US July 4th celebrations disrupted

Summary

Global News Podcast – US July 4th Celebrations Disrupted

BBC World Service | July 5, 2026
Host: Alex Ritson

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Episode Overview

This edition of the Global News Podcast presents a sweeping update on major global events, with a particular focus on the disruption of the United States’ 250th Independence Day celebrations due to severe weather and political tension. The episode also covers the rising death toll in Venezuela's earthquake disaster, developments in the Men’s Football World Cup, the funeral of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil facilities, mass protests in Germany against the far-right AfD party, and an interview with Brad Parks, pioneer of wheelchair tennis.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. July 4th Celebrations in the U.S.

Theme: Severe Weather, Political Overtones, and National Reflection

• Major Festivities Disrupted:
  The 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence saw key events, notably the Salute to America gala in Washington, DC, delayed and evacuated due to a severe heat wave and thunderstorms.
  [01:02]

• President Trump’s Speech:
  Trump’s address invoked anti-communist rhetoric and spotlighted military achievements:

  • “America will never be a communist country. Won’t happen.” – Donald Trump, [01:42]
  • “Our warriors did not fight communism on battlefields across the world only to have that menace rear its ugly head right back here in America.” – Donald Trump, [01:52]

• Analysis of Trump’s Rhetoric:
  Howell Griffith, reporting from Washington, observes:

  • More emphasis on historical unity and military service than pure politics compared to previous addresses.
  • Subtle references to the “third term” and lingering claims about the 2020 election result.
  • Howell Griffith: “For all the historical sweep, a lot of it did come back to the last couple of years and the last couple of weeks really of his presidency.” [02:14–03:41]

• Use of “Communism” as a Political Label:

  • “It’s rather a way of tarnishing his critics and his opponents, particularly maybe as he looks to the midterm elections coming up…” – Howell Griffith, [03:43]

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2. Venezuela Earthquake Aftermath

Theme: Escalating Crisis and Slow Government Response

• Rising Death Toll:
  Nearly 3,000 confirmed fatalities, with thousands still missing after recent earthquakes.
  [05:03]

• Scene on the Ground:
  Yogisa Le Moye describes:

  • “There’s pockets and pockets of destruction, heaps of rubble, possibly hundreds of bodies lying underneath debris...”
  • Morgues are overwhelmed; makeshift morgue in former shipping containers.
  • Local frustration: “Most of them have said one thing, that the response to this earthquake came too slow. They feel their loved ones might have had a chance to survive.” – Yogisa Le Moye, [05:30–06:58]

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3. Men’s Football World Cup Progress

Theme: Upsets and Historic Venues

• Progress to Quarter Finals:

  • France beats Paraguay to reach the next round.
  • Co-hosts Canada and Paraguay are out.

• Focus on England vs. Mexico:

  • Will Grant describes tense fan scenes and the daunting prospect for England at Azteca Stadium:
    • “A lot of fans of captain Harry Kane, but…a large number of boos too…They’re going to face a far more formidable crowd in the Azteca itself, one of the cauldrons of world football.” – Will Grant, [07:32–08:26]
  • England’s difficult history at the stadium, referencing Maradona’s 1986 “Hand of God”:
    • “Both of those memories are sort of seared into people my age from England.” – Will Grant, [08:30]

• Predictions & Challenges:

  • “If football does what football is supposed to do, then it should be an England victory, maybe 2-1, maybe even 2-nil. But World Cup football…it doesn’t always do what it’s supposed to.” – Will Grant, [09:20]

  • Altitude as a challenge:

    • “England have got a very truncated amount of time to adapt to the altitude...That’s going to be energy sapping for them.” – Will Grant, [09:50–10:36]

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4. Iran: Funeral of Ayatollah Khamenei

Theme: Mourning and Political Tension

• Public Mourning in Tehran:
  Lyse Doucet reports:

