More than the Score

Only 10 teams took part in the men's Winter Olympic cross-country skiing relay final, which was won by Norway for a third consecutive time. They were led to gold by perhaps the greatest Olympian of all time, Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo. Despite his country's successes, journalist Jan Petter Saltvedt explains to Ade Adedoyin why he thinks it's time for the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to switch to a mixed team event. Jan believes if teams only need to pick their top two men and top two women for one relay, that will make standards easier to achieve for more nations.Martyn Rooney is a former British 400m runner and Olympic medallist, who now works as a relay coach for UK Athletics. He says the mixed relay - which was introduced as an event in 2019 - was a great success at the Paris Olympics and thinks it will one day become the main event when it comes to relay competition.Every Monday to Friday, More than the Score tells stories beyond the scoreline from all over the world of sport. From Formula One to netball, MMA to figure skating, and Grand Slam tennis to Diamond League athletics. We've got interviews with extraordinary athletes like Winter Olympic legends Johannes Klaebo and Arianna Fontana, South African football icon Benni McCarthy and cricket superstar Smriti Mandhana, as well as the experts working behind the scenes, from football super-agents 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 average age of a manager in the Premier League in the 2025/26 season is 45. 10 years ago, it was 53. As far as modern football at the highest level is concerned, managers appear to be getting younger. But are older coaches being unfairly overlooked? Scottish giants Celtic have twice turned to 74 year-old Martin O'Neill this season while former Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti  will take Brazil to the men's 2026 World Cup and is still regarded as one of the greatest coaches of all time at the age of 66.Former Premier League manager, Phil Brown, tells John Bennett why players are looking at a career in management much earlier than those who played in the 90s. Brown also worked as assistant to Sam Allardyce at Bolton Wanderers. He says 'Big Sam' still has what it takes to manage at the top of the game and should have been considered for the Tottenham Hotspur job ahead of Igor Tudor. Mark Ogden, senior football writer at ESPN,  explains why the likes of 71 year-old Allardyce, and 77 year-old Neil Warnock - who's just returned to management with non-league Torquay United - deserve more respect and shouldn't always be overlooked for up-and-coming managers such as former Manchester United manager, Ruben Amorim. 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

Wales were giants of rugby union in the 1960s and 70s, but are now struggling to compete at the top end of the sport. The men's team are currently enduring a historically difficult period, losing 23 of their last 25 matches. This includes a streak of 18 consecutive Test defeats that only ended in July 2025 with a victory against Japan. In the Six Nations, they have suffered 13 successive losses, only five years after winning the competition. Wales rugby commentator Gareth Rhys Owen explains to Ed Harry why the team's decline was inevitable, given its reliance on the generational talents that led them to success in the 2010s. He also says structural and financial problems within the country's domestic game could result in the game losing its place as the country's most popular sport. Former Wales and British and Irish Lions winger, Alex Cuthbert, says uncertainty about the future of the domestic game is creating a disconnect between fans and the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU). Every Monday to Friday, More than the Score tells stories beyond the scoreline from all over the world of sport. From Formula One to netball, MMA to figure skating, and Grand Slam tennis to Diamond League athletics. We've got interviews with extraordinary athletes like Winter Olympic legends Johannes Klaebo and Arianna Fontana, South African football icon Benni McCarthy and cricket superstar Smriti Mandhana, as well as the experts working behind the scenes, from football super-agents 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

Menna Fitpatrick was born with a visual impairment known as congenital folds. It's left her with no vision in her left eye, and five percent vision in her right. As a child, she learned to ski with her dad on family holidays - and is now Britain's most decorated Winter Paralympian, with six alpine skiing medals in total, including a slalom gold at Pyeongchang in 2018.At the Winter Paralympics in Milan-Cortina, Menna will be guided on the slopes by Katie Guest, who's acted as her guide skier since 2021. However, Katie was ruled out of the 2022 Games in Beijing by a positive Covid test - meaning she's about to ski onto the Paralympic stage for the first time.More than the Score's Ed Harry talks to Menna Fitzpatrick and Katie Guest about how they've formed a winning combination, how trust is built up in a partnership, and the surprising role of Disney movies in bringing them together. Menna also explains the importance of colour in navigating the course, while Katie discusses the challenges of making sure that both she and Menna cross the finish line ahead of their competition.Every Monday to Friday, More than the Score tells stories beyond the scoreline from all over the world of sport. From Formula One to netball, MMA to figure skating, and Grand Slam tennis to Diamond League athletics. We've got interviews with extraordinary athletes like Winter Olympic legends Johannes Klaebo and Arianna Fontana, South African football icon Benni McCarthy and cricket superstar Smriti Mandhana, as well as the experts working behind the scenes, from football super-agents 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

