorded live for Superpod 2020 which raised money for Sport Relief.

Superpod 2020 brought together a number of leading podcasters in one venue in Southampton and saw them broadcast back to back across two days. Anything but Footy was invited to take part to stage a special edition of the pod in front of a live audience at the venue.

This special edition welcomed guests from British Sailing - windsurfer Saskia Sills and Nacra17 sailor Kirstie Urwin - who gave us an insight into becoming an elite sportsperson and their ambitions for Paris 2024. They also gave us their thoughts on the group of sailors selected by Team GB for the next Olympic Games in Tokyo.

As ever, we looked at the big sport stories of the week in the world of Olympic and Paralympic sport. We discussed at length the impact coronavirus was having and the potential impacts for Tokyo 2020. The Associated Press' Global Sports Correspondent Rob Harris joined us to give his views having been in Lausanne reporting on the recent meeting of the International Olympic Committee where the issue was top of the agenda.

In athletics, we also analysed the latest developments in the Russian doping scandal, asked what next for Mo Farah and his advisors in light of more recent revelations and spoke about how Nike's new running shoes are not the only reason behind the breakthrough this season of leading British middle distance runner Jemma Reekie.

Plus, we looked back at how Great Britain performed at the recent World Track Cycling Championships and what the medal return in Berlin meant for the potential sucess of British Cyling in the summer. In Rio, every member of the track team won a medal and it seems a repeat of that feat is unlikely, although there could be potential British medals in BMX and Mountain Biking.

It was great to be part of Superpod 2020 and thanks to everyone who donated to Sport Relief.

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This is Great British Bosses from Anything but Footy - the series where we profile the men and women responsible for running sport in this country - from grassroots participation to those medal moments at Olympic, Paralympic and elite level.

Julie Harrington took control at British Cycling in May 2017. She took over an organisation reeling from a series of damaging episodes involving bullying, discrimination and doping. Her aim was to change British Cycling, so successful at Olympic and Paralympic level, into a world class governing body, whilst also ensuring the medal success continued.

She doesn't believe an organisation with a positive culture can't also achieve sporting success, but Tokyo 2020 could prove to be a challenging time for a group which has been Team GB's most successful sport for three successive editions of the Olympics whilst Para GB topped the Paralympic cycling medal table in Beijing, London and Rio.

This is Great British Bosses from Anything but Footy. If you like what you hear, please subscribe and also leave a review on Apple podcasts.

This is Great British Bosses from Anything but Footy the series where we profile the men and women responsible for running sport in this country, from grassroots participation to those medal moments at Olympic, Paralympic and elite level.

Neil Armitage is the Chief Executive of Archery GB, an organisation that the financial company he then worked for sponsored before the London Olympics. He loved it so much he took over as CEO in 2016 and as the sport lost its main funding after Rio, has focused on a new strategy strengthening relationships with external stakeholders. Neil tells us he's 'incredibly frustrated' Archery wasn't picked by the Commonwealth Games for Birmingham 2002 which is literally down the M6 from their base in Lilleshall - but he's not giving up! And hopes are high for Britain's first medal success in Tokyo since there Athens Olympics, and maintaining their achievements in the Paralympics after topping the table in Rio.

This is Great British Bosses from Anything but Footy. If you like what you hear, please subscribe and also leave a review on Apple Podcasts.

This is Great British Bosses from Anything but Footy. In this series, we profile the men and women responsible for running sport in this country. These people are often responsible for managing teams, staff, budgets, grassroots participation and overseeing those medal moments at Olympic, Paralympic and elite level.

James Hope-Gill is the Chief Executive of Skateboard GB and Skateboard England. Both are relatively new organisations with Skateboard GB set up to represent skateboarding athletes on the lead up to Tokyo 2020. It will be the first time skateboarding has been part of the Olympic Games. Skateboard GB was in receipt of UK Sport funding to help qualify and prepare a potential British team in Japan. In this episode we find out about the challenges of establishing a new national governing body for a new Olympic sport.

This is great British Bosses from Anything but Footy. If you like what you hear, please subscribe and also leave a review on Apple Podcasts.

We confess there's a hint of deja vu in this week's edition of Anything but Footy as we give the latest updates and analysis on a number of stories that have dominated the headlines - and the podcast - in 2020.

We start with the spread of coronavirus which is having a significant impact on world sport. Both the Tokyo 2020 organising committee and the International Paralympic Committee have met this week to discuss the potential impact on the Olympic and Paralympic Games later this year. With five months to go we discuss the implications.

Should the Court of Arbitration of Sport hold their case reviewing Russia's suspension from top level sport in public to help with the need for more openness and transparency? That's certainly the view of independent body Global Athlete along with athletes groups from a number of major track and field nations including Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Nike has announced a number of new products following World Athletics' ruling over the legality of some of their new sports shoes. We are already seeing improvements from athletes wearing Nike shoes - notably this week Jemma Reekie who has broken a number of records.

Mo Farah is out of The Big Half with injury and GB Basketball is out of contention for Tokyo 2020 after failing to qualify following their defeat by Spain. It's a hugely disappointing outcome for a sport which is aiming to become UK Sport funded moving forward.

We also have the announcement from GB Boxing about the men and women who will be in Olympic qualifying action in March in London and news from British Athletics about the list of funded athletes for the Paralympic programme.

Plus, we mark your card on which British sailors to look out for in the imminent World Championships.

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This is Great British Bosses by Anything but Footy. We profile the women and men responsible for sport in this country - many at national governing bodies - who manage teams, staff, budgets, grass-root participation and overseeing those medal moments at Olympic, Paralympic and elite level.

Ian Walker MBE is the Performance Director of the British Sailing Team, two time Olympic silver medalist in 1996 & 2000, coached a crew to gold in 2004 before sailing round the world three times! He now oversees the Royal Yachting Association's World Class Programme (brand British Sailing!) and talent pathways, as well as the broader remit of racing participation in all its forms in the UK. Effectively he's the main responsible for medals and more people taking up sailing! He admits he's concerned about the number of people taking to the water every weekend and the country and sport needs 'healthy' clubs, but he's confident of the future of the sport in the Olympics with more windsurfing and kiteboarding set for Paris 2024. British Sailing has also named the majority of its team for Tokyo 2020 - so we ask what's its medal target?

This is Great British Bosses from Anything but Footy - if you like what you hear please subscribe and also leave a review on Apple Podcasts!

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World Athletics gave the go ahead this week for Nike's new Vaporfly shoe to be used in competition after suggestions it offered athletes an unfair advantage. There are now strict rules and regulations around footwear in track and field competition to replace a rule that was previously vague and open to interpretation.

Russian athletes - even those who competed under the authorised neutral athlete banner - could face a blanket ban after a call from The Athletes Integrity Unit. They are angry that the Russian Athletics Authorities are not working with World Athletics over the latest suspensions and doping allegations.

Corona Virus is impacting on the sporting world. The World Indoor Athletics Championships due to be held in China in March has been postponed for twelve months. It's now set to take place just after the 2021 European Indoors. Other sporting events are also now being cancelled or reviewed.

In cycling, there's been plenty of medals for Great Britain in the World Para Cycling Championships and World Cyclo-Cross Championships, whilst there's an update on how Team GB could fare in 2020 in the rugby sevens tournament after the recent sevens event in Sydney. Australia has also just hosted the Australian Open tennis and we run down the roll of honour.

Plus, hockey, gymnastics, canoeing and this week's news from Birmingham 2022.

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This is Great British Bosses by Anything but Footy. We profile the women and men responsible for sport in this country - many at national governing bodies - who manage teams, staff, budgets, grass-root participation and overseeing those medal moments at Olympic, Paralympic and elite level.