  • “Iranians from across this country cue, men in one line, women in the other to get food and water and to rest...They want to be able to go to the vast Masala complex where the former Supreme Leader is lying in state. And then on Monday, what’s expected to be a huge procession carrying his coffins through the streets of Tehran.” [11:48]

  • Noted that the event is politically charged, with “a clenched fist…a symbol of resistance and also revenge. A message from the leaders of this Islamic Republic: the war assassinated their supreme leader and many others, but they’re still standing and still in charge.” – Lyse Doucet, [12:44]

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5. Ukraine Strikes Russian Oil Targets

Theme: Expanding Conflict, Economic Pressure

• Strikes on St. Petersburg:
  Ukraine hits oil installations and military sites; Russia claims it downed dozens of drones.
  [13:07]

• Strategic Aims:
  James Landale:

  • “Ukraine clearly seems determined to keep the pressure up because it knows that it’s beginning to bite and that Russia is beginning to suffer fuel shortages…” [13:07]

• Limited Immediate Effect, Political Goals:

  • “This is a Ukrainian strategy to put political pressure on the Kremlin…to basically bring the war home to Russian people and hope that that puts political pressure on the Kremlin and Vladimir Putin.” – James Landale, [14:01]

• Tit-for-Tat Strikes Ahead of NATO Summit:

  • “What we’re seeing here is a tit-for-tat exchange of airstrikes…by both sides ahead of next week’s NATO summit.” – James Landale, [14:49]

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6. German Far-Right AfD Conference & Protests

Theme: Political Division and Protest

• AfD Annual Conference in Thuringia:

  • Large crowds of protesters attempt to block delegates.
    • “They’re here because just up the road the party Alternative for Deutschland is holding its annual conference.” – Jessica Parker, [16:06]

• Protesters’ Concerns:

  • “I have several colleagues of mine that…directly told me if the AfD gains power, they will leave Germany.” – Protester, [17:01]
  • Police presence extensive, including water cannons and helicopters.

• AfD Political Positioning:

  • AfD seeks to restore ties with Russia and introduces the controversial term “re-migration,” interpreted as seeking mass deportations.
  • Party leader Alice Weidel:
    • “To our political competitors who incite hatred against us, and to those troublemakers outside the conference, I say, you can’t break us. Quite the opposite. We are getting stronger and bigger all the time.” – Alice Weidel (via Jessica Parker), [18:55]

• Broader Implications:

  • Despite fierce opposition, AfD is polling strongly and may win regional power in upcoming elections.
    • “This is a party that’s polling top in Germany and has a shot at taking power at a state level…” – Jessica Parker, [19:12]

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7. Brad Parks & The Rise of Wheelchair Tennis

Theme: Personal Triumph and Sporting Innovation

• Origin Story:

  • “I spent a month in the hospital and I began to think about what can I do? And tennis just came to mind…” – Brad Parks, [20:13]

• Defining Wheelchair Tennis:

  • Parks created the key rule: “Only two bounces, nothing else.” – Brad Parks, [20:33]

• Early Skepticism and Triumph:

  • “In 1981…[the commissioner] told me, you cannot play wheelchair tennis. It’s not a feasible wheelchair sport.” – Brad Parks, [22:00]
  • Parks persisted: “Five years later, of course, he’s asking to meet with me…He goes, by the way, Brad, I was wrong and I apologize.” – Brad Parks, [22:28]

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• President Trump:

  • “America will never be a communist country. Won’t happen.” [01:42]

• Howell Griffith (Politicization of July 4th):

  • “For all the historical sweep, a lot of it did come back to the last couple of years and the last couple of weeks really of his presidency.” [03:36]

• Yogisa Le Moye (Venezuela):

  • “While we’ve been here. When they pull out the dead bodies, what we’re seeing is there are helicopters that are being used to carry these bodies to a makeshift morgue. That’s because the regular morgues are full.” [05:30]

• Will Grant (World Cup):

  • “They’re going to face a far more formidable crowd in the Azteca itself, one of the cauldrons of world football.” [07:59]

