大象传媒

In 1996, Thailand watched in awe as the Iron Ladies, a men鈥檚 volleyball team made up of gay and trans athletes, triumphed over the country鈥檚 best and won the national championships.

Yet despite their outstanding success, none of the team from the northern province of Lampang were selected for the national squad, as the Volleyball Association of Thailand was concerned that they would harm the country鈥檚 reputation.

Penny Dale hears from one of the team, Danupol Nuangchang, about the heady events of 1996 and their disappointing aftermath.

A CTVC production for the 大象传媒 World Service.

Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive and testimony. Sporting Witness is for those fascinated by sporting history. We take you to the events that have shaped the sports world through the eyes of the people who were there. For nine minutes, you become a fan in the stands as we take you back in time to examine memorable victories and agonising defeats from all over the world. You鈥檒l hear from people who have achieved sporting immortality, or those who were there as incredible sporting moments unfolded.

Recent episodes explore the forgotten football Women鈥檚 World Cup, the plasterer who fought a boxing legend, international football鈥檚 biggest ever beating and the man who swam the Amazon river. We look at the lives of some of the most famous F1 drivers, tennis players and athletes as well as people who鈥檝e had groundbreaking impact in their chosen sporting field, including: the most decorated Paralympian, the woman who was the number 1 squash player in the world for nine years, and the first figure skater to wear a hijab. You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, such as the tennis player who escaped the Nazis, how a man finally beat a horse in a race, and how the FIFA computer game was created.