Season Two continues with someone who's track record is already remarkable before even starting in sport! From Group Captain in the RAF, serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, to running Prince Harry's Invictus Games, Vicky Gosling OBE is now leading the charge to get British Snowsport - skiing, boarding, cross-country etc - into the top 5 nations in the world in ten years! We ask how her, and her team, are going to achieve that in a country used to only a few flurries of the white stuff every year - if at all - and how realistic Winter Games success is in both Olympic and Paralympics. She also backs Prince Harry to continue making a difference despite his 'stepping back' from royal duties.

This is the second of season 2 of Great British Bosses from Anything but Footy - if you like what you hear please subscribe and also leave a review on Apple Podcasts!

There's exactly six months until the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.

The latest medal table predictions have been released. The US and China are expected to fill the top two positions with Team GB predicted to fall from 2nd in Rio to outside the top 5 in Tokyo. We analyse where medals might be lost and what sports might surprise this time around by increasing their total.

Meanwhile, the Winter Youth Olympics have finished in Lausanne. We look at Team GB's performance in the context of GB Snowsports stated aim to become a top 5 snow nation by 2030. We also hear from journalist David Easson who was in Lausanne about the staging of the event and what the future holds for the Youth Olympic Games.

Much to discuss in the world of athletics. UKAD, USADA and WADA appear to be involved in a tussle over the blood and urine samples provided by Sir Mo Farah which UKAD are not prepated to hand over to other authorities. Farah has said he's happy for further tests to be carried out, whilst Jess Judd has been critical of UKAD's stance. All this in the week that WADA suspended the licence of the Moscow Laboratory and British Athletics appointed an interim CEO.

Medal success for GB athletes in skiing, badminton, judo and cycling also covered, along with the latest names to be officially named by Team GB for Tokyo as the British Sailing Team has another crew added to it.

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This is Great British Bosses by Anything but Footy. We profile the women and men responsible for sport in this country - many at national governing bodies - who manage teams, staff, budgets, grass-root participation and overseeing those medal moments at Olympic, Paralympic and elite level.

But as we start season two, we wanted to find out more about the grassroots of sport - and try and work out who's really responsible for getting us off the sofa! Sport England play that role!

CEO Tim Hollingsworth effectively swapped medals for movement - after 7 glorious years at Paralympics GB including 2 Summer and 2 Winter Games. He guided and helped the transformation of Para sport, and the public's perception of it, during London 2012 through to Pyeongchang 2018 the most successful ever Winter Paralympics for Great Britain. He discusses the challenges of taking over Sport England, its groundbreaking #THISGIRLCAN campaign and whether some simplification of British sport maybe needed in this new digital age!

This is the first of season 2 of Great British Bosses from Anything but Footy - if you like what you hear please subscribe and also leave a review on Apple Podcasts!

The perfect white snow, the bright blue sky, everything looks rosy in Olympic world as the 2020 Youth Olympics Winter Games in Lausanne Switzerland enter their second week. Team GB are celebrating success too with 5 medals on day 6 - and more sports start their action this week.

But thousands of miles away in South America, Rio’s Olympic Park is apparently dangerous and virtually in ruins, 4 years on from the Games, and before the next summer Games start in Tokyo. A judge has said the place was "progressively battered by the lack of care" and "ready for tragedies”. A damning verdict on the three week Rio Carnival of 2016!

There’s three retirements this week with one Olympian starting her new career at the age of 20!

’This Girl Can’ promo from Sport England hits the right tone in trying to encourage more women to get active - and you have a role to play too!

Plus there’s GB Bobsled success, a Lifetime achievement award for one of Britain’s best coaches, skateboarding, hockey and find out why Michael’s UK Sport trip this week nearly ended in a lonely night!

We have the latest on the plans to stage a separate shooting and archery competition in India alongside the 2022 edition of the Commonwealth Games being staged in Birmingham. John believes this will be the end for the Commonwealth Games and the event has become irrelevant, but Michael disagrees. There's strong opinions on both sides with Michael believing this imaginative staging of the event is the way forward.

Team GB are in action in The Youth Olympics in Lausanne. Competition is just underway, but we tell you some of the channels you can access to keep up to date with how our young sportsmen and sportswomen are getting on in Switzerland.

Two heroes from London 2012 and Rio 2016 are targetting Olympic gold again in Tokyo: Mo Farah has this week launched Mo's Million Mile Challenge initiative, but again has been answering questions about his association with banned coach Alberto Salazar. We ask who has been advising Mo and suggest how he could improve his image. Meanwhile, Alistair Brownlee is injury free and aiming to retain his Olympic title. A team triathlon event could mean he ends 2020 with four Olympic medals in total.

There's also news of a huge Olympic qualifying event which is being held in London in March, ATP Tennis, Para Cycling, Bobsleigh and Skeleton news. Plus, a little round up of some of the main headlines you might have missed over Christmas and New Year.

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It's Olympic year again and Tokyo is preparing to stage its second games - 56 years on. The Games will be dramatically different from 1964 but they'll also be different from Rio - just 4 years ago.

The Olympics changes and evolves and with 5 new sports and more than 30 more gold medals up for grabs, Michael and John run through all what's new for Tokyo 2020 - from stadia to sports to events.

This isn't a preview of who will win what - we may mention it as we go - for that download our Anything but Footy Tokyo 2020 Special - less than a year to go - although we'll have to do another one before Friday July 24!

Join Michael and John for Anything but Footy Sports Awards - and their Christmas Party at the Gunmakers Pub in Eyre St Hill in Clerkenwell!

For this festive edition of the Olympic and Paralympic podcast, we'll be recognising the sportsmen and women, Team and moments of the Year from a British and worldwide perspective - but they could be the same of course!

So sit back and enjoy the review of 2019 - the highs and lows, the heros and even villains!

2020 is another Olympic and Paralympic year! The older you get the more they seem to come round (NB. they're every two years of course with the Winter Games too!)

In this pod, Michael and John look-back at some of their first Olympic experiences as children, discuss some of their best moments and sports people to interview and look ahead to what might be to come in the Olympics in the future!

As we're heading into the festivities, forgive us for a little self-indulgence - its Christmas after all!

Michael stated on a recent edition of the podcast that BBC Sports Personality of the Year is the closest the UK gets to the Oscars for talkability about an awards show. Tonight's gong-fest in Aberdeen has again sparked debate and conversation. Ben Stokes won the main award with the England Men's Cricket Team picking up team of the year and moment of the year. We also discuss awards for Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson and Doddie Weir.

Our other main talking point is about how the UK is the live sport capital of the world. Data analyst company Two Circle has crunched the numbers and come up with the amazing statistic that the UK has more people going to watch live sport in any one year than it's actual population. We discuss how and why.

Tahiti appears to have won an unlikely Olympic bid. Sort of. Paris has put forward the French Polynesian Island as the host of Olympic surfing in 2024. Meanwhile, The British Olympic Association has reacted strongly to news it might be facing legal action from it's own athletes.

And, there's news on rugby sevens, skiing, equestrian and golf. Plus, how you could be an Olympic Sailor...

WADA has announced that Russia will be banned from international sporting competition for four years. The ban, subject to appeal, means that Russia will not be able to send a delegation to the Olympic or Paralympic Games in Tokyo and will also be banned from most other sporting competition. Euro 2020 is not affected and FIFA is currently reiewing the decision ahead of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

So, Russia are kicked out after failing to adhere with guidelines around their anti-doping operation. Except, they've not been kicked out because individual athletes who can prove they operate outside the system - clean athletes - will be allowed to compete as neutrals. Rob Koehler, Director General of Global Athlete, tells us he thinks this loophole in the ruling needs to be closed and banned should mean banned. So, are Russia kicked out or in? We discuss.

We look at the recent announcement by British Athletics as to which athletes they are funding in 2020 and at what level. We explain the reasoning behind some of the decisions and congratulate the governing body on maintaining Eilidh Doyle's funding through her pregnancy.

There's European Short Course Swimming news from Glasgow, sailing medals in New Zealand and success for British teams in cross country, taekwondo and rugby sevens.