• Jessica Parker (AfD Protests):

  • “People who have showed up to protest here are obviously very against the AfD, even say they fear the party. But this is a party that’s polling top in Germany and has a shot at taking power.” [19:12]

• Brad Parks (Wheelchair Tennis):

  • “Only two bounces, nothing else. And I won the tournament.” [20:33]
  • “By the way, Brad, I was wrong and I apologize.” [22:52]

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• July 4th U.S. Celebrations Disrupted: 00:00–04:57
• Venezuela Earthquake Update: 05:03–06:58
• Men’s Football World Cup: 06:58–10:36
• Iran Supreme Leader’s Funeral: 10:36–12:44
• Ukraine Strikes Russia; NATO Context: 12:44–15:41
• German AfD Conference & Protests: 15:41–19:46
• Brad Parks – Wheelchair Tennis: 19:46–22:52

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Conclusion

This episode combines urgent breaking news across politics, international conflict, natural disasters, major sporting events, and human resilience. The podcast offers on-the-ground reporting, insightful analysis, and compelling personal stories, providing listeners with a rich, comprehensive view of world affairs as they unfold.

Transcript

[Alex Ritson]

This is the global news podcast from the BBC World Service. I'm Alex Ritson and in the early hours of Sunday, the 5th of July, these are our main stories. Americans turn out to mark 250 years since the declaration of independence, but a severe heat wave has seen some festivities scaled back or cancelled. A senior Venezuelan official has insisted that search and rescue operations are still ongoing following last month's devastating earthquakes, as the number of confirmed fatalities rises to almost 3,000. France has become the second team to reach the quarter finals of the men's Football World cup after beating Paraguay. Also in this podcast, what's expected to

[Lyse Doucet]

be a huge procession. Millions are expected to turn out. Many will, but many won't. Those who suffered during the restrictions and repression of his nearly four decades of.

[Alex Ritson]

Our chief international correspondent reports from Tehran on the funeral of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Severe weather has been disrupting events in the United States, which are being held to mark the 250th anniversary of America's independence from Britain. The flagship Salute to America gala in the capital, Washington, D.C. was delayed, with attendees evacuated and told to seek shelter due to thunderstorms. President Trump has been accused by opponents of politicizing the celebrations. In a major speech in Washington, he had this to say America will never

[Will Grant]

be a communist country.

[Alex Ritson]

Won't happen.

[Howell Griffith]

Communism is a loser and it always will be.

[Will Grant]

The communist system is the opposite of the American system and the communist system has never worked. Our warriors did not fight communism on battlefields across the world only to have that menace rear its ugly head right back here in America. We're not going to let it happen.

[Alex Ritson]

I heard more from our correspondent in Washington, Howell Griffith.

[Howell Griffith]

It's very hard to say with Donald Trump what was scripted and what was his ad lib. And compared to Mount Rushmore and the speech we heard on the Mall last week, there was less pure politics, there was less swiping at opponents, and there was certainly a greater part of history in there. I mean, bringing on veterans from the war means, of course, he did have to speak about previous wars, American achievements on the battlefield, lives lost and the service given by fellow countrymen. So there was a greater emphasis there and that will be more unifying, maybe, because people from both sides of the divide can rally to that and honour and respect the commitment and the service given by others. However, there was still a bit of politics in there. And while we're on sort of the theme of the military, there was one bit that I was drawn to about him claiming that the military had become more powerful, particularly in his first term. And then he said about to say second term when he said maybe I should say my third term, obviously slipping in there for the fact that he still disputes the result when he lost to Joe Biden and then saying that they'd had tremendous success. When you look at Venezuela, when you look at Iran, we wiped it out, wiped out their military. For all the historical sweep, a lot of it did come back to the last couple of years and the last couple of weeks really of his presidency.

[Alex Ritson]

Why does he keep coming back to communism?

