More than the Score

The former Premier League striker Benni McCarthy has given a wide-ranging interview to the BBC. He's the only South African to win the men's Champions League - that was with Jose Mourinho's Porto in 2004. He's also his national team's all-time top goal scorer and after a two year spell as a first-team coach at Manchester United he's now in charge of 2027 men's Africa Cup of Nations co-hosts Kenya.BBC Newsday presenter, Isaac Fanin, explains to Ed Harry why McCarthy believes the club vs country row that affected his playing days still impacts African players today. McCarthy says Manchester United didn't pursue a deal for Nigeria striker and 2023 African player of the year, Victor Osimhen, because they didn't want to sign a player they would lose to Afcon for two months in the middle of a Premier League season. The Africa Cup of Nations is to switch from biennial to quadrennial in 2028. McCarthy believes the tournament should have retained its traditional schedule in order to give more exposure to talent on the continent, but that more should have been done to prevent the finals from clashing with club competitions.Every Monday to Friday, More than the Score tells stories beyond the scoreline from all over the world of sport. From the Winter Olympics to the Super Bowl, the Australian Open to the Diamond League, and netball to Formula 1. We've got interviews with extraordinary athletes like skimo star Emily Harrop, snowboarding icon Scotty James and cycling sprint king Harrie Lavreysen, as well as the experts working behind the scenes, from the referees who run VAR to the coaches keeping athletes in peak form. Plus, we've got the expertise of the BBC's top journalists, who share their insights from decades of covering sport at all levels. And if you've got your own take on the stories we cover, we'd love to hear from you. Email morethanthescore@bbc.co.uk, or WhatsApp us on 0044 800 032 0470. You can find more information, along with our privacy notice, on our website: www.bbcworldservice.com/morethanthescore

Broadcasters around the world have reported huge viewing figures for this year's Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. In the US, NBC has said viewership increased by ninety-six percent compared to the 2022 Beijing Games, while in the UK, the BBC has said this was its most-watched Winter Games ever - partly driven by the exploits of Great Britain's curling teams. Five-and-a-half million TV viewers - equivalent to slightly less than the entire population of Scotland - watched the men's curling final live on the penultimate night of the Games.It's not the first time that curling has been a hit with TV viewers, but can it keep up the momentum now the Games has come to an end - or will it have to wait another four years before it captures the world's attention again?Nic Sulsky is the CEO of The Curling Group, who run the Grand Slam of Curling, a series of tournaments that are among the biggest prizes in the sport. They're now launching a new competition, Rock League, which is billed as the world's first professional curling league, with several of the sport's biggest names competing as part of six global franchise teams. He tells John Bennett why for the sport to grow, it must remain visible in-between the four-year Olympic cycle. Taking part in the new event will be Grant Hardie - a two-time World Champion and double Olympic silver medallist as part of Bruce Mouat's Team GB men's rink in Italy. He explains why he and the curling community are excited by a professional league and why being able to 'trash talk' his Team GB teammates during play will be fun for players, spectators and viewers. Every Monday to Friday, More than the Score tells stories beyond the scoreline from all over the world of sport. From the Winter Olympics to the Super Bowl, the Australian Open to the Diamond League, and netball to Formula 1. We've got interviews with extraordinary athletes like skimo star Emily Harrop, snowboarding icon Scotty James and cycling sprint king Harrie Lavreysen, as well as the experts working behind the scenes, from the referees who run VAR to the coaches keeping athletes in peak form. Plus, we've got the expertise of the BBC's top journalists, who share their insights from decades of covering sport at all levels. And if you've got your own take on the stories we cover, we'd love to hear from you. Email morethanthescore@bbc.co.uk, or WhatsApp us on 0044 800 032 0470. You can find more information, along with our privacy notice, on our website: www.bbcworldservice.com/morethanthescore