We also round up the latest news on snow and ice with athletes switching sports. Vicky Williamson has joined the British Bobsleigh programme from British Cycling whilst Gus Kenworthy, the Winter Olympic freestyle skiing medallist, has switched to Great Britain from the USA.

Plus, Commonwealth Games shooting in India and a third Olympic Games Down Under as Queensland bids for 2032.

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In this week's episode of Anything but Footy, we discuss the shortlist for the prestigious BBC Sports Personality of the Year award. 6 were named ahead of the event in Aberdeen, but there's been an equal amount of discussion over the names left off - including swimmers Adam Peaty and Alice Tai, motor sport's Jonathan Rea and athlete Hannah Cockroft. We discuss the main details and make some predictions about how the awards will be distributed.

From short lists to short shifts. Very short shifts, in fact. The new CEO at British Athletics didn't even get her feet under the desk before announcing she would not be taking up the role after a newspaper revealed details of her husband's inappropriate relationship with a 15 year old girl. With safeguarding and governance now at the top of the agenda as far as sport in the UK is concerned, we debate the fallout and discuss who might be the right person for the job.

Russia could be forced to miss the next four years of international sporting competition. That would mean not being able to compete as a nation at the next two Olympic Games in Tokyo and Beijing. It's the latest development in the long running story of their state sponsored doping.

We have news from the trampolining World Championship in Japan. Along with some terrible puns... And, a look ahead to the Nacra 47 Sailing World Championship which begins soon. There's also hockey and cross country news and a potential unlikely Olympic venue for Paris 2024.

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Another round up of the week's talking points in the world of Olympic and Paralympic sport.

Michael and John start with an argument over whether The Sunday Times Sportswomen of the Year Awards got their main title right for 2019. Dina Asher-Smith won the award for the second year in a row after her gold and two silver medals at the World Athletics Championships in Doha. John agrees but Michael argues that Katarina Johnson-Thompson's gold medal in the heptathlon was a bigger achievement. Have a listen to the debate.

Plenty of other awards were handed out this week and we run through them all. Plus, Team GB's bobsleigh four were finally presented with their bronze medals from Sochi 2014 at the Team GB Ball this week. They were re-awarded the medals earlier in 2019 after two Russian crews were disqualified for cheating.

The IOC announced a new worldwide sponsor this week - Airbnb. The decision has gone down badly with French hoteliers and John is expecting burning tyres as a result! But, Michael says it's part of the Olympic movement having to adapt to changing times and talks about his own experiences of living with a family in Rio during the 2016 Olympics. He explains how they lived on an island near the Olympic Park which required a trip on a wooden boat each day, and despite losing the battle with the mosquitoes, says he would recommend the experience ahead of an inter-continental hotel to everyone travelling to a major event.

Swimming's ISL arrrived in London with a spectacular staging of the new event at the London Aquatic Centre whilst the new look Davis Cup also saw Great Britain reach the last four in Spain.

There's also skateboarding, hockey, shooting, gymnastics, cycling, table tennis, curling and skiing news too.

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This is Great British Bosses by Anything but Footy. We profile the women and men responsible for sport in this country - many at national governing bodies - who manage teams, staff, budgets, grass-root participation and overseeing those medal moments at Olympic, Paralympic and elite level.

Triathlon was only invented in San Diego in 1974, but now the swim bike run event is an integral part of the Olympics and Paralympics and is expanding in 2020 for the first time since started in Sydney 20 years ago. In this episode, we're back in Loughborough and the base of British Triathlon with Chief Executive Andy Salmon. Andy joined British Triathlon in November 2017, having previously chaired Triathlon Scotland. He talks us through the challenges ahead for a sport that's had great success in GB - the joint most successful nation in the Olympics and medals on debut in Rio at the Paralympics. Andy admits he had sleepless nights about the heat of Tokyo for his competitors following the test events there last August, but is also confident the event will be a huge success. We talk about the possibility of double Olympic champion Ali Brownlee returning for Tokyo, and also his delight at him not retiring after a disappointing performance at his home World Triathlon event in Leeds earlier in 2019. And Andy gives us his personal view on how many medals British Triathlon will win at Tokyo 2020!

This is episode six of the first series of Great British Boss - Badminton, Gymnastics, Fencing, Swimming and Table Tennis covered off so far - watch out for more in 2020! In the meantime if you like what you hear please leave a review and rate us on Apple Podcasts!

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The World Para Athletics Championship has ended in Dubai, We hear from Head Coach Paula Dunn on the success of the Great Britain and Northern Ireland team. Athletes from these shores finished third on the medal table with the likes of Hannah Cockroft and Sophie Hahn again on top of the world. There were familar names like Richard Whitehead winning medals along with a new generation of stars getting ready for Tokyo 2020. We discuss the sucess of the para team and how maybe it's time to get beyond the narrative of using words like 'inspirational' and 'super-human' and how we should just be accepting of their incredible athletic endeavours.

On track to Tokyo, the British Olympic Association has been threatened by legal action from some of it's own athletes. Big names like Mo Farah, Adam Gemilli, Katarina Johnson-Thompson and Laura Muir want more rights around how they can work with personal sponsors. We look at both sides of the debate and highlight how Team GB is not a publicly finded entity, but continues to send teams that are prepared better than anyone to successive editions of the Olympic Games.

In other news, we talk about Any Murray and the Davis Cup. We also have news of British medals in para fencing and para badminton as well as more success for table tennis player Liam Pitchford. We look back on the career of British double Olympic gold medal winning cyclist Steven Burke, who announced his retirement this week, and look ahead to the International Swimming League landing in London.

Plus, Munich will host the next edition of The European Championships in 2022.

It's all on Anything but Footy - your Olympic and Paralympic sport podcast.

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2018 British 200m Champion Beth Dobbin joins us to give her reaction to this week's news that The IAAF are cutting some events from The Diamond League in 2020. Beth tells us what it mans to lose events, including the 200m, from the core programme as The IAAF aim to make the event a more marketable product for broadcasters. The fall out this week has included the establishment of a new union for the athletes.

In boxing, Nicola Adams announced her retirement this week. The two time Olympic Champion and World Professional Champion chose to make her announcement in her local newspaper - The Yorkshire Evening Post. YEP Sports Editor, Nick Westby joins us to give us the background on how the newspaper landed the world exclusive with one of the nation's biggest sporting icons.

The IPC World Athletics Championships continue in Doha. Hannah Cockroft is now an 11 time World Champion in what has been a great start to the Championships for British athletes although crowds have been disappointing to date. There has also been British Cycling success in Glasgow at the World Cup, including a notable gold for Rio 2016 medallist Katy Marchant.

We also have table tennis, badminton, swimming and skateboarding news.

This is Great British Bosses by Anything but Footy. We profile the women and men responsible for sport in this country - many at national governing bodies - who manage teams, staff, budgets, grass-root participation and overseeing those medal moments at Olympic, Paralympic and elite level.

This episode, we're in Lilleshall and the base of British Gymnastics with Chief Executive Jane Allen. Formerly of Gymnastics Australia, Jane arrived in 2010 and oversaw the remarkable transformation of a sport that won its first men's Team medal in 100 years in London, produced a double Olympic champion in Rio in Max Whitlock and is planning for more glory at Tokyo 202. Not only is it excelling in elite sport, it now has 400,000 members across the UK, growing every year, with waiting lists at some gymnastics clubs for youngsters to take to the floor! We ask Jane about her role, her and her team's success and when she's back in Oz with a glass in her hand what she'll look back on as her biggest achievement. She also tells us in her view 'it's not a coincidence the 2022 Commonwealth Games were backed by Government and brought to Birmingham. Why wouldn’t you have something that would have the same impact as London had, when you’ve just made one of the biggest political decisions of your life in exiting Europe. I think Sport is so uniting and I’m so proud of what it does. If a Government stopped funding sport it would be a very brave one!' So it seems the future is bright for British sport and gymnastics in particular!