[Howell Griffith]

It's interesting and it doesn't have a lot of structure. These are big swipes talking about the villainy and tyranny of communism, how it's a cancer, he said this evening. Now, listeners may be confused if they think through American history that, you know, the Cold War is long over. More recently in domestic we've seen a resurgent Democratic Party winning in primaries and the mayor of New York seemingly having great success. And that is a left leaning side maybe of the Democratic Party, but none of these people are members of a Communist party and they don't hold to a strict communist ideology. It is rather a way of tarnishing his critics and his opponents, particularly maybe as he looks to the midterm elections coming up in November when they threaten the Republican control of the House and maybe even the Senate. So I think it is a way for Donald Trump and the right wing media here because these terms are echoed and amplified by some of the news channels here and people online that they see the Democrats who are winning as communists and painting them in that way in order to put off the maybe undecided voters in the middle in America.

[Alex Ritson]

Howell Griffith. The official death toll from the twin earthquakes that devastated Venezuela has risen to nearly 3,000. Many thousands are still missing and the government's response has been criticized as too slow and inadequate. The US Backed interim president Dulcie Rodriguez is adamant that the authorities reacted immediately. Our correspondent Yogisa Le Moye filed this report from Laguaria More than 10 days

[Yogisa Le Moye]

since the disaster struck Venezuela. What you see all around, there's pockets and pockets of destruction, heaps of rubble, possibly hundreds of bodies lying underneath debris. Local Venezuelans who had families who lived in these buildings still waiting for news of their loved ones, who are still hoping that at least the bodies of their loved ones will be found so they can give them a proper funeral, a proper farewell. It's going to take a long time for the true scale of this disaster to be known. While we've been here. When they pull out the dead bodies, what we're seeing is there are helicopters that are being used to carry these bodies to a makeshift morgue. That's because the regular morgues are full. So they're taking the bodies from these areas, they're taking it to a makeshift morgue which has been set up in a place where they used to store shipping containers. And we've been there, we've seen families going there, looking at photographs of dead bodies, trying to identify the dead. And when we've been speaking to residents in so many areas, so many people I've spoken to now, most of them have said one thing, that the response to this earthquake came too slow. They feel their loved ones might have had a chance to survive. That's not happened. But frankly, it's even hard to put in words just the scale of this disaster. And that's why it's quite clear that it's going to take weeks, possibly months to even to assess what it will need for this country to begin to recover.

[Alex Ritson]

Yogurt Lemurier World cup football now, and we're rapidly counting down from the 16 remaining teams to eight quarter finalists. Co hosts Canada are out after they were beaten 30 by Morocco. And so are Paraguay, who lost 10 to France. Three more games are scheduled on Sunday, including co hosts Mexico against England at the imposing Azteca Stadium in Mexico City. The England team is already in the city and our correspondent Will Grant has been following their progress.

[Will Grant]

It was interesting outside their hotel as the England team got onto their coach and left for what will be their final training session before the match. There was a really interesting combination of fans who were there to see their idols from English football. A lot of Arsenal fans looking out for Bukayo, Saka and Rice and other players. A lot of fans of captain Harry Kane, but of course a large number of boos too, as people want to do whatever they can to slightly upset or kind of make uncomfortable as an environment for England as possible. It was all pretty good natured. The truth of the matter is they're going to face a far more formidable crowd in the Azteca itself, one of the cauldrons of world football. A place where Mexico have been performing very, very well and of course, a where England doesn't have the happiest of memories.

[Alex Ritson]

No, I was going to ask you about that. This is a place with very unhappy memories for England.

[Will Grant]

It is. It was where in 1986 Maradona and Argentina beat England with the notorious, infamous Hand of God as well as of Course, one of the. It was, I think, known as the goal of the century. I mean, it's one of the greatest goals ever scored. Both of those memories are sort of seared into people my age from England. And if the England team, if this England team hoped to bury the hand of God in the Azerbaijan on this trip, they're going to have to up their game a bit. They have played well. They've got through their games. Their, their first knockout game, and of course, their group, they won, but it hasn't exactly set the world on fire. They don't look like they've clicked. And Mexico, on the other hand, are playing very, very well. They get to concede a single goal.

