Latest news with #SeanFitzpatrick
Belfast Telegraph
20-05-2025
- Belfast Telegraph
PSNI reminds public of drone legislation after Coastguard helicopter ‘put in danger' during rescue
In a statement, the PSNI's Detective Superintendent Sean Fitzpatrick, from the police's Air Support Unit, said the helicopter had successfully aided in rescuing a person from the Mourne Mountains, when a drone was spotted flying close to the aircraft. A drone is the common name used for Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS). These small aircraft can be flown remotely by various types of controls, or autonomously using computer software. Aircrafts are grounded when a drone is sighted near them, typically due to safety concerns such as a drone coming in contact with the aircraft which could cause damage to it. In 2018, a well-publicised incident at Gatwick Airport required a full shutdown after a drone was spotted near the airport. 'With drones becoming ever more popular I would ask all users to familiarise themselves with legislation and regulations. Comprehensive guidance is available on our website, and is in line with the Air Navigation Order and Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) regulation,' said Detective Superintendent Fitzpatrick. 'Following a recent incident in the Mourne Mountains, when a Maritime and Coastguard Agency Rescue helicopter was put in danger from a drone, I am asking drone users to adhere to the regulations in place to fly drones safely. 'The helicopter had successfully extracted an injured casualty from the mountains and brought them to safety where they were transferred to an ambulance and, as the helicopter prepared to lift off, a drone was spotted being flown in close proximity, putting all on board in serious danger. "Police officers made their way to the site where the drone had been seen but the operator had left the area. 'The legislation exists to ensure safety, and essentially drones should not pose any risk, either to aircrafts or people. 'Accordingly, drones must not be flown near any airport, flight path or aircraft, and must not be flown near or over the public. They must also not be flown in any manner that could hamper emergency services when they are responding to an emergency incident.' According to the PSNI, from October 2019 registration has been required by any person who controls or flies a drone outdoors. On 31st December 2020 there were updates in the Air Navigation Order 2016, which included updates for age restrictions and registration of drone operators (owners) and drone pilots. If your drone has a camera (unless it is a toy) then you need to register as an operator with the Civil Aviation Authority. You need to renew this registration every year and display the registration number on any drone you own.
Daily Mail
07-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Henry Pollock backed to be a British & Irish Lions 'bolter' by two all-time greats ahead of Thursday's squad announcement
Henry Pollock has been backed to be a bolter for the British and Irish Lions — by two of the touring team's most formidable former opponents. The 20-year-old Northampton flanker only made his senior international debut for England against Wales in March. But he has put himself in contention for a surprise Lions call-up after a string of stand-out displays, most recently in the Saints' stunning Champions Cup semi-final win at Leinster last weekend. And rugby greats Bryan Habana and Sean Fitzpatrick now both believe Pollock would be a worthy addition to Andy Farrell's squad when he names it on Thursday. 'Looking at his current form, he can only add value to this Lions team,' Habana, who starred for South Africa when they beat the Lions 2-1 in 2009, told Mail Sport. 'He's playing phenomenal rugby at the moment. To be playing at that level for your club is pretty special. 'The absolute exhilaration of youth is something that is really the buy-in for him — the manner in which he enjoys the battle of the breakdown, the way he involves himself in the game, the lack of fear, not only for his body, but in terms of everything he does. 'Would he be a bolter? Yes. Would he be unfavoured? 100 per cent no.' Legendary All Blacks captain Fitzpatrick, who led his side to glory against the Lions in 1993, also reckons Pollock's confident personality would be perfectly suited for the tour Down Under. 'He's a bit of a character — and he can play too,' said Fitzpatrick, speaking in his role as chairman of the Laureus World Sports Academy. 'You need personalities in those environments because it is a tough tour. 'They're going to need two in every position with the same sort of quality and Pollock could be one of those. It will be fun.' Habana and Fitzpatrick also both favour England captain Maro Itoje to lead the Lions over Ireland skipper Caelan Doris, who is having shoulder surgery this week and is a major injury doubt. 'If I was Andy Farrell, I'd probably go with Maro because of his experience and because of his current level of play,' said Habana, a Laureus Academy member. 'Maro would probably be that No1 pick on the team sheet. He has really grown into this leadership role in what has been a struggle in that English environment over the last four years. Having experienced Lions tours previously, he might be able to do something extremely special as tour captain.' Fitzpatrick said: 'They may have learned something during the Six Nations because I thought England were outstanding. 'France were quite clearly the best team, but I thought England were very impressive and were led very well — and Maro played every minute of every game. 'It is a difficult job. You've got four nations coming together, so you need a special kind of person. 'If you look back to the 1993 team in New Zealand, poor old Gavin Hastings had a really tough job uniting that team. 'He's one of the great guys of world rugby, so if he found it difficult, you know that it really can be difficult if you haven't got harmony within the team.' Fitzpatrick believes Australia will prove to be a tough test for the tourists under the leadership of Joe Schmidt, who he knows well. But whatever the result this summer, the 61-year-old hopes the series once again shows the value of the Lions concept. 'The Lions is the greatest brand in world rugby and it continues to be,' added Fitzpatrick. 'Anyone that's talking about getting rid of the Lions must have bloody rocks in their heads. 'We're hearing it will be the biggest touring Lions fanbase ever, which is amazing. It will be good for everyone - for the economy, for the game. 'We just need young fans to engage and things like the Lions is appealing. To only have one competition every four years, the World Cup, would be boring.'