UFC legend Ronda Rousey is scheduled to face Gina Carano on 16 May in California. Both women have been long retired and will undergo stricter "neurological and concussion" medical tests before they are cleared to return to MMA. Rousey has spoken at length about serious concussion problems throughout her athletic career and said it contributed to her decision to retire from MMA 10 years ago so is her return a good thing for her and the sport? Ade Adedoyin is joined by the BBC’s Mixed Martial Arts writer, Paul Battison and by Rosi Sexton, who was the first British woman to compete in the UFC, to discuss Rousey’s return. Battison believes Rousey is second only to Conor McGregor in terms of fame in the sport and that she inspired so many women to take up MMA. We also hear an interview he did with Rousey in 2024 where she discusses issues she’s had with concussion. Rosi Sexton says she has mixed feelings about Rousey’s comeback given her concussion history and that there’s so much we still don’t know about how the brain reacts to trauma. Sexton hopes the fight does both women’s legacies justice and that they both come out of it healthily. Every Monday to Friday, More than the Score tells stories beyond the scoreline from all over the world of sport. From the Winter Olympics to the Super Bowl, the Australian Open to the Diamond League, and netball to Formula 1. We've got interviews with extraordinary athletes like skimo star Emily Harrop, snowboarding icon Scotty James and cycling sprint king Harrie Lavreysen, as well as the experts working behind the scenes, from the referees who run VAR to the coaches keeping athletes in peak form. Plus, we've got the expertise of the BBC's top journalists, who share their insights from decades of covering sport at all levels. And if you've got your own take on the stories we cover, we'd love to hear from you. Email morethanthescore@bbc.co.uk, or WhatsApp us on 0044 800 032 0470. You can find more information, along with our privacy notice, on our website: www.bbcworldservice.com/morethanthescore

Making your negative feelings known in football has long been an accepted part of the game. For players and match officials, it is what they have come to expect at some point in their careers. But are fans booing their own team and manager more than ever? Wayne Rooney, who made headlines in 2010 after hitting out at England fans for booing the team, remembers being booed quite a lot in his career. He believes the use of camera phones and social media has seen it become more noticeable in the modern game. While his former England team-mate, Joe Hart, describes the act of booing as 'pantomime'. Stephen Smith - chair of the British Psychological Society's Division of Sport and Exercise Psychology - explains the science behind booing to Ade Adedoyin and why it's part of our DNA. He also believes the bond between players and fans has changed following increased commercialisation of the sport.  Ali Speechly says booing her beloved, but struggling Tottenham Hotspur, would only impact negatively on the team.Every Monday to Friday, More than the Score tells stories beyond the scoreline from all over the world of sport. From the Winter Olympics to the Super Bowl, the Australian Open to the Diamond League, and netball to Formula 1. We've got interviews with extraordinary athletes like skimo star Emily Harrop, snowboarding icon Scotty James and cycling sprint king Harrie Lavreysen, as well as the experts working behind the scenes, from the referees who run VAR to the coaches keeping athletes in peak form. Plus, we've got the expertise of the BBC's top journalists, who share their insights from decades of covering sport at all levels. And if you've got your own take on the stories we cover, we'd love to hear from you. Email morethanthescore@bbc.co.uk, or WhatsApp us on 0044 800 032 0470. You can find more information, along with our privacy notice, on our website: www.bbcworldservice.com/morethanthescore

Norway’s Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo is the first athlete to win six gold medals at a Winter Olympics, so was it a greatest of all time (GOAT) performance in terms of an individual athlete at a games? He completed his historic gold medal sweep of the men’s cross-country skiing events after winning his sixth race. Klaebo’s victory in the 50-kilometer mass start race shattered the nearly 50-year record set by American speed skater Eric Heiden, who won five golds in the 1980 Lake Placid Olympics. The win extends Klaebo’s record for most career Winter Olympic gold medals to 11 over three Games. The previous record had been eight. He now has the second-most Olympic gold medals overall behind the U.S. swimming great Michael Phelps who has 23. Klaebo spoke to the BBC’s Lee James while he was competing at the Games in Italy and told him he finds the comparisons to Phelps “pretty cool”. He also chatted about how he hopes to win even more gold medals at the next games in 2030 and how he feels Norway striker Erling Haaland would fare in Cross-Country Skiing. Lee is also joined by the journalist, Jan Petter Saltvedt, who explains what Klaebo means to people in Norway and tells us he believes Klaebo could compete at another two Olympic Games and end his career with twenty gold medals.Every Monday to Friday, More than the Score tells stories beyond the scoreline from all over the world of sport. From the Winter Olympics to the Super Bowl, the Australian Open to the Diamond League, and netball to Formula 1. We've got interviews with extraordinary athletes like skimo star Emily Harrop, snowboarding icon Scotty James and cycling sprint king Harrie Lavreysen, as well as the experts working behind the scenes, from the referees who run VAR to the coaches keeping athletes in peak form. Plus, we've got the expertise of the BBC's top journalists, who share their insights from decades of covering sport at all levels. And if you've got your own take on the stories we cover, we'd love to hear from you. Email morethanthescore@bbc.co.uk, or WhatsApp us on 0044 800 032 0470. You can find more information, along with our privacy notice, on our website: www.bbcworldservice.com/morethanthescore