[Alex Ritson]

Well, I hate to put you on the spot, but who's going to win?

[Will Grant]

You are absolutely putting me on the spot. I think England on the paper. So it's not going to be an easy game. If football does what football is supposed to do, then it should be an England victory, maybe 2 1, maybe even 2 nil. But World cup football, as you well know, Alex, it doesn't always do what it's supposed to. And this could very, very well be a major upset. Nothing would make Mexicans happier.

[Alex Ritson]

And last question, Will, what's altitude going to play in the dynamics of this?

[Will Grant]

It is definitely a consideration. England have got a very truncated amount of time to adapt to the altitude, which is 2,200 meters above sea level in Mexico City. Normally, if this was just, say, the Mexico World cup rather than one that's being split between the United States and Canada too, they would have had their training camp here. They would have weeks to prepare by this point. They would be very well adapted by now. But of course, they're changing from sea level to 2,200 meters above it now. That's going to be energy sapping for them. There was, of course, this possibility that it was going to be played at midday, too, which means the heat would have been consideration. But after opposition from both camps, FIFA rolled back on that, and the match will remain at 6pm local time as originally planned.

[Alex Ritson]

Will Grant in Mexico City. Still to come in this podcast, in

[Brad Parks]

1981 or so, I had a conversation with the commissioner of the National Wheelchair Basketball association, and he told me, you cannot play wheelchair tennis. It's not a feasible wheelchair sport.

[Alex Ritson]

We hear from one of the pioneers of wheelchair tennis. This is the global news podcast. Iranians are mourning the death of the former Supreme Leader, beating their chests, wailing and chanting, death to America. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in US Israeli strikes in February. And his funeral, supposed to take place within a day, was delayed due to the war. His coffin is currently on display in Tehran. And those loyal to the regime are traveling from all over the country to pay their respects. Our correspondent, Lyse Doucet has been meeting them. She's reporting on condition that none of her material is used on the BBC's Persian service. These restrictions apply to all international media organizations operating in Iran.

[Lyse Doucet]

Iranians from across this country cue men in one line, women in the other to get food and water and to rest. They tell us they're heading to Tehran. They want to be able to go to the vast Masala complex where the former supreme leader is lying in state. And then on Monday, what's expected to be a huge procession carrying his coffins through the streets of the Tehran. Millions are expected to turn out. Many will, but many won't, those who suffered during the restrictions and repression of his nearly four decades of rule. This is an intensely political moment. On the flags, a clenched fist, a symbol of resistance and also revenge. A message from the leaders of this Islamic Republic. The war assassinated their supreme leader and many others, but they're still standing and still in charge.

[Alex Ritson]

Lee Stucette in Tehran. Ukraine has struck targets in the Russian city of St. Petersburg, hitting oil installations and military sites, including the nearby naval base at Kronstadt. Moscow says it shot down dozens of drones over the city and the wider Leningrad region. Oliver Conway asked our correspondent James Landale why St. Petersburg was targeted.

[James Landale]

St. Petersburg is on the sea. It has substantial oil terminals and facilities in that area, and it is oil refineries and oil infrastructure that seems to be in Ukraine's targets at the moment. We know that Ukraine has targeted this area and these targets before, and Ukraine clearly seems determined to keep the pressure up because it knows that it's beginning to bite and that Russia is beginning to suffer fuel shortages as a result of striking these oil terminals. And, you know, the irony has not been lost on many people that you now have Russia, one of the biggest oil producers in the world, actually now having to contemplate importing refined fuel because it simply hasn't got enough itself because of so many Ukrainian attacks, reducing its ability to refine oil.

[Howell Griffith]

And how damaging is this for the Russian war machine, and what impact is

[Alex Ritson]

it having on the mood of the Russian people?