When the 2026 Formula 1 season begins with the opening race in Australia, there will be two new teams on the grid representing two of the world's biggest car companies. Audi has taken over the Sauber team - it's the parent company, the Volkswagen Group's first foray into the highest level of the sport. The Cadillac Formula 1 Team - backed by the American car giant General Motors - will become the 11th team on the grid and the first completely new team to join F1 since Haas in 2016. But what does it take to build a F1 team from scratch - and how successful can the newcomers to the grid be? Cadillac's Team Principal, Graeme Lowdon, tells Lee James it takes a huge amount of people and resources to ensure they are on the grid. He says the arrival of new teams is a good thing for the sport and will bring more drama and excitement. The former McLaren team mechanic, Marc Priestley, explains why despite there being some initial opposition to Audi and Cadillac's inclusion, and the fierce rivalries within the sport, the F1 community will lend support to both should they need it. The BBC's F1 commentator, Harry Benjamin, says Audi have what it takes to finish midtable in the constructor's championship this season, but doesn't expect Cadillac and their experienced driver-duo of Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez to compete for points and podiums. 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

The Winter Paralympics are set to begin in Milan-Cortina on 6 March, welcoming athletes from all over the world to compete in snowboarding, skiing, biathlon, curling and ice hockey events.Over the past decade, the profile of Paralympic sport has grown rapidly around the world, and the technology that helps para-athletes compete has evolved as well. But when it comes to competing in the cold, there are a whole new set of challenges that athletes and manufacturers need to overcome.Mike Schultz is a Paralympic snowboarder who'll be looking to add to his collection of three Paralympic medals in Milan-Cortina - but he also runs the sports prosthetics company BioDapt, and estimates that more than 90 percent of para-snowboarders use his company's products in competition. He talks to Paul Carter, the host of the BBC News technology show TechXplore, about how he took up Paralympic sport after becoming an amputee, and how that led to him designing his own prosthetic limbs. Mike explains the unique challenges that designers face when creating prosthetics for different sports, and particularly for winter athletes.Paul Carter also joins More than the Score's Ade Adedoyin to talk about the importance of para-sport in his own life, having been born without lower arms and legs, and what changes and evolutions he's seen in Olympic and Paralympic technology in recent years.In the UK, you can watch TechXplore on BBC iPlayer, and the show also broadcasts internationally on the BBC News channel.Every Monday to Friday, More than the Score tells stories beyond the scoreline from all over the world of sport. From Formula One to netball, MMA to figure skating, and Grand Slam tennis to Diamond League athletics. We've got interviews with extraordinary athletes like Winter Olympic legends Johannes Klaebo and Arianna Fontana, South African football icon Benni McCarthy and cricket superstar Smriti Mandhana, as well as the experts working behind the scenes, from football super-agents 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

Aged only 18 years old, Britain's Arvid Lindblad is set to make his Formula 1 debut this weekend in Australia. The Racing Bulls driver will be the youngest racer on the grid, and the youngest Briton to ever compete in Formula 1.Earlier this year, Lindblad talked to the BBC's F1 correspondent, Andrew Benson, about his route into the sport, and explained why, despite his young age, his Formula 1 debut is something he's been preparing for for most of his life. He also considers how he's been shaped by growing up in a mixed-heritage household in the UK, as the son of a Swedish father and a British-Indian mother, and shares the values that his parents and grandparents have instilled in him.Andrew Benson also talks to More than the Score's Ade Adedoyin about what's expected of Arvid Lindblad in his debut season. What would constitute success for Lindblad, and can he impress his bosses at an organisation with a demanding reputation?Every Monday to Friday, More than the Score tells stories beyond the scoreline from all over the world of sport. From Formula 1 to netball, MMA to figure skating, and Grand Slam tennis to Diamond League athletics. We've got interviews with extraordinary athletes like Winter Olympic legends Johannes Klaebo and Arianna Fontana, South African football icon Benni McCarthy and cricket superstar Smriti Mandhana, as well as the experts working behind the scenes, from football super-agents 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 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