Italy's men's international rugby team have gone from perennial Six Nations strugglers to talk of one day winning the competition. In the not-too-distant past, they were almost certain to be awarded the wooden spoon for finishing bottom of the table behind England, France, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. In fact, throughout much of the late 2010s and the early 2020s, there was plenty of demand for Italy to be removed from the tournament, and a relegation and promotion system brought in to make up for their record 18 campaigns propping up the rest. Francesco Palma, editor-in-chief at OnRugby.it and a contributor to Gazzeta dello Sport tells Ade Adedoyin how the arrival of Gonzalo Quesda as head coach in 2024, coupled with an exciting crop of young players, including Tommaso Menoncello, has changed the mentality of the side and its supporters. Rugby Union Correspondent at the Times, Mark Palmer, explains why Italy's impressive win over Scotland in the opening round of the 2026 Six Nations was not considered to be the huge upset it would have been five years ago and proves the side is heading in the right direction ahead of the 2027 Rugby World Cup.Every Monday to Friday, More than the Score tells stories beyond the scoreline from all over the world of sport. From the Winter Olympics to the Super Bowl, the Australian Open to the Diamond League, and netball to Formula 1. We've got interviews with extraordinary athletes like skimo star Emily Harrop, snowboarding icon Scotty James and cycling sprint king Harrie Lavreysen, as well as the experts working behind the scenes, from the referees who run VAR to the coaches keeping athletes in peak form. Plus, we've got the expertise of the BBC's top journalists, who share their insights from decades of covering sport at all levels. And if you've got your own take on the stories we cover, we'd love to hear from you. Email morethanthescore@bbc.co.uk, or WhatsApp us on 0044 800 032 0470. You can find more information, along with our privacy notice, on our website: www.bbcworldservice.com/morethanthescore

England's Women's Super League, or WSL, is one of the richest leagues in women's football, with players from many countries - but it's proven particularly attractive for Swedish footballers. Twenty-three Swedes play across the league, including such names as Manchester United's Fridolina Rolfo and Hanna Lundkvist, as well as Arsenal's Stina Blackstenius.But has that damaged Sweden's own league, the Damallsvenskan, and what does the flow of players to other countries mean for the country's youth development?Swedish football journalist Amanda Zaza and Mia Eriksson, communication manager at Swedish side Linköping, join the BBC's Sophia Hartley to discuss the qualities that make Swedish players so attractive to WSL clubs, whether the number of players moving abroad is having an effect on Swedish domestic football, and if the country's top clubs, like Häcken and Hammarby, are still forces to be reckoned with in Europe.Every Monday to Friday, More than the Score tells stories beyond the scoreline from all over the world of sport. From the Winter Olympics to the Super Bowl, the Australian Open to the Diamond League, and netball to Formula 1. We've got interviews with extraordinary athletes like skimo star Emily Harrop, snowboarding icon Scotty James and cycling sprint king Harrie Lavreysen, as well as the experts working behind the scenes, from the referees who run VAR to the coaches keeping athletes in peak form. Plus, we've got the expertise of the BBC's top journalists, who share their insights from decades of covering sport at all levels. And if you've got your own take on the stories we cover, we'd love to hear from you. Email morethanthescore@bbc.co.uk, or WhatsApp us on 0044 800 032 0470. You can find more information, along with our privacy notice, on our website: www.bbcworldservice.com/morethanthescore