And if there's someone who you think is a Great British Boss - and would make a good podcast - please free to get in touch on twitter @AnythingbutF and using the hashtag #GBBosses or contact us through our website www.anythingbutfooty.com

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Canadian World Championship medallist Evan Dunfee joins us this week to give us his views on the IOC decision to move the marathons and race walks from Tokyo to Sapporo during the 2020 Olympic Games due to concerns over the temperatures. Evan tweeted a number of observations and factual comments this week about the history of Olympic and World Championship marathon running and tells Anything but Footy why he thinks the decision needs to be looked at again. Evan won bronze in the 50km race walk in Doha at the 2019 World Championships.

The IPC World Athletics Championships begin this week in Dubai. We look at how the event will pan out after the success of the staging in London in 2017. There's a run down of the main athletes to watch from home and abroad and we hear from Kare Adenegen and Hollie Arnold who will be representing Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Great Britain has qualified for the Olympic Hockey tournament after both the men and women came through their play off games held in London. Team GB's women won gold in Rio in 2016 memorably but face a huge task to retain that title.

There were plenty of British medals at Cycling's World Cup event in Belarus and at Taekwondo's European Championships in Italy. We'll round up who won what and look ahead to the cycling in Glasgow next weekend where Laura Kenny is rested from the British team after a good weekend in Minsk.

There's also changes to the backroom staff at British Cycling and British Athletics and we'll re-cap who's going where.

Plus, rowing, judo & para table tennis.

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This is Great British Bosses by Anything but Footy. We profile the women and men responsible for sport in this country - many at national governing bodies - who manage teams, staff, budgets, grass-root participation and overseeing those medal moments at Olympic, Paralympic and elite level.

This week, we're in Hendon and the Leon Paul Centre with British Fencing Chief Executive Georgina Usher. Britain last won an Olympic medal in Fencing 50 years ago at Tokyo 1964 Olympics and despite funding cuts since 2016, Georgina's in buoyant mood ahead of Tokyo 2020. The sport is growing and in Richard Kruse and Marcus Mepstead, GB has two World championship medalists since the Rio Games. John admits racing through the rain in Rio to see Kruse nearly win GB's first medal was one of the highlights of his experience in South America! But it's not all about medals, and Georgina, the 2014 Commonwealth champion, explains how Fencing can help youngsters just like her 11 year old self! We also talk women in sport and how businesses need to wise up to the talent of a former Olympian!

And if there's someone who you think is a Great British Boss - and would make a good podcast - please free to get in touch on twitter @AnythingbutF and using the hashtag #GBBosses or contact us through our website www.anythingbutfooty.com

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Following the closure of the Nike Oregon Project, Nike CEO Mike Parker has announced he's stepping down, but insists his departure from the role is nothing to do with the fallout of the Alberto Salazar doping ban. We look at what it means for the brand and whether this PR disaster, along with other recent scandals, has meant a need to change the man at the top.

The National Lottery is celebrating it's 25th birthday. Through UK Sport, it's National Lottery money which has contributed to Team GB's meteoric rise up the Olympic medal table. We examine the impact of 25 years of investment in sport and ask what next for UK Sport as they continue to back medal prospects but also take on a wider role of looking after athlete welfare and promote inclusion, diversity and participation in grassroots sport.

Team GB's bobsleigh men's four will eventually receive their bronze medals at the Team GB Ball after they were re-awarded following the disqualification of two Russian crews at the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics. We also have news from the London Six Day Cycling, Abu Dhabi Grand Slam Judo and the China Open Para Table Tennis.

Plus, tennis, badminton and canoeing. All on Anything but Footy - the Olympic and Paralympic sport podcast.

This is Great British Bosses by Anything but Footy. We profile the women and men responsible for sport in this country - many at national governing bodies - who manage teams, staff, budgets, grass-root participation and overseeing those medal moments at Olympic, Paralympic and elite level.

This week, we're in Loughborough with British Swimming Chief Executive Jack Buckner. After a disappointing performance in the pool at the home Olympics of 2012, and then allegations of bullying in the Paralympic programme, followed by the swimmers best medal return at the Rio Olympics for 100 years - it's been a tumultuous few years. Jack took over in May 2017 and we asked him what the first thing he changed was. He tells us how disappointing it is that drugs in sport - particularly his first love of athletics where he won World, European and Commonwealth medals in the 5,000m in the mid 80's - is still dominating headlines but how he backed his 'team' for standing up to alleged drug cheats in swimming. And Adam Peaty, Tom Daley and Alice Tai all get a mention too :0)

And if there's someone who you think is a Great British Boss - and would make a good podcast - please free to get in touch on twitter @AnythingbutF and using the hashtag #GBBosses or contact us through our website www.anythingbutfooty.com

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We are 9 months out from the next Olympics in Tokyo, and plenty can still be done ahead of the Games. At the European Track Cycling Championships in the Netherlands, Great Britain won 9 medals including a gold and two silvers for Laura Kenny. Kenny will be attempting to upgrade to a triple gold medal winning haul in Tokyo, and we explain how she will tackle the task in terms of the newly available technology and preparation ahead of the event. Michael looks at how this year's event compares to previous European Track Championships at this stage in the Olympic cycle and suggests Great Britain are in good shape, whilst John wonders whether we will see Jason Kenny on top of the podium as an individual cyclist ever again following his 7th place finish. There's a lesson from British Olympic history which may help his cause...

In Athletics, Dina Asher-Smith was snubbed by the IAAF as they announced their shortlist for Female Athlete of the Year. John is astounded at their decision and thinks it is a major mistake, but Michael tries to explain the thought process of the governing body and examines the reasons why he thinks Dina was left off the list. Katarina Johnson-Thompson was one of the 11 listed.

Sir Andy Murray is back winning tennis tournaments despite career threatening surgery earlier this year. We have the details, plus a good event in Sydney for GB's para shooters, another accolade for Alice Tai, British Swimming announce their backroom team for Tokyo and ticket sales for the Paralympics look as though they will outstrip London.

Finally, Philip Barker from insidethegames.biz joins us from Doha with all the details on Team GB's performance at the World Beach Games.

Pictures:SW Pix

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This is Great British Bosses by Anything but Footy. We profile the women and men responsible for sport in this country - many at national governing bodies - who manage teams, staff, budgets, grass-root participation and overseeing those medal moments at Olympic, Paralympic and elite level.

This week, we catch up with Table Tennis England Chief Executive Sara Sutcliffe. The sport was in desperate need of leadership and a re-brand when she took over six years ago and along with her team, Sara's made sure it's now fit for purpose and encouraging participation across the country. We also discuss women in sport, particularly behind the scenes and the need for parity, how she was one of the first ten people to work on the London 2012 Olympic bid in her former role at Team GB and just how important for the sport Will Bayley's Strictly turn might be!

And if there's someone who you think is a Great British Boss - and would make a good podcast - please free to get in touch on twitter @AnythingbutF and using the hashtag #GBBosses or contact us through our website www.anythingbutfooty.com

In this episode, John and Michael wrestle with their feelings over the current state of distance running. Eliud Kipchoge made history, running 26.2 miles in under 2 hours in Vienna - albeit under special conditions - and Brigid Kosgei broke Paula Radcliffe's 16 year old world marathon record in Chicago. But, both achievements come just days after Nike announced they were shutting the Oregon Project where distance runners have trained and won numerous medals at World and Olympic level - most notably, from a British point of view, Mo Farah. Nike's decision comes in the wake of a ban for lead coach Alberto Salazar after a lengthy investigation found him guilty of various doping offences. Salazar, backed by Nike, is appealing.

Eleswhere, there has been British success this week at World Championship level in gymnastics and boxing. Max Whitlock, Joe Fraser and Lauren Price are all newly crowned world champions and look in great shape 9 months out from the next Olympic Games.

