Sporting Witness

In 1989, Chile faced Brazil in a crucial World Cup qualifying match at the iconic Maracanã stadium in Rio de Janeiro.During the game, a flare was thrown onto the pitch, appearing to seriously injure Chile's goalkeeper Roberto Rojas. Football photographer Ricardo Alfieri was watching with 129 other photographers.He was the only one who captured the moment the flare landed - behind Rojas. Days later it emerged the goalkeeper had hidden razor blades in his gloves. Ricardo Alfieri speaks to Megan Jones about the photo and what happened next.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’ll hear from people who have achieved sporting immortality, or those who were there as inc