World Cup-winning cricketer Smriti Mandhana has been named BBC Indian Sportswoman of the Year for 2025 - the first cricketer to win the award. As vice-captain, she helped her country to win the 2025 ICC Women's Cricket World Cup, scoring 434 runs across the tournament. Mandhana was chosen by a distinguished grand jury comprising tennis great Leander Paes, Paralympic medallist Deepa Malik and World Championship long-jump medallist Anju Bobby George.Smriti Mandhana explains why she hopes her achievements can inspire India's next generation, while Sophia Hartley is joined by BBC News India's Ishadrita Lahiri to tell us more about the award and the other notable winners at the event in Delhi.Every Monday to Friday, More than the Score tells stories beyond the scoreline from all over the world of sport. From the Winter Olympics to the Super Bowl, the Australian Open to the Diamond League, and netball to Formula 1. We've got interviews with extraordinary athletes like speed skating legend Arianna Fontana, snowboarding icon Scotty James, and Albania's teen skiing star Lara Colturi, as well as the experts working behind the scenes, from the choreographers who design figure skating routines to the people who prepare the field for the Super Bowl. Plus, we've got the expertise of the BBC's top journalists, who share their insights from decades of covering sport at all levels.And if you've got your own take on the stories we cover, we'd love to hear from you. Email morethanthescore@bbc.co.uk, or WhatsApp us on 0044 800 032 0470. You can find more information, along with our privacy notice, on our website: www.bbcworldservice.com/morethanthescore

Emily Harrop is the dominant force in the sport of ski mountaineering, or skimo – an intense, demanding discipline that combines cross-country and alpine skiing. The French racer has won the sport's overall and sprint World Cup titles for the past four seasons, and as skimo joins the Olympic programme at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, Harrop is the hot favourite to become its first gold medalist.Raised in the French Alps by two English parents, Emily Harrop began her sporting life as an alpine skier, but took up skimo aged 20. Eight years later, she's preparing for the race of her life, while also dealing with the pressures that come with her sport receiving more attention than it ever has before.Earlier this year, Emily Harrop talked to the BBC's Ed Harry about her journey through sport, her approach to skimo training, the role that the French military has played in developing her as an athlete, and what it's like growing up with British parents in France - as well as what she's drawn from both cultures. Harrop also explains why she hopes ski mountaineering will show audiences a new way of looking at the mountainsEvery Monday to Friday, More than the Score tells stories beyond the scoreline from all over the world of sport. From the Winter Olympics to the Super Bowl, the Australian Open to the Diamond League, and netball to Formula 1. We've got interviews with extraordinary athletes like speed skating legend Arianna Fontana, snowboarding icon Scotty James, and Albania's teen skiing star Lara Colturi, as well as the experts working behind the scenes, from the choreographers who design figure skating routines to the people who prepare the field for the Super Bowl. Plus, we've got the expertise of the BBC's top journalists, who share their insights from decades of covering sport at all levels.And if you've got your own take on the stories we cover, we'd love to hear from you. Email morethanthescore@bbc.co.uk, or WhatsApp us on 0044 800 032 0470. You can find more information, along with our privacy notice, on our website: www.bbcworldservice.com/morethanthescore

Sturla Holm Laegreid won a bronze medal in the men's 20km biathlon at the Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina - then tearfully confessed to TV cameras that he had cheated on his girlfriend, and wanted to reconcile with her. It was the most unexpected moment of the Games, and suddenly put biathlon in the headlines all over the world.And that's not the only controversy that's put the spotlight on biathlon in the past fortnight. French biathlete Julia Simon has won two golds at the Games so far, only a few months after being found guilty of theft and credit-card fraud after using bank cards belonging to a teammate and a French team staff member without their permission. After winning the women's 15km individual race, she very publicly made a shushing gesture in the direction of a journalist who'd criticised her.It's led to biathlon receiving global attention like never before. Will that be good for the sport's future, and can it capitalise on its profile outside the Olympic window?Jens Friberg is a sports journalist who's covering the Winter Olympics for the Norwegian newspaper VG. He tells the BBC's Sophia Hartley how much biathlon matters in Norway, the most successful nation in Olympic biathlon history, and how the death of Norwegian biathlete Sivert Bakken in the run-up to the Games has affected both the sport and the country.Will Prov is an English podcaster who covers the biathlon circuit in his podcast The Biathlon Podcast. He discusses some of the biggest Olympic biathlon stories that have received slightly less attention during the Games, including the historic triumph of Italy's Lisa Vitozzi, and shares how a BBC TV programme was responsible for drawing his attention to the sport in the first place.Every Monday to Friday, More than the Score tells stories beyond the scoreline from all over the world of sport. From the Winter Olympics to the Super Bowl, the Australian Open to the Diamond League, and netball to Formula 1. We've got interviews with extraordinary athletes like speed skating legend Arianna Fontana, snowboarding icon Scotty James, and Albania's teen skiing star Lara Colturi, as well as the experts working behind the scenes, from the referees who run VAR to the coaches keeping athletes in peak form. Plus, we've got the expertise of the BBC's top journalists, who share their insights from decades of covering sport at all levels. And if you've got your own take on the stories we cover, we'd love to hear from you. Email morethanthescore@bbc.co.uk, or WhatsApp us on 0044 800 032 0470. You can find more information, along with our privacy notice, on our website: www.bbcworldservice.com/morethanthescore