Daily Maverick
22-04-2025
- Sport
- Daily Maverick
Pinnacle of rugby: Fitzpatrick lauds decision to resume Springboks and All Blacks' epic touring rivalry
The Springboks and the All Blacks will resume full tours in 2026, which is a huge boost for a struggling game. South Africans and New Zealanders have an unshakeable belief that Tests between the Springboks and All Blacks represent the pinnacle of the sport — and the evidence backs up that assertion. Winning seven of the 10 World Cups between them is the obvious metric to measure their dominance. The other raw statistics don't lie either. Since world rankings began in 2003, the All Blacks have spent a total of 743 weeks as the No 1 team. The Springboks, currently No 1, are a distant second at 266 weeks spent at the top. Ireland have a total of 74 weeks at the top and England enjoyed 40 weeks at the summit. When it comes to winning percentages in Test Rugby, the All Blacks have a 76.6% winning ratio from their 651 Tests. The Boks are second on the all-time list with a 63.54% winning percentage from their 555 Tests. The next closest is England with a 55.71% winning ratio. Throw in four World Cups for the Boks and three for the All Blacks, and it's clear from the stats which are the two most dominant teams in the sport. Yet, despite their rugby credentials affirming that idea, when it comes to the boardroom and in terms of steering the direction of the sport, the two countries are not at the top. World Rugby is dominated by northern hemisphere members and of the 10 World Cups played, six have been hosted in the north. And when it comes to money and the business of the sport, rugby is struggling. Which is one reason why former All Black captain Sean Fitzpatrick is happy full tours between the nations will resume next year. Grow appeal 'It's fantastic, I don't know why it's taken so long,' Fitzpatrick told Daily Maverick at the 2025 Laureus World Sports Awards, which were held in Madrid on 21 April. Eight matches — including three Tests, four contests against United Rugby Championship (URC) clubs and one match against SA 'A' will mark the All Blacks' first full tour of South Africa in 30 years when they arrive in 2026. There will be a fourth Test, but that will be staged outside of South Africa — probably played in London, or North America — that won't form part of the official series. These are the broad details of a deal between the South African Rugby Union (Saru) and New Zealand Rugby (NZR) to strengthen connections between the old foes. The first series under this new agreement will be played in South Africa in 2026, marking the 30th anniversary of the All Blacks' last tour of the Republic in 1996. Fitzpatrick's men won that series 2-1, becoming the first All Black team to ever win a series in South Africa. The Boks will tour New Zealand in 2030, with a similar eight-match schedule. The 1937 tourists remain the only Springbok team to win a series in New Zealand. 'We need people to engage in the sport; we need to be competitive and it needs to be good to watch, but overall, it must be a sport that the youth of today can engage with,' Fitzpatrick said at Laureus. 'So in terms of how we produce it and how we consume it, it is vital, and a Springboks versus All Blacks tour is a great story. We've got a lot to do to make it appealing. We can't just have a World Cup every four years and that's it. 'The only part of our game that really makes money is international rugby. New Zealand rugby is funded by the All Blacks. In South Africa, the Springboks are responsible for the bulk of the game's income. 'The resumption of the tours is a massive chance to grow the game's appeal.' Hors d'oeuvres And as a starter, the Boks will play two Tests in New Zealand this year as part of the 2025 Rugby Championship. After four consecutive wins over the All Blacks in the past two years, including the final of RWC 2023, the challenge for the Boks will be to continue that sequence in New Zealand. The All Blacks are also on an upward curve after some early teething problems under new coach Scott Robertson. They are nearly back to their formidable best. When the sides collide at Eden Park on 6 September, the Boks won't only be gunning for a fifth consecutive win over the old foes. They are also aiming to become the first team to beat the All Blacks at Eden Park in 31 years. The All Blacks have won 48 of 50 Tests and had two draws at the venue since France beat them in 1994. In fact, the All Blacks have beaten 12 different teams at their stronghold in that period. The Wallabies suffered the most with 20 losses since 1994. The Boks have not played at Eden Park as frequently — only five times since 1994. An 18-18 draw that year was their best result. They last appeared at Eden Park in 2013. 'I think the Eden Park Test will be the biggest game of the rugby year in 2025,' Fitzpatrick said. 'And the following week they go to Wellington, which is probably the All Blacks' worst home ground. That's not good for us either. 'I spoke to Jamie Joseph (former Japan coach) a few weeks ago and he says that Tony Brown (Bok attack coach) is blown away by the talent and the depth you have in South Africa. 