Emma Smith

And the longlist for best colour piece too :)

Lucy Bronze: 'Incredible' veteran full back remains key player for England Lucy Bronze made her 145th senior appearance for England on Saturday. Few have been better performances.

Lucy Bronze made her 145th senior appearance for England on Saturday, but few of her performances can have been better than this superb all-round display.

Piece for BBC Sport from the City Ground on why Bronze remains the Lionesses' gold standard.

www.bbc.co.uk/sport/footba...

Women's World Cup qualifier LIVE: England vs Iceland - text commentary, score updates, stats & head-to-head Follow live text commentary, score updates and match stats as England host Iceland in a Women's World Cup qualifier at the City Ground.

One word review of England 2-0 Iceland: Routine.

Lucy Bronze exceptional, Lauren James unplayable - but the Lionesses will need to up their game and take their chances against Spain next month.

www.bbc.co.uk/sport/footba...

Big crowds to welcome the arrival of the England team bus at City Ground.
This is the Lionesses' first home game of 2026, their first match in Nottingham since 2018 and their first fixture at Forest's stadium since 1994. So the fans in the city are making up for lost time.

Very pleased to be among the seven British writers on the AIPS Sport Media Awards 2025: Writing Best Opinion Column Longlist - www.aipsmedia.com/aips/pages/a...

England women: Patience key against Iceland in World Cup qualifier England manager Sarina Wiegman says it is

England didn't score until the 47th minute against Ukraine - then bagged six.
Patience will be crucial again tomorrow against Iceland, for players and fans.
Here's what Wiegman and Russo had to say today:
www.bbc.co.uk/sport/footba...

Out of the Olympics pan and into the Lionesses fire, I'm covering England v Iceland in 2027 Women's World Cup qualifying this weekend for BBC Sport as @emsandersbbc.bsky.social is on her hols. Today we'll hear from Sarina Wiegman and Alessia Russo at Nottingham Forest's City Ground.

Jess Fishlock: Welsh football great 'honoured' to be EuroGames ambassador Jess Fishlock, generally regarded as Wales' greatest ever female footballer, says she felt compelled to become an ambassador for the 2027 EuroGames in Cardiff due to the

EXCLUSIVE: Wales legend Jess Fishlock says she felt compelled to become an ambassador for the 2027 EuroGames in Cardiff because of the "political climate" for LGBT people in the UK.

We talked football in her home suburb, trans athletes and padel, here...
www.bbc.co.uk/sport/footba...

What in the World - Winter Olympics 2026: What you missed - BBC Sounds The Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics have officially ended

Delighted to be back on the BBC's What In The World podcast - along with Sarah Mulkerrins - to round off #MilanoCortinaOlympics2026, talking Alysa Liu, Lucas Pinheiro Braathen, Vladymyr Heraskevych and sneaky Canadian fingers. Have a listen: www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

2026 Winter Olympics Closing Ceremony: Milan-Cortina concludes in Verona IOC president Kirsty Coventry says the athletes

Over and out. #MilanoCortinaOlympics2026

www.bbc.com/sport/articl...

2026 Winter Olympics: USA win men's ice hockey gold for first time in 46 years United States win the men's Olympic ice hockey gold medal for the first time in 46 years by beating neighbours Canada in overtime.

Jack Hughes, American hero.

www.bbc.com/sport/ice-ho...

Winter Olympics 2026: How do extreme skiers overcome fear of serious injury? What do you do if you fall 40 feet on to hard-packed snow? If you're a Winter Olympics athlete, you pick yourself up and try again.

I interviewed Olympic bronze medallist Zoe Atkin before Milan-Cortina 2026; she uses her knowledge of symbolic systems and AI, which she studies at university, to logically deal with fear and risk of injury. Fascinating chat with a fascinating woman.
www.bbc.com/sport/articl...

Three weeks ago, the Olympics in Milan started at Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena with Italy women v France. Today, they finish with Canada v USA for the men's gold medal. It is the final the neutrals wanted, let's see if it lives up to expectations.

French Alps 2030: Next Winter Olympics will hold speed skating in Italy or Netherlands The speed skating events at the 2030 Winter Olympics will take place outside host nation France, it has been confirmed.

www.bbc.co.uk/sport/articl...

The 2030 Winter Olympics will be hosted by French Alps, however it has been confirmed speed skating events will be held in Turin or the Netherlands.

2030 president Edgar Grospiron says the contract signed with IOC states events will be hosted in pre-existing venue outside France

2026 Winter Olympics: Polish skater has facial surgery after short track crash Polish short track speed skater Kamila Sellier has undergone surgery after she was struck in the face by a blade in a serious crash at Milan-Cortina 2026.