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

More than 3500 athletes from 93 countries will be competing for 195 medals at the Milan-Cortina Games. Three countries will be making their Winter Olympic debuts at the 2026 Games, the African nations of Benin and Guinea Bissau along with the United Arab Emirates. But with the established winter sport nations such as Norway, the United States of America, Canada and Germany looking to dominate the medal table once again, how hard is it for new countries to compete on the world stage?Eight African nations will be represented this time with Eritrea, Kenya, Madagascar, Morocco, Nigeria and South Africa along with the two debutants taking part. South Africa is sending its largest ever team with five athletes, but over six decades since an African nation made its Winter Olympics debut, the continent's first medal remains elusive.Matt Smith only took up the sport three years ago and is now going to be South Africa's sole cross-country skier in the upcoming games. He tells Lee James why he hopes his inclusion can inspire generations to come, and why he's been nicknamed the 'Snowbok'. Simidele Adeagbo became the first Nigerian to compete at the Winter Olympics in 2018 and was the first black female Olympian in the sport of Skeleton. She says with a more than a billion people on the African continent it's important its athletes are proportionately represented when it comes to the Winter Olympics. Every Monday to Friday, More than the Score tells stories beyond the scoreline from all over the world of sport. From the Winter Olympics to the Super Bowl, the Australian Open to the Diamond League, and netball to Formula 1. We've got interviews with extraordinary athletes like Ivory Coast legend Yaya Toure, boxing royalty Cecilia Braekhus and cycling sprint king Harrie Lavreysen, as well as the experts working behind the scenes, from the referees who run VAR to the coaches keeping athletes in peak form. Plus, we've got the expertise of the BBC's top journalists, who share their insights from decades of covering sport at all levels. And if you've got your own take on the stories we cover, we'd love to hear from you. Email morethanthescore@bbc.co.uk, or WhatsApp us on 0044 800 032 0470. You can find more information, along with our privacy notice, on our website: www.bbcworldservice.com/morethanthescore

With transfer windows closing in some of Europe's major leagues on February 2nd, we hear from one of the most powerful agents in football. Rafaela Pimenta's clients include Manchester City striker Erling Haaland, Liverpool manager Arne Slot and 17-year-old Mexican wonderkid Gilberto Mora.In an in-depth interview with the BBC’s Simon Stone, Pimenta discusses the sexism she has faced during her career and she gives her thoughts on the transfer window. Pimenta says "We are in a transfer window, and I can bet you, because I see it at the end of every window, somebody will cry. There's always a player crying because he could have gone, needed to go and a club said they want £1m more." Every Monday to Friday, More than the Score tells stories beyond the scoreline from all over the world of sport. From the Winter Olympics to the Super Bowl, the Australian Open to the Diamond League, and netball to Formula 1. We've got interviews with extraordinary athletes like Ivory Coast legend Yaya Toure, boxing royalty Cecilia Braekhus and cycling sprint king Harrie Lavreysen, as well as the experts working behind the scenes, from the referees who run VAR to the coaches keeping athletes in peak form. Plus, we've got the expertise of the BBC's top journalists, who share their insights from decades of covering sport at all levels. And if you've got your own take on the stories we cover, we'd love to hear from you. Email morethanthescore@bbc.co.uk, or WhatsApp us on 0044 800 032 0470. You can find more information, along with our privacy notice, on our website: www.bbcworldservice.com/morethanthescore