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Doping, diving and God

How can a champion thank God for a win if they have taken performance enhancing drugs?

In the run up to the Tokyo Olympics professor Robert Beckford explores how cheating in sport conflicts with Christian principles.

He asks how can an Olympic champion stand on the podium with a gold medal and then thank God in an interview if they have taken performance enhancing drugs? Can a footballer celebrate the penalty he has ‘won’ and then point to the sky in honour of God?In this edition of Heart and Soul, featuring Olympic medallist Ben Johnson, Robert explores what the Christianity has to say about fair play and whether by cheating you are dishonouring your faith.

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27 minutes

Last on

Sun 11 Jul 202123:32GMT
BBC World Service except East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa

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Broadcasts

  • Fri 9 Jul 202103:32GMT
    BBC World Service except Australasia, East Asia & South Asia
  • Fri 9 Jul 202104:32GMT
    BBC World Service Australasia, South Asia & East Asia only
  • Fri 9 Jul 202112:32GMT
    BBC World Service Americas and the Caribbean, East and Southern Africa, South Asia, West and Central Africa & East Asia only
  • Sat 10 Jul 202115:32GMT
    BBC World Service News Internet & Online only
  • Sun 11 Jul 202108:32GMT
    BBC World Service East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa only
  • Sun 11 Jul 202109:32GMT
    BBC World Service except East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa
  • Sun 11 Jul 202118:32GMT
    BBC World Service UK DAB/Freeview & Online only
  • Sun 11 Jul 202122:32GMT
    BBC World Service East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa only
  • Sun 11 Jul 202123:32GMT
    BBC World Service except East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa

Podcast

  • Heart and Soul

    Personal approaches to religious belief from around the world.