Ex-BBC Journalist Writes for Prost Amerika on World Cup

Richard Fleming, a 16 year veteran of the BBC will be joining Prost Amerika as a columnist.

Fleming will cover the World Cup drawing on his  nearly 25 years of experience as a sport journalist.

His series will be called an “Englishman’s Guide to the World Cup” and will contain anecdotes from his professional career as well as a very open honest assessment of his country’s chances and he will attempt to explain the mood swings of the English press core which baffle foreigners.

His first piece out tomorrow will examine the chasm between hype and hope that is ever present in England about World Cup time.

A native of Camberley, Surrey, Fleming started in sports journalism in 1989. After six years in newspapers and another five in local radio on the BBC, Fleming moved to the BBC World Service in London in 2000 and traveled the world covering major sporting events, including two FIFA World Cups, the Confederations Cup, five Africa Cup of Nations, and European Championships.

He has covered soccer at every level in England, as well as competitions such as the European Champions League, UEFA Cup, Europa League, FA Cup, FA Trophy and League Cup.

As well as the BBC, he has worked for Arsenal and Chelsea Football Clubs.

His career highlight was calling the 2010 World Cup semifinal match between the Netherlands and Uruguay for the BBC, and counts having a rifle lodged under his ribcage as he tried to enter the soccer stadium in Cairo during the 2006 Africa Cup of Nations as a lowlight.

In 2005, he was the first BBC sports journalist ever to enter North Korea, where he covered a World Cup qualifier and dined with the surviving members of that country’s historic 1966 World Cup team.

Fleming, 42,  is now the play-by-play announcer for the Colorado Rapids whom he joined in 2013.

He joins Nigel Reo-Coker, Daniel Scott, Gary Smith, Ian Joy and Hubert Busby on our roster of columnists.