Pitch testicle grab accused was ‘trying to play the ball’ TACKLE INJURY TO OPPONENT ‘NOT INTENTIONAL’
Upon landing, Polyakov declined to be carried out of the Soyuz capsule, as is common practice to allow readjustment to the pull of gravity.
He was helped to climb out himself and he walked to a nearby transport vehicle.
Polyakov had trained as a physician and wanted to demonstrate that the human body could endure extended periods in space.
Polyakov previously had spent 288 days in space on a mission in 1988-89.
The cause of death was not stated.
A JUDGE has asked to view a copy of video footage of an incident in which a GAA player “grabbed” an opponent’s testicles during a game.
Teacher Michael Friel appeared at Letterkenny District Court charged with assault causing harm to Laurence McMullan at Convoy GAA pitch in Co Donegal.
The accused was playing for Naomh Colmcille from Newtowncunningham against rivals Naomh Mhuire from Convoy on August 19, 2017.
Filmed footage of the game and specifically the incident was repeatedly played during the case.
With six minutes of the game left, player/manager of Naomh Mhuire Mr McMullan surged forward but was surrounded by a number of Naomh Colmcille players.
Blood
One of the players was Friel (25), who it is alleged grabbed Mr McMullan by the testicles.
Mr McMullan can be seen going to ground and speaking to the referee but carrying on playing for the remaining six minutes of the game.
At the end of the game he is seen on his knees being attended to by other players and officials.
Doctors later gave him medical treatment at Letterkenny University Hospital for a laceration to his scrotum.
In his evidence Mr McMullan told of the encounter and how he felt a sharp sting in his testicles but thought it was just a bad scrape and played on.
However, at the end of the game he put his hands down his shorts and realised he was bleeding and was taken to hospital.
A medical report showed that Mr McMullan had suffered a 7cm laceration to his scrotum and had to receive eight stitches to the wound.
He said he felt uncomfortable and it took a month after the incident for the pain and healing to stop.
A report from the consultant in the hospital said that Mr McMullan had suffered a laceration after another player had accidentally grabbed him by the scrotum.
However, the victim said that he never used the word ‘accidentally’ and this must have been used by the medical consultant.
Peter Nolan, barrister for the accused, put it to Mr McMullan that this was merely an accident in the ‘rough and tumble’ of the game and that the injury was minor.
Mr McMullan said he had been playing GAA for 30 years, had been intentionally injured before and felt the accused had intentionally meant to injure him on this occasion.
Friel had sent Mr McMullan a text the following day apologising, saying he didn’t realise where he was grabbing him and that he never intentionally meant to hurt him, the court heard.
Giving evidence, Friel, of Millview, Keshends, Newtowncunningham, said that he acknowledged causing the injury but stressed that it was unintentional.
Proof
Cross-examining Friel, Garda Inspector Paul McHugh said there was no attempt to tackle for the ball as Mr McMullan had the ball at chest level when the accused made contact with the victim’s scrotum.
“How can you say you made every attempt to get [the] ball, are we watching the same thing at all?” asked Inspector McHugh.
In reply Friel said it may not have been the best tackle but it was an attempt.
Mr Nolan called for the case to be struck out — saying the State had failed to prove the level of proof required, adding that this was a sporting situation.
Judge Ms Eiteain Cunningham said she was satisfied the accused had a case to meet.
She adjourned the case until October 10.