[James Landale]

Well, I think in terms of the Russian war machine, not a great deal at the moment. This is a Ukrainian strategy to put political pressure on the Kremlin. The Russian war machine has a substantial amount of fuel in reserves that they say they can rely on for some time. In certain areas, particularly in Crimea, there are definite shortages there for Russia's military simply because of the geography and the fact that Ukraine has been targeting Crimea's supply lines for some time. But the broader point here, the reason why Ukraine is striking oil refineries in St Petersburg and elsewhere, is to basically bring the war home to Russian people and hope that that puts political pressure on the Kremlin and Vladimir Putin.

[Howell Griffith]

Well, Russia vowing to hit back and

[Alex Ritson]

it has been doing that in recent

[Howell Griffith]

weeks and months anyway.

[Will Grant]

Yeah.

[James Landale]

The Russian Defence Ministry has put out a statement saying that the Ukrainian attack would not go unanswered. I think what we're seeing here is a tit for tat exchange of airstrikes, missile strikes, drone strikes by both sides ahead of next week's NATO summit. I think there's clearly by the Russian side an attempt to try and get on the front foot. There is a feeling that the tide of war in recent weeks and months have been turning in Ukraine's favor. I think the Kremlin, Vladimir Putin, are trying to generate some positive headlines for their side ahead of the NATO summit. So as well as the massive and deadly attack on Ukraine last Thursday, we've had in recent days President Putin being filmed in military fatigues, talking to military commanders, claiming advances on the front line and things like that. And I would expect similar messaging right up until next week's summit on Tuesday.

[Alex Ritson]

James Landell in Moscow. In Germany, the far right AfD is holding its annual conference in the state of Thuringer, one of its strongholds. But thousands of protesters have been blocking roads to try to stop delegates from reaching the conference hall. Our correspondent Jessica Parker was there.

[Jessica Parker]

I'm making my way through a huge crowd of protesters. They're here because just up the road the party Alternativa for Deutschland is holding its annual conference. I've been speaking to a couple of people who've shown up here, Stephanie and Felix, who live in the local area with stood out on a road where people are doing a sit in. There are obviously attempts as part of this demonstration today to stop AfD delegates getting to their conference. Is that alright to try and prevent people from going to a party conference?

[Lyse Doucet]

Is it alright to force migrants to go back to their countries with war and bad situations happening in their home countries?

[Yogisa Le Moye]

It's our right to be here.

[Alex Ritson]

It's a right to protest.

[Howell Griffith]

The right to protest against the party

[Yogisa Le Moye]

that in my opinion is not democratic.

[Alex Ritson]

I have several colleagues of Mine that

[Howell Griffith]

they directly told me if the AFD

[Alex Ritson]

gains power, they will leave Germany. They have concrete plans to go to Switzerland, to go to the Netherlands, to

[Yogisa Le Moye]

go anywhere else but to Germany. And I have to say I'm scared.

[Jessica Parker]

There is a huge security operation surrounding this event. A helicopter just flew over our heads. I'm looking at a water cannon truck not being used at the moment. And I couldn't tell you how many police vans, police officers I've seen. We're just going to try and get an idea of the scale of the operation from police spokesperson Patrick Martin.

[Alex Ritson]

We have pulled in forces from all other German states, several thousand officers. We have water cannon, heavy helicopters, police horses.

[Howell Griffith]

The situation is complex.

[Alex Ritson]

Thousands of protesters here at the convention center, but also protesters blocking roads in

[Howell Griffith]

the vicinity and dozens of demonstrations in the city center.

[Jessica Parker]

Now, sections of the AFD are classed as right wing extremist by domestic intelligence. The party argues that's a political smear. It insists it's a democratic movement. Policy wise. The AFD wants to restore ties with Putin's Russia, buy Russian gas again. And then there's the term re migration, a word that's widely understood to mean mass deportations of people with a migrant background. Though the AFD has claimed it's illegal immigrants and foreign criminals that they have in their sights in this respect, not people with. With German citizenship. Nevertheless, it raised eyebrows when co leader Alice Weidel openly used the term last year. This weekend she took to the stage in Erfurt with this message for the party's opponents.