Polish short track speed skater Kamila Sellier has undergone surgery after she was struck in the face by a blade in a serious crash at Milan-Cortina 2026.

As a competitor fell in the women's 1500m, her skate caught Sellier and sliced her under her left eye.

www.bbc.com/sport/articl...

2026 Winter Olympics ice hockey: Canada and USA to meet in charged final Milan-Cortina 2026 has been one of the most dramatic Winter Olympics in history - in sporting and political terms - so it is appropriate that the final medal event could be the most explosive of all.

At a Winter Olympics which has been charged by more drama, controversy and politics than most, the last medal event being Canada v USA in the men's ice hockey feels like the perfect finale.
Preview ft. history, player analysis, and Donald Trump, obviously.
www.bbc.com/sport/ice-ho...

2026 Winter Olympics: Team GB '25 years' behind world's best in short track Great Britain has fallen 25 years behind the best short track nations in the world amid outdated facilities and rising costs, according to British Ice Skating's head of performance.

A failure to improve facilities over the last 25 years, plus a lack of funding now, have left GB's short track programme well behind the best in the world.
So head of performance Jon Eley says they will look to skeleton, among others, for how to improve.
www.bbc.com/sport/articl...

Head of Russia’s Antidoping Agency Was Involved in 2014 Doping Scheme, Whistle-Blower Claims

Head of Russia’s Antidoping Agency Was Involved in 2014 Doping Scheme, Whistle-Blower Claims

Major story by Juliet Macur right as Russia prepares to return to international sport

www.nytimes.com/2026/02/20/w...

Eteri Tutberidze: Olympic reign of ex-Valieva coach ends in Milan When figure skating coach Eteri Tutberidze's behaviour towards her pupils was branded

After her skaters won women's Olympic gold in 2018 and 2022, the Eteri Tutberidze reign came to an end last night.
For many in figure skating, it was about time.
www.bbc.co.uk/sport/articl...

Alysa Liu: American superstar wins 2026 Winter Olympics women's figure skating gold American superstar Alysa Liu adds Olympic figure skating gold to her world title as she beats a standout field in the women's final.

Alysa Liu was already a figure skating champion and an American celebrity. Tonight at #MilanCortinaOlympics2026, she became a global superstar.
Report from the women's free skate, an Olympic event which truly lived up to hopes and expectations.
www.bbc.com/sport/articl...

2026 Winter Olympics: Who will win medals in fascinating women's figure skating? 2026 Winter Olympics: Who will win medals in fascinating women's figure skating?

Japan to sweep 1-2-3? 'Neutral' Adeliia Petrosian on the podium? An unheralded 17-year-old champion? Amber Glenn to medal from 13th?

The women's figure skating is shaping up for one of the most fascinating finales at #MilanoCortinaOlympics2026

www.bbc.com/sport/articl...

I went to a presser where he talked through all this stuff in detail, want me to send you the quotes?

Yiannis Exarchos, OBS ceo: "There is a question around audio, the noise the equipment generates. For the athletes, this noise they cannot hear - they are travelling at high speed in the other direction. In the years we use this tech, I believe it will be possible to reduce the noise we hear."

Three times a period in ice hockey, they have a 'power break' - a chance for the ice to be cleaned, players to take a drink, and ads to be shown.

Six volunteers clean the ice by skating in unison, pushing ploughs up and down the ice to smooth it out.

Impressive and mesmeric.

I'm asking the big questions here, Paul.

2026 Winter Olympics: What has gone wrong for British short track speed skating? When Niall Treacy skidded out of the men's 500m heats on Monday, Great Britain's hopes in the short track speed skating were finally put out of their misery.

As Niall Treacy skidded out of the men's 500m heats on Monday morning, British hopes at the short track speed skating were finally put out of their misery.
So why are GB so bad at one of the Winter Olympics' most popular events?
www.bbc.com/sport/articl...

Winter Olympics 2026: Niall Treacy crashes out & women curlers win Team GB speed skater Niall Treacy's Winter Olympics are over but the women's curlers beat Denmark to keep alive their semi-final hopes.

Niall Treacy was Team GB's only short track skater in Milan, having been one of 3 at Beijing 2022. In 2018, GB sent 5 to PyeongChang.

Short track lost £4.8m funding after 2018, and now shares £2m with long track and figure skating.

It's a bleak picture.

www.bbc.com/sport/articl...

At the #MilanoCortina2026 ice hockey, it is notable how loud ads tell you "One you have finished your Coca-Cola make sure to recycle the bottles."
The Olympics bans on-field advertising; but IOC says: "We have given partners recognition without changing the nature of the Games."