Team GB has named more athletes for Tokyo too. Five canoeists have been confirmed, but a couple of big names miss out and we explain why they are not on the plane.

In cycling, Laura Kenny faces a monumental challenge at the forthcoming European Championships, but it's a challenge that could significantly impact on her Olympic preparations. Plus, we have news from Judo, Hockey, Goalball and Birmingham 2022.

And, in the week of mental health awareness day, we hear about a new charity - Sporting Minds UK - targeting young sportspeople struggling with mental health challenges.

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This is Anything but Footy - the unashamedly biased Olympic and Paralympic podcast.

And this is a new series - Great British Bosses - where we profile the women and men responsible for sport in this country - many at national governing bodies - who manage teams, staff, budgets, grass-root participation and overseeing those medal moments at Olympic, Paralympic and elite level.

This week, we're going behind the scenes with Badminton England Chief Executive Adrian Christy - the sport that had its funding cut after creating history in Rio with its first ever men's doubles Olympic medal. He tells how he and the team felt that day, his other challenges, triumphs, regrets and why he's learning from Amazon & Spotify!

And if there's someone who you think is a Great British Boss - and would make a good podcast - please free to get in touch on twitter @AnythingbutF and using the hashtag #GBBosses or email anythingbutfooty@gmail.com

As the curtain comes down on the 2019 World Athletics Championships in Doha, we review all the action on and off the track. The event has delivered some scintillating performances, but issues around attendances, doping, human rights and the environment have dogged the events inside the arena. We do our best to analyse everything as well as looking back at where Great Britain and Northern Ireland won and lost medals.

There are two other world championships currently taking place: John has the latest from Stuttgart following British Gymnastics in Germany as they aim for Olympic qualification and Michael rounds up the news from Russia where the Women's World Boxing Championships are taking place. We speak to GB Boxers Lauren Price and Rosie Eccles.

Team GB has named its first athletes for Tokyo 2020: 12 sailors have been named to compete in Japan on the water in Enoshima. We run down who to look out for at the regatta.

We also have news on the rest of the world of Olympic & Paralympic sport including The Lionesses, hockey, rugby sevens and para swimming.

Picture Credit: IAAF

Again, this week we're at the World Road Cycling Championships in Yorkshire which was wrapped up with a rain affected men's elite road race. The event was delayed and had a significant route change in order to protect the welfare of spectators and participants after heavy rain in the White Rose County. We speak to Mads Pedersen who eventually took the Rainbow Jersey as well as Yorkshire's own Ben Swift who was one of the two British finishers in a brutal contest.

After all the build up, the World Athletics Championship is underway in Doha. Great Britain and Northern Ireland have won a silver medal on the opening weekend courtesy of Dina Asher-Smith in the women's 100m. Asher-Smith became the first British winner of a global sprint medal since Dorothy Hyman in 1960 at the Olympic Games in Rome.

We also discuss the empty seats and issues over the heat and humidity which has been causing issues with some events - although Michael argues that the rain in Yorkshire also posed threats of their own and asks why the hot weather in Qatar has become an obsession when we just shrugged our shoulders at the risks in Yorkshire.

Elsewhere, British Canoeing are edging closer to naming their team for the Olympics and there could be one or two shock omissions, notably Rio 2016 champion Joe Clarke, after the results at the recent World Championships.

We also have tennis, shooting, trampolining and windsurfing news for you.

World Athletics Championships pictures courtesy of Getty Images for The IAAF.

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Yorkshire has taken over from London and Cambridge as the capital of cycling in Great Britain and for the first time in 37 years the UCI World Road Race Championships are taking place in the county all week. The first ever mixed relay Team Time Trial took place on a drizzly Sunday but British cyclists won a brilliant bronze behind the Netherlands and Germany - we hear from British cyclist John Archibald. Dame Sarah Storey had previously set the tone winning the Para-cycling International in brilliant sunshine on Saturday. Michael's been on the course in Harrogate and also looks ahead to the big week of racing still to come!

Great British Men’s boxing team came away from Russia pleased but frustrated after a silver ad two bronzes at the World Boxing Championships - Frazer Clarke particularly hard done by, by a judge who overturned his semi-final result to a Russian boxer and without having to give away reason. We also hear from British boxer Rosie Eccles about the risks of the sport but why she’s not concerned about the recent concussion controversy.

Captain Kilty has a certain ring to it - the Teeside Tornado is the British captain for the World Athletics Championships in Doha - as Britain name a 43 strong team for the World Para Athletics Championships in Dubai in November - we hear from 100m Paralympic champion Sophie Hahn ...

There’s also updates on Rugby, Diving, Swimming, Shooting and even the Beach Games - and we now know when the first British competitor for next year’s Olympic Games will be announced!

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The World Para-Swimming Championships is top of our agenda this week on Anything but Footy - your unashamedly Olympic & Paralympic podcast. John is speaking from the London Aquatic Centre which this week witnessed unbelievable success for British Swimming who won over 40 medals. London stepped in to replace Malaysia just six months ago to host the event after the original hosts were stripped of the right.

We hear from multiple Paralympic gold medallist Ellie Simmonds as well as speak with Maisie Summers-Newton who was also amongst the medals this week as well as breaking a world record. As far as the Tokyo Paralympics is concerned, things look very positive for Para GB in the swimming pool.

There's been skateboarding success for 11 year old Sky Brown as well as medal news for Great Britain's para-cyclists and para-canoeists. There's also an update on the Great Britain and Northern Ireland team for the World Athletics Championships.

We're also joined by Olympic gold medal winning sailor Hannah Mills as we join the launch of her new initiative to tackle single use plastic pollution. Hannah tells us about the launch of The Big Plastic Pledge and Michael outlines what he's aiming to do to back the campaign.

And, we discuss what can be done by world sport to address the issues around concussion. Many sports have had issues where sportspeople have played on even after suffering a concussion, and there's fears this could lead to a serious brain injury.

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British Athletics has named a team of 72 for the forthcoming World Athletics Championships in Doha.The team was officially unveiled at a special event in Battersea. We were there to hear from some of those on the plane.

This week's episode includes interviews with Adam Gemilli, Laviai Nielson, Holly Bradshaw, Miguel Francis, Eilish McColgan, Jodie Williams and Morgan Lake who all look ahead to the championships which begin at the end of September.

We analyse the make up of the Great Britain and Northern Ireland team in detail and see where we think the medals will be won to achieve their target of 7. Dina Asher-Smith, Katarina Johnson-Thompson and Laura Muir are among those leading the charge.

Plus, there's our usual round-up of all the other talking points from the world of Olympic & Paralympic sport. We cover tennis and the US Open, shooting, modern pentathlon, table tennis, equestrian and canoeing.

It's been a week of World Championships where gold silver and bronze medals have been handed out showing the world where British athletes are currently ranked.

But it doesn’t really matter if you’re not going to the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics next summer - qualify first then focus on your form!

The British rowers have booked 13 spots for 2020 - with 2 golds and 4 bronze medals at the Worlds in Linz - we hear from Emily Ford Polly Swann and Sara Parfet - the womens 4 on their way to Tokyo. Sally Conway added a World bronze to her judo Olympic and European medals - while more success for British sailors in the waters off Japan and the women’s super strong Triathlon competitors.

We round up the latest athletics news and celebrate Libby Clegg who’s back in action just 4 months after giving birth - while Alyson Dixon’s crowned ultra-running world champion!

There’s more equestrian medals, look ahead to skateboarding in Brazil and we even talk footy - because Team GB are going to be competing for gold in the women’s football in Tokyo!

(Rowing Pictures Credit: Nick Middleton)

Anything but Footy returns for a new term after our summer break.

We're back and this episode comes direct from the British Athletics Championships in Birmingham which has hosted two days of top class track and field as the leading contenders qualify for the World Championships in Doha in September.

