Sporting Witness

In December 1993, EA Sports released Fifa International Soccer, also known as Fifa 94.

The football game sold half a million copies in its first month and went on to become a cultural phenomenon.

Coder Jan Tian was the lead developer. He tells Vicky Farncombe how his devotion to the task landed him in hospital.

(Photo: Fifa International Soccer, the first Fifa game. Credit: Fifa/EA Sports/ Moby Games)

In 1978, first division football side West Bromwich Albion became the first professional British club to visit communist China.

The visit came as the communist country wanted to improve relations with the West after the death of Chairman Mao Zedong.

The team played five exhibition matches, including one against the Chinese national team in Beijing in front a crowd of 90,000 people.

Alex Last spoke to West Brom legend, Brendon Batson, about his memories of the historic tour.

(Photo: The team sightseeing at the Great Wall of China. Credit: BBC)

In 1994, Manchester United goalkeeper Les Sealey sat down to record his memoir.

He'd played a key role in helping Alex Ferguson win his first trophy as United's manager in 1990.

No takers were found for Les' story and the cassette tapes were stored away in a friend's attic. Les died from a heart attack in 2001 at the age of 43.

More than twenty years on, the tapes have been re-discovered and turned into a book called "On Days Like These: The Lost Memoir of a Goalkeeper."

Matt Pintus has been listening through the tapes for Sporting Witness.

(Photo: Les Sealey raises his arms aloft. Credit: Getty Images)

In 2003, Dutch artist Iepe Rubingh, came up with the idea of combining two of his passions – chess and boxing. Using the cerebral strategy of chess along with the physicality of boxing, the winner is decided by either a checkmate or knockout.

Ashley Byrne speaks to Jean-Louis Veenstra, who fought Rubingh at the inaugural World Chessboxing Championship in Amsterdam.

This is a Made in Manchester production for the BBC World Service.

(Photo: Ricky Rock and Jack Page in the ring during the Chessboxing 2012 Season Finale in London. Credit: Getty Images)

In 2006, Lindsey Jacobellis was riding high in the world of snowboarding and arrived at that year’s Winter Olympics in Turin in Italy, a firm favourite to win gold in the inaugural Snowboard Cross event.

What followed was the most infamous moments of that year’s games, as Lindsey’s Olympic dream came crashing down in a split second. Nearly 20 years later, Lindsey speaks to Jorja McAndrew to talk through the events on the mountainside and whether she’s been able to move on from it.

This is a TBI Media Production for the BBC World Service.

(Photo: America's Lindsey Jacobellis in action on last jump during the Ladies' Snowboard Cross Finals at Bardonecchia in Italy. Credit: Getty Images)

In January 2010, Egypt beat Ghana 1-0 in the final of the Africa Cup of Nations to complete an unprecedented treble, having won in 2006 and 2008.

It was also the seventh time they won the cup, a feat unmatched by any of their rivals in the African Confederation.

Justice Baidoo speaks to Egyptian fullback Ahmed Fathy and Ghanaian defender Samuel Inkoom. This is a Made in Manchester production for BBC World Service.

(Photo: Egypt celebrates beating Ghana 1-0 in the final of the Africa Cup of Nations at Universitaria Stadium on January 31st 2010 in Luanda, Angola. Credit: Liewig Christian/Corbis via Getty Images)

In 2003, England beat Australia in Sydney to win the Rugby World Cup.

The match was famous for England's fly-half, Jonny Wilkinson, kicking the winning points in the dying seconds.

England's coach, Sir Clive Woodward, and Australia's captain, George Gregan, recount that night to Ben Henderson.

(Photo: Sir Clive Woodward lifts the Rugby World Cup trophy. Credit: Joe Mann/Offside via Getty Images)

Joseph Pilates developed a system of strengthening exercises which are now practised all over the world. He called it "contrology", but it's now better known as just Pilates.

We hear from Mary Bowen, one of the Pilates Elders, who studied with Joseph Pilates and his wife Clara in New York in the 1950s.

(Photo: Joseph Pilates, inventor, physical fitness guru and founder of the Pilates exercise method demonstrates a technique on his 'Bednasium' in his 8th Avenue studio on October 4, 1961 in New York City, Credit: I.C. Rapoport/Getty Images)

Nearly 60 years ago, New South Wales in Australia hosted the first official World Surfing Championships. The competition attracted around 200 entries, including surfers from France, USA, South Africa, England, Peru and New Zealand.

The event was held in May at Sydney's Manly Beach and pulled in a crowd of up to 60,000 people.

Australian finalist Mick Dooley speaks to Patrick Kiteley about competing in the competition and how the weekend heralded a new wave of surf lovers in his country, making it a catalyst for the phenomenon the sport has become there today.

(Photo: Bernard 'Midget' Farrelly surfing during the First World Championships held at Manly beach, Sydney, Australia, on Sunday May 17 1964. Credit: Australian National Maritime Museum Collection. Gift from Dawn and Jack Eden)

The Netherlands embarrased England at Lord's on the opening day of the 2009 T20 Cricket World Cup. The top scorer for the Dutch was Tom de Grooth and he speaks to Matthew Kenyon about the famous victory.

(Photo: Tom De Grooth of Netherlands plays a reverse shot watched by James Foster of England during their ICC World Twenty20 Cup match at Lord's cricket ground in London, on June 5, 2009. Credit: Ian Kington/AFP via Getty Images)