[Lyse Doucet]

To our political competitors who incite hatred

[Alex Ritson]

against us, and to those troublemakers outside

[Jessica Parker]

the conference, I say, you can't break us. Quite the opposite.

[Lyse Doucet]

We are getting stronger and bigger all the time.

[Jessica Parker]

People who have showed up to protest here are obviously very against the AfD, even say they fear the party. But this is a party that's polling top in Germany and has a shot at taking power at a state level, a regional level, in elections this autumn. So the EFT is in a pretty buoyant mood. They feel like they're on the march.

[Alex Ritson]

Jessica Parker in Erfurt. Wimbledon's wheelchair tennis championships are renowned for drawing the best players from all over the world. And this year's competition will get underway. On Tuesday. Brad Parks was paralyzed when a ski stunt went wrong and has been instrumental in developing wheelchair tennis, which he says is a distinct sport in its own right. He told Shaun Lay how his wheelchair tennis career started.

[Brad Parks]

I spent a month in the hospital and I began to think about what can I do? And tennis Just came to mind. I wondered if I could be able to play that. And it was a sport that I wanted to get better at than I was. So it was on my mind.

[Howell Griffith]

Finding other people to play with. Other wheelchair users.

[Brad Parks]

No, I didn't know anybody in a wheelchair at that point. So a month after I got out of the hospital, I went for a checkup, and there was a new therapist, and he's playing wheelchair tennis, and he had a chair that he made in his garage, but it was night and day different from my chair. So all of a sudden, there's another guy playing wheelchair tennis. Right. So that was so encouraging. And we became the best of friends. Probably a year later, he goes, brad, we're going to have a tournament in Los Angeles. And he goes, you're playing in it. What rules should we use? And I said, only two bounces, nothing else. And I won the tournament.

[Howell Griffith]

Congratulations. And that rule is now the only difference, isn't it?

[Brad Parks]

As I understand it, primarily, you know, I mean, yeah, that's really the only thing that kind of stands out. You have to stay in contact with your wheelchair. Everybody straps now tightly to the chair, so you can't really get away from your chair. But the early days, if you could stand up on one foot, you could kind of stand up a little bit out of your chair and hit a smash. So it'd give you a little bit of an advantage. And we allowed that. But that changed as became more professional.

[Howell Griffith]

Now talking about it becoming more professional, the first year in which it was part of the Paralympics was in Barcelona in 92. That must have been a big moment to see it recognized as a sport of equal status with all those other well established sports.

[Brad Parks]

It was a big deal because in 1981 or so, I had a conversation with the commissioner of the National Wheelchair Basketball association, and he told me, you cannot play wheelchair tennis. It's not a feasible wheelchair sport.

[Howell Griffith]

Why did he think it couldn't be played?

[Brad Parks]

His main reasoning at that time was players would kind of shuffle side to side. Sort of when you think of a wheelchair, you couldn't move laterally. And that was his reasoning.

[Howell Griffith]

And you weren't gonna take no for an answer?

[Brad Parks]

Well, I was discouraged, very discouraged. I'm 21 years old, and he's most important person maybe in the world in wheelchair sports. But I just said, you know what? I think you don't really need to shuffle back and forth. Five years later, of course, he's asking to meet with me. He wants to know how we are doing. And he goes, by the way, Brad, I was wrong and I apologize.

[Alex Ritson]

Brad Parks. And that's all from us for now. If you want to get in touch, you can email [e-mail]. you can also find us on X@BBC World Service. Use the hashtag globalnewspod. And don't forget our sister podcast, the Global Story, which goes in depth and beyond the headlines on on one big story. This edition of the Global News Podcast was mixed by Mark Pickett and produced by Ira Khan. The editor is Karen Martin. I'm Alex Ritson. Until next time. Goodbye.