We're joined by Adam Gemili who has qualified in the 100m and 200m sprints, plus Eilish McColgan who has a decision to make about what event she will compete in and Holly Bradshaw who will have ambitions for another global medal after becoming British pole vault champion for the seventh time outdoors.

Away from the athletics, it's been a big week for British sailors in Japan and British canoeists in Hungary. Team GB are beginning to qualify quota places ahead of the next Olympic and Paralympic games. British Para-Canoeing have had a great week qualifying in seven out of nine events.

There's news from the EuroHockey, where Team GB will still have work to do if they are to take their places in Tokyo. Both the men's and the women's teams will have to play a qualifier to ensure qualification. Plus, we have badminton, bouldering, equestrian and cycling.

This weekend also saw Team GB host the Nation's Biggest Sports Day - an event to encourage you to get active. Many leading Olympians took part up and down the country and 4 time gold medallist Laura Kenny told Anything but Footy why she has supported the initiative this year and her aims for another golden games in 2020.

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From just one gold medal in Atlanta to second on the medal table in Rio and the impossible - improving the medal haul in the edition after being the host nation - there's now less than a year until Tokyo hosts the 2020 Olympic Summer Games.

In the second of our Summer Special Editions, we examine in detail where Team GB are in terms of medal winning performances with less than 12 month to go. We look at where the medals were won in Rio and the range of different sports that produced that record haul of gold, silver and bronze.

Familiar names like Mo Farah, Andy Murray, Justin Rose, Jessica Ennis-Hill, Greg Rutherford and Nick Skelton all returned from Rio with more medals for their collection. New superstars emerged - the likes of Max Whitlock, Jack Laugher and Adam Peaty all won gold, whilst names like Alistair Brownlee, Nicola Adams, Jason Kenny, Charlotte Dujardin and Laura Trott followed up their London 2012 successes.

So, who will be the starts of Tokyo 2020 for Team GB? Will some of those medal winners from Rio return and do it all over again?

It's time to look into the Anything but Footy crystal ball and point you in the direction of some of the personalities and sports that we think will be making headlines next summer.

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"London 2012 will see the very best of us" the words from Lord Sebastian Coe as he officially welcomed the world back to London for a record third time. Those words seem even more apt 7 years on!

We hope you enjoy our the first of our 'Anything But Footy' summer specials - as much as we enjoyed reminiscing ourselves.

In this podcast, we look-back to the moment in 2005 when those words 'London' were uttered in Singapore, the 7 year ups and downs in preparation, the glorious 17 days of Olympic sport, followed by another fortnight of Paralympic action that changed people's views. Just one real legacy of London 2012.

Our highlights obviously include the greatest day in British sporting history 'Super Saturday' - but also Andy Murray winning on Centre Court, Tom Daley's celebration dive in the Aquatics Centre, the hot GB performances in a blistering velodrome and the first ever female Olympic boxing champion Nicola Adams. Plus John's fond memories of the car park in Stratford and Michael's ongoing relationship with the first aiders!

But if we missed your special something tell us - @anythingbutf on twitter or message us at Anything But Footy on Insta/FB.

This is Anything but Footy - the Unashamedly Olympic & Paralympic Sport focused podcast. This is our first summer special remembering the highs lows dramas and celebrations of all things 2012!

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10 days of European Games competition has come to a conclusion in Minsk. There was success for Team GB - especially in boxing and badminton. We look back at the event and what it means one year out from Tokyo 2020. We also talk about how the loss of UK Sport funding for British Badminton seems to have galvanised the team who won 5 medals in Minsk.

Whilst Team GB was playing its part in Europe, the Lionesses continue to play their part on the world stage. Reaching the World Cup semi final stage means that Team GB will now be able to field a women's team at the next Olympics.

And, the Commonwealth will gather again in 2022 in Birmingham. The budget for the next Commonwealth Games was released this week and we discuss the impact for the wider West Midland region. The re-development of the Alexander Stadium also means that the sport of athletics will be hosting their British Championships in Manchester between 2020 and 2022.

Wimbledon is here again too. It's part of the qualification process for the next Olympic Games and as it currently stands big names like Andy Murray, Venus Williams and Roger Federer could all miss out on Tokyo. We also round up British World Cup success in Modern Pentathlon as well as Hockey, Sailing, Triathlon and Cycling.

And, finally the IOC has decided who will host the 2026 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games. We analyse why Milan got the nod over Stockholm.

Photo credits Lumix UK/Team GB

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The IOC has celebrated its latest Olympic Day. And, in our weekly round up of all things Olympic & Paralympic we also look at two other major multi-sport events which have been making news this week - The European Games and The Commonwealth Games.

We ask where these events stand in terms of elite competition and whether it really matters to spectators whether the level of competition is on a par with that staged at the Olympic Games. Team GB has already won medals in Minsk where the British Archers have begun in great form. Birmingham 2022 announced a number of major plans this week. They shared images of how the revamped Alexander Stadium will look as well as gave more detail on the programme of sport they are planning.

The Paralympic movement received a huge boost too this week as Team USA announced they were bringing their Olympic and Para programmes together. We ask whether the IOC and IPC could ever do the same with the Olympic & Paralympic Games.

Plus, Andy Murray's comeback win at Queens, a new chair at British Athletics, a British Cycling team announcement, the Lionesses continue to progress at The World Cup and wheelchair rugby league, hockey, rowing and modern pentathlon news too.

Two of Great Britain's sporting superstars face big decisions about their future. Both have achieved more in their respective sports than they possible ever imagined, but both Chris Froome and Andy Murray are at a career crossroads.

Froome will be out of action for at least six months after a horrific training accident left him in intensive care, whilst Andy Murray is due back on court - playing doubles - after hip resurfacing surgery. Will Froome ever get to wear the Yellow Jersey again? Will Murray dominate Centre Court once more?

The European Games start shortly in Minsk. Team GB is sending a team of over 100 athletes. We explain the significance of the event from an athlete point of view and how it's a huge landmark ahead of the next Olympic Games. And, British boxer Frazer Clarke talks to us about his prospects at the event as he aims to realise his Olympic ambition at last.

World class canoeing returned to Lee Valley this weekend for the canoe slalom World Cup. There was plenty of British success and the event delivered by British Canoeing and UK Sport has been a fantastic success. We also round up action from the Diamond League, Women's World Cup, Hockey, Diving and Rowing. There's an update on Birmingham's progress as they prepare to host the next Commonwealth Games and good news, at last, for Goldie Sayers as she's finally set to receive the Olympic medal she was cheated out of back in 2008.

And, as the UK celebrates Father's Day,John and Michael both reflect on how their own Dad's love of sport was so important in shaping the career path they chose - as sports reporters and commentators.

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We know Yorkshire loves it's cycling - but swimming and running returned to Leeds too as the city staged its 4th World Triathlon Series event. A weekend of competition for hundreds of participants and the world’s best tri-athletes! But some serious question marks of two of Britain’s best - Ali and Jonny Brownlee. The double Olympic champion led the way after the bike but had nothing in his legs - and talked about retirement afterwards - not yet but soon - Jonny had a stomach problem. We ask what next? Home girl Georgia Taylor Brown won her first gold with Jess Learmonth third and Non Stanford and Vicky Holland in the top 7. You can hear Rio medalist Holland’s views on how tight it’ll be for qualification for 2020!

Jo Konta had never won a match at French Open but what a run to the semi-final - but did Jo blow it against the 19yo unseeded Marketa Vondrousova? Organisers also panned for poor decisions over scheduling.

After 100 years the IAAF is no more - but don’t worry athletics fans its just been rebranded - hoping to reach out to a new generation. 'World Athletics’ with a WA logo - lets hope it’s not more like W1A! Caster Semenya is back on track after a Swiss court overturned the decision to make her take drugs to lower her testosterone. Dasher remains on top form after coming second in her first 100m of the season - Dina Asher Smith finishing behind the Olympic Champion in Rome.