'I don't really know Rassie, but what I see is that he's quite happy to, like Graham Henry did with the All Blacks, bring experts on board. He's happy to say 'you're better than me at something, so I'll just be the orchestra player, the conductor, and you coach'. He's very switched on.' Financial strain Globally, rugby is struggling financially and largely funded by private equity money or through the passion of individual owners. Test rugby remains the pinnacle and produces the bulk of the income for most unions. The Boks are responsible for 80% of Saru's R1.5-billion annual income through broadcast and commercial rights, as well as sponsorship. The All Blacks' percentage to NZR's coffers is even higher when you consider that they released an 8% equity stake to Silver Lake for NZ$200-million in 2022. The tour will be an income boost. England's Rugby Football Union (RFU) and the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) both declared massive losses for the 2023/24 financial year — £34.4-million and €18.4-million, respectively. That was largely due to missing out on hosting three home Tests in November 2023 as it clashed with Rugby World Cup 2023. It underlines the value of Test rugby to the bottom line for all unions. Both the RFU and IRFU are also beneficiaries of private equity funding through their dividends paid after CVC Capital bought a small stake (one-seventh) of the Six Nations for £365-million in 2021. In short, they have access to far greater income in economies with much stronger currencies than Saru and are still struggling to balance the books. Which is why the All Blacks tour in 2026 — which will be played under the name 'Rugby's Greatest Rivalry' — is so important. The income from the sale of broadcast and commercial rights is going to be significant for both unions. Income, in terms of commercial value and broadcasting rights for the tour, will be shared evenly although the home union will take a larger share of the ticket and match-day revenue. Unlike in years previously when all but the 1996 tour were held in the amateur era, and even that tour was in professional rugby's infancy, there are some commercial headaches to overcome. Both the Boks and the All Blacks, as well as Saru and NZR, have commercial and sponsorship partners that might clash, or be competitors in the same market. So, part of the negotiations will be around what is 'sacred' and what is not. In other words, whose branding might go where. While it sounds like a small thing, millions of dollars are at play. Despite these challenges, the resumption of these tours will be massive money-spinners for the Boks and All Blacks, underpinned a genuine rivalry between the two best sides on the planet. DM
Observer
28-02-2025
- Sport
- Observer
Sinner dropped from Laureus awards list
PARIS: Jannik Sinner had his nomination for the prestigious Laureus sportsman of the year award withdrawn on Thursday after he was banned for three months following two failed drugs tests, an official said. The world number one from Italy, who is the reigning US Open and Australian Open champion, twice tested positive for traces of the banned anabolic steroid clostebol in March last year. "Following discussions by the Laureus Academy it has been decided that Jannik Sinner's nomination for this year's Laureus World Sportsman of the Year Award is to be withdrawn," said the awards body chairman Sean Fitzpatrick, the former New Zealand rugby union great. "We have followed this case, the decisions of the relevant global bodies and — whilst we note the extenuating circumstances involved — feel that the three-month ban renders the nomination ineligible. "Jannik and his team have been informed." Earlier in February, the 23-year-old Sinner agreed to a three-month ban from tennis after admitting "partial responsibility" for team mistakes which led to him twice testing positive in March 2024. His suspension ends on May 4, allowing him to return in time for the French Open, the season's second Grand Slam event of the year. The Laureus awards have been offered annually since 2000 by a 69-strong jury comprised of sporting greats who make up the Laureus Academy. In 2024, fellow tennis star Novak Djokovic took the sportsman of the year award for a record fifth time. — AFP
Al-Ahram Weekly
27-02-2025
- Sport
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Tennis: Sinner dropped from Laureus awards list after doping ban - Omni sports
Jannik Sinner had his nomination for the prestigious Laureus sportsman of the year award withdrawn on Thursday after he was banned for three months following two failed drugs tests, an official said. The world number one from Italy, who is the reigning US Open and Australian Open champion, twice tested positive for traces of the banned anabolic steroid clostebol in March last year. "Following discussions by the Laureus Academy it has been decided that Jannik Sinner's nomination for this year's Laureus World Sportsman of the Year Award is to be withdrawn," said the awards body chairman Sean Fitzpatrick, the former New Zealand rugby union great. "We have followed this case, the decisions of the relevant global bodies and - whilst we note the extenuating circumstances involved - feel that the three-month ban renders the nomination ineligible. "Jannik and his team have been informed." Earlier in February, the 23-year-old Sinner agreed to a three-month ban from tennis after admitting "partial responsibility" for team mistakes which led to him twice testing positive in March 2024. His suspension ends on May 4, allowing him to return in time for the French Open, the season's second Grand Slam event of the year. The Laureus awards have been offered annually since 2000 by a 69-strong jury comprised of sporting greats who make up the Laureus Academy. In 2024, fellow tennis star Novak Djokovic took the sportsman of the year award for a record fifth time. (For more sports news and updates, follow Ahram Online Sports on Twitter at @AO_Sports and on Facebook at AhramOnlineSports.) Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
