Sporting Witness

At the 1999 Comrades ultramarathon, South Africa’s most gruelling road race, runner Nick Bester and his teammates notice something suspicious, as they run the 90km race from Pietermaritzburg to Durban.

Nick speaks to Craig Boardman about his experience in the race including winning it in 1991. However, it was a bizarre twist in 1999s race that stands out for him.

(Photo: Starting line at the 1999 Comrades ultramarathon in Pietermaritzburg. Credit: The Comrades Marathon Association)

It has been 10 years since seven time Tour de France winner, Lance Armstrong, was given a lifetime ban from cycling for doping.

Journalist David Walsh dedicated 12 years of his life trying to prove that Armstrong had cheated his way to victory. The Sunday Times reporter refused to believe Lance Armstrong when he said he didn’t take performance enhancing drugs.

He has been telling his story to Matt Pintus.

(Photo: Lance Armstrong winning the 2004 Tour de France. Credit: Getty Images)

At the Barcelona Olympics in 1992, Derartu Tulu, from Ethiopia, became the first black African woman to win a gold medal.

She speaks to Rachel Naylor about winning the 10,000 metres and beating South Africa's Elana Meyer.

(Photo: Ethiopia's Derartu Tulu (L) and Elana Meyer of South Africa join hands in a victory lap after the women's 10,000m final at Barcelona Olympics in 1992. Credit: Getty Images)

Rose Reilly played football for AC Milan as she was banned from playing professional football in her home nation of Scotland. She was the most successful female player in Serie A. Yet despite these achievements, after she criticised the Scottish Football Association, they banned her for life. In 1984, Rose represented the Italian national women's team. She speaks to Michael Rossi about her determination to play the game she loved.

(Rose Reilly playing football for Reims in 1974. Getty Images)

At the Rio 2016 Olympics, judoka Majlinda Kelmendi competed to bring home the first medal for Kosovo since the small country gained independence. A two-time World Champion from a nation that had endured years of oppression and war, she had previously had to compete under the Albanian flag. The Olympics recognised Kosovo in 2014, and in 2016 she went on to win the gold medal. It was a moment of great symbolic importance for the young nation, whose statehood remained disputed on the international stage.

(Majlinda Kelmendi of Kosovo celebrates winning the gold medal in Rio 2016. Getty Images)

In 1988, the Canadian sprinter Ben Johnson was disqualified 48 hours after winning the Olympic 100 metre final and setting a new world record. It was one of the biggest doping scandals in the history of sport. Simon Watts introduces Ben Johnson interviews from the BBC archives.

(Getty: Ben Johnson wins the 100 metres final at the Seoul Olympics)

Rick Macci was one of Serena and Venus Williams' first tennis coaches. He flew across America to see them play in Compton in Los Angeles when they were still children. He speaks to Uma Doraiswamy about the moment he knew they were going to be world number ones and dominate the sport.

(Photo: Rick Macci with Venus Williams and her father Richard. Credit: Getty Images)

It's 50 years since the Soviet Union and the USA battled out the 1972 Olympic men's basketball final. It ended up being one of the most controversial matches in history. The Americans thought they were champions, but the Soviets won it at the death in very unusual circumstances. The USA team have never accepted their silver medals. Ben Henderson spoke to Ivan Edeshko, who made the game-winning ‘golden pass’ for the USSR.

At the Sydney Olympics in 2000, one mistake with a piece of gymnastics equipment changed the course of a final. It wasn't properly acknowledged at the time and even now, is one of the biggest Olympic mistakes that barely anyone has heard about. Australian former gymnast Allana Slater describes how she spotted the error.

(Getty Images: Allana Slater competing on the vault)

British showjumper Nick Skelton competed in six Olympic games in his quest to win a medal, even coming back from a career ending injury. Having started riding when he was three years old, Nick won many titles, and it was the lure of the Olympics that kept him competing.

(Getty Images: Nick Skelton at the 2012 Olympics)