There’s more medal success for British sailors at Paris 2024 Olympic venue, and further gongs for the new chief of UK Sport

and others in the Queen’s Birthday Honours.

We’re unashamedly Olympic and Paralympic sport bias - and we’re on track for Tokyo too!

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This episode starts with discussion on the latest doping scandal to hit the sport of athletics. Sunday Times newspaper investigation has alleged there has been an attempted Russian cover up after high jumper Danil Lysenko missed a drugs test. Russia were widely expected to be welcomed back into athletics by the IAAF having been suspended for the Rio Olympics with Russia blocked across all sports by the IPC across all sports. We ask what next for Russia and can they take up a berth at Tokyo 2020. We also ask the question about whether there is a genuine appetite within the sport to tackle this serious issue?

Disappointment for Anthony Joshua. Dreams for Dina Asher-Smith. Joshua, who won gold at London 2012, has surrendered his world titles to the unfancied Mexican Andy Ruiz Junior whilst Dina Asher-Smith will now be targeting an individual gold medal at the World Championships in Doha later this year after a scintillating performance at the Diamond League meeting in Stockholm. Both face a crucial few months in their careers - but for differing reasons. We also have the latest developments in Caster Semenya's battle with the IAAF.

John's been enjoying the tennis this week. Not only John Inverdale's presentation on ITV4, but Johanna Konta's great form too. Michael explains why he finds watching the British Number One - Konta not Inverdale - a difficult watch after an awkward encounter a couple of years ago. He reveals all.

And, we round up all the rest of the week's news in Olympic & Paralympic sport including rugby sevens, the Lionesses, triathlon, rowing, canoeing, sailing, hockey and the Tokyo 2020 Torch Relay.

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The 2nd edition of the European Games is just weeks away. Team GB has named its team for the event in Minsk. Over 100 athletes from these shores will take part. The biggest name in the team is Jason Kenny, whilst Olympic medallists including Katy Marchant and Sally Conway will also take part. In total over 4000 athletes will take part from 50 countries across 10 days in 200 different medal events. But, where does the event stand as far as the British public is concerned?

2018 was a fantastic breakthrough year for Katarina Johnson-Thompson with World, European and Commonwealth medals. 2019 has started well with a personal best points total in Gotzis. We ask if KJT is now the best hope of a gold medal in Doha at the World Championship later this year. We compare her chances with those of Laura Muir and Dina Asher-Smith and examine Johnson-Thompson's challenge from Nafi Thiam - the reigning World and Olympic Champion.

The World Cup is also imminent and the Lionesses will travel to France with high hopes of success after reaching the semi-finals four years ago. We look at the debate around equal pay for men and women footballers and equal opportunities for female coaches and managers. Anything but Footy will be talking footy this summer as we track England's progress.

Boxing will take its place at Tokyo 2020 but who will organise the competition? The IOC has serious concerns about the AIBA over many and varied issues and now needs to find anew body to take over the running of the Olympic programme.

In our round up, there is news of sailing, rowing, canoeing, modern pentathlon, ice hockey, skiing, golf and rugby sevens.

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The UK has once again been at the centre of the Olympic & Paralympic sporting world. Manchester has been hosting the World Taekwondo Championships, Weymouth has been hosting the European Sailing Championships, Diving's World Series was in London whilst the Olympic Park has also been home to international hockey.

We start in Manchester reflecting on medal success and controversy for Great Britain's taekwondo athletes. Double Olympic Champion Jade Jones finally added a World gold to her list of achievements, but Bianca Walkden's triumph was marred by booing as she won gold in controversial circumstances. We debate booing at a sporting event.

UK Sport has been backing Mental Health Awareness Week and we discuss how sport at an elite level needs to find a balance between medal success and athlete welfare. Whilst we welcome the open and honest conversations that have been had this week, we ask whether there is still a lot more that governing bodies should be doing.

Big names featured this week include Tiger Woods who has stated he wants to play in the Olympics in Tokyo. We also talk about Rory McIlroy's decision to represent Team Ireland not Team GB. And, are the world's big name golfers more interested in playing Olympic golf in Japan than they were in Brazil because of the greater potential commercial benefits?

In our weekly round-up of Olympic & Paralympic news, there's success for Great Britain's wheelchair tennis team and Johanna Konta on clay in Rome, another win for triathlete Alistair Brownlee, GB Hockey news (both field and ice), Netball frustration for Ama Agbeze, Diamond League Athletics and gold for sailor Giles Scott.

Oh, and we have come up with a nickname for Tom Daley that we're convinced will become synonymous with one of the nation's leading sporting heroes. Stand by for all the merchandise, endorsements and appearances.

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Plenty on the agenda again in the world of Olympic & Paralympic sport.

In the week the beautiful game showed itself to be more beautiful than ever as English clubs feasted at the top table of European competition, we broke our golden rule and started by talking about footy. Well, kind of....

Following the exploits of Liverpool & Tottenham in the Champions League, we talked about the greatest comebacks in sport. We recalled names like Tiger Woods, Niki Lauda, Greg Le Mond & Muhammad Ali, whilst Michael spoke about two great comebacks he had witnessed - one in hockey and one in netball and John got all nostalgic about Kriss Akabusi.

UK Sport announced who their new chief executive will be this week. Sally Munday is tasked with taking the agency who allocate funds to Olympic and Paralympic sports onto a new level having had great success in her previous role at England & GB Hockey. It was a big week for UK Sport who also announced that the UK will host the 2020 World Skateboarding at the Copper Box in London.

In athletics, there was GB & NI success at the World Relay Championships in Japan, plus Simon Yates has started cycling's Giro d'Italia well and Jack Laugher won Gold in Kazan at Diving's World Series, but how will this translate to medals in Tokyo in 2020 at the Olympics. We look at how the medal table is predicted to look after the 17 days of competition and it's not great news at this stage for Team GB.

Plus, ice hockey, tennis, golf and taekwondo get a mention along with archery which is holding their big weekend later in May. It aims to get more people involved in the sport. It's one of the most inclusive pursuits available with no barriers to age, gender or disability and many Olympic and Paralympic archers started their journey at events like this. More info online at: www.archerygb.org/bigweekend

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At Tokyo 2020 stars will be born, legends cemented, heartbreak and drama and we’ll witness iconic medal moments as sporting history will be made. But where will athletics be in a year’s time? After the Court of Arbitration for Sport rejected Caster Semenya’s appeal against the governing body, the IAAF. We discuss in full.

The hills, the spills, the wind and rain and the Yorkshire rose flying - what a sight the Tour De Yorkshire is as the men and women raced around what some claim as god's own county. Both races were on the same course and same prize money available as Women’s sport continues to push itself to where it should be - equal with men.

Dina Asher Smith was the other big story from Doha this week - Mo Farah’s decided against it - and Joanna Konta’s looking good for Wimbledon.

We’re unashamedly Olympic and Paralympic sport bias - and we’re on track for Tokyo too!

Mo Farah dominated the build up to the London Marathon but couldn't deliver a victory on the streets of London. We analyse the controversial events of this week and the war of words between Mo and Haile Gebrselassie and discuss whether the Olympic Champion might be considering a switch back to the track ahead of this year's World Championships in Doha.

The fallout from British Swimming's decision to stream the British Championships online as opposed to giving the BBC extensive coverage continued this week when swimmer James Guy questioned the broadcaster's decision to show the National Artistic Swimming Championships in Nottingham. British Swimming explain their thought process to us and we also hear from Adele Carlsen, who led the Team GB synchronised swimmers in 2012, and ask whether one aquatic discipline should be attacking another aquatic discipline.

Staying in the pool, there's news on the team selected for the World Championships later this year as well as around up from Glasgow and the international Para-Swimming event. And, when is a para-athlete a Paralympian and when is an athlete Para GB and not Team GB? We talk about the identity crisis.

Tom Daley gets a mention as does Andy Murray and there's news from triathlon, hockey and cycling too.

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World Championships are the focus for many of our Olympic & Paralympic Athletes as the countdown to Tokyo gathers pace - particularly as the schedule has been revealed for the Olympic Games next summer. You’ll have to be up at 3/4am to watch some of the Athletics finals as more gold medals are set to be won in morning sessions!

London’s Olympic Park Aquatic Centre is to stage the 2019 World Para Swimming Championships - after Malaysia was stripped of hosting it - C4 will show it but why wasn’t there more of the British Championships in Glasgow this week?

Shauna Coxsey wins another medal at World level in new Olympic sport bouldering, the Brits impress as reach World Group level at Fed Cup for first time in 26 years at a bouncing Copperbox and as we hit a landmark 10th edition of Anything but Footy - there’s Ice Hockey, Sevens, Table Tennis and Boxing to talk too as we remain on track for Tokyo!

On this week's round up of all things Olympic & Paralympic, we ask is Tiger Woods' US Masters victory the greatest sporting comeback ever? Or, do the historical issues in his personal life detract from his achievement on the fairways and greens at Augusta National? And, can Tiger end his career with Olympic Gold in Tokyo to add to all his major titles?

It was a comeback of sorts for BBC Sport this weekend too. They were able to show the final two rounds of The Masters live - the final round on free to air television on a Sunday afternoon too. Is there a lesson for other sports and events that terrestrial television coverage is essential for their future prospects? Also, on BBC Sport this weekend were the European Gymnastics Championships with Max Whitlock winning gold and the British Skateboarding Championships in Salford with ten year old Sky Brown triumphing.

Meanwhile, will BBC Athletics broadcaster Steve Cram be able to combine his role as a commentator if he is appointed the new chair of British Athletics? We debate the issues around being a sports commentator whilst also having close links with the competitors you are required to broadcast about.

And, we round up another 7 days of sport at all levels with Michael talking about his experiences of being at the Duathlon event in Stockton on Tees this weekend. Is this London 2012 legacy in action? Can your home town attract major sporting events? Plus, Barry Middleton retires from international hockey, London's Olympic Park has a busy few months and Great Britain wins a windsurfing medal at the European Championship.

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We're on the buses this week. And, the water.

Sailing and rowing dominate the first half of our discussion following the climax of the Princess Sofia Regatta in Mallorca and the Varsity Boat Race in London. It was a great week in Palma for British Sailing, whilst a two time Olympic gold medallist became the oldest man to row and win the University Boat Race. We analyse the medal prospects for sailing and rowing at Tokyo 2020.

Solidarity funding awards have been announced this week and we look at how the new Olympic sport of bouldering may bring medal success for Team GB, along with a host of other British names who will receive special IOC funding ahead of the next Olympic Games.

Michael reveals what Andy Murray likes to listen to on the radio and why the possibility of a seven hour bus trip at the 2026 Winter Olympics isn't going to put either Michael or John off covering the event after their bus-based experiences in Rio.

BST - British Summer Time.

So, what better time to focus on funding for Winter Sport? In light of this week's confirmation that Team GB has been awarded a bronze medal from Sochi 2014 in the four man bobsleigh after two Russian crews were stripped of their placings, we ask whether, if the medal had been won at the time, the British Bobsleigh programme might have been better funded and had more success in Pyeongchang in 2018? As it was, the disappointing placings resulted in funding being cut by UK Sport. Also cut - funding for short track speed skating, but they have been given a grant this week by Sport England to support athletes head of Beijing 2022.

We analyse the impact of the recent World Cross Country Championships in Denmark and whether cross country running could also become an Olympic sport in the future. Winter or Summer, though? Michael has some advice for Lord Coe!

With the World Matchplay Golf taking place, John asks whether golf is a worthy sport for the Olympic programme and there's chat about whether a change in the competition format might attract the world's best golfers to take part in the future.

Plus, sailing, karate and Andy Murray starting the London Marathon.

BST - Best Sport Time!

On Anything but Footy this week, there’s a real countdown clock on the wall at Team GB and Para GB headquarters in London’s Soho. Days, hours and minutes! It’ll be the greatest show before we know it.

At least 21 athletes in 5 winter and summer sports are suspected of having blood doping links to a German doctor being investigated by German and Austrian Police - we have simple solution moving forward - literally make them pay!

Ahead of the 5th Tour De Yorkshire controversy reigns as the chief exec of the organisers stands down and Team Sky announces it’ll become Team Ineos from then too

We talk Gymnastics World Cup, Olympic Boxing, Figure Skating (or lack of it for GB!) are at the London Landmarks Half Marathon and catch up with snowboarder from Sochi & Pyeongchang Aimee Fuller whose also planning a helping hand for 2020. We’re all on track for Tokyo!

On Anything but Footy this week, Michael has strong opinions on the possibility of a 12 year old skateboarder competing at the Olympics for Team GB. He tells the team around Sky Brown to go and speak with Tom Daley about how to handle success at such a young age. At the other end of the age scale, should a 46 year old double Olympic Champion -James Cracknell - be able to compete in the Boat Race.

There's news and opinion from the World Para-Cycling Championship. It was phenomenally successful for British Cycling but where was the coverage and why hasn't Jody Cundy been knighted in the same way Sarah Storey has been made a Dame.

Staying with cycling, we debate the ins and outs of Jess Varnish's campaign to have her time with British Cycling recognised as employment and speculate on the future of funding in sport if she does eventually win her case.

Also, includes updates from the British Gymnastics Championship in Liverpool and International Swimming in Edinburgh with Max Whitlock and Adam Peaty discussed as well as more good news for UK Sport and British Canoeing this week.

Another week of debate and discussion about the big issues in the world of Olympic & Paralympic sport. Following Mo Farah's victory in The Big Half, we ask when is retirement not really retirement and could Farah be set to win another Olympic gold medal in 2020.

We discuss Adam Peaty's role in leading the new London-based franchise of the International Swimming League and why top sportsmen and women are increasingly having to take on additional roles and responsibilities to promote their sport. This has also been in focus this week with the news of Callum Skinner and Jon Schofield's retirements from elite sport with British Cycling and British Canoeing respectively.

There's chat about race walking and why the IAAF want to change the established distances and why Great Britain's leading race walker Tom Bosworth is not happy, plus diving, triathlon, cycling, karate and Adelaide potentially bidding for the Commonwealth Games all get a mention too.

An interesting week as British Athletics enjoys European Indoor Championship success, whilst British Cycling has an indifferent World Track Championships. We put both performances in context with just over 500 days to the Tokyo Olympics. Laura Muir has won two gold medals in Glasgow on the track where she trains as British Athletics enjoyed their most successful European Indoor Championships ever. For the nation's cyclists, Elinor Barker won the only gold medal for GB in Poland.

There's also news and views on Tom Daley's return to competition and fond farewells to boxer James Degale, swimmer Jazz Carlin and bobsleigh medallist John Jackson - all who have announced their retirement this week. Michael has strong words for the cheats who he believes have done a long term injustice to the British Bobsleigh programme following Sochi 2014, whilst John hails Roger Federer as simply 'the greatest'.

All part of our comprehensive round up of results and comment from the world's of Olympic and Paralympic Sport.

More from John & Michael as they cast their eye across the latest developments in the world of Olympic & Paralympic sport and news.

The European Indoor Athletics Championship, World Track Cycling Championship & Para-Cycling World Championship are discussed.

Plus, break-dancing in the Olympics - Michael and John have a disagreement and why UK cities other than London should be considering an Olympic bid in the future.

British Athletics and British Cycling name their squads for the Euro Indoors in Glasgow and the Track Cycling World Championships in Poland - why Michael knew how many medals Team GB would win in the Velodrome before it happened in Rio - and how John had to run in the rain to watch two men with swords!