A MMA world champion hit two policemen on a plane: one of the agents was placed on medical leave
Top Irish MMA fighter Sinead Kavanagh has been detained after assaulting two Spanish police officers on a Ryanair flight from Gran Canaria to Dublin. The incident happened on Monday evening, November 24, before the plane took off at around 19:30 local time.
Video source: X/@AUGC_Comunica
The plane's crew reported Kavanagh's “violent” behavior and called for the Civil Guard to evacuate her. “pilot requested the presence of the police due to two passengers causing trouble on board a plane that was about to take off“, a Civil Guard spokesman told The Sun. “Officers were going to identify them and get them off the plane as the pilot had decided they were not going to fly.”
According to the Spanish media Atlántico Hoy and Canarias 7, the 39-year-old athlete would have repeatedly hit the two agents while they were trying to immobilize her in the aisle of the plane. In footage captured by another passenger and obtained by Atlántico Hoy, Kavanagh is seen fighting with police officers as a woman screams: “Don't do that! Please!”
Injuries and sick leave
The two police officers, a woman and a man, were injured during the altercation. One of them has been placed on medical leave and the other is also under observation. Kavanagh was arrested and held in the airport cell and appeared in court in Telde, Spain on Tuesday, November 25 and was released on bail. She remains under investigation for assault on a police officer and resisting arrest.
Who is Sinead Kavanagh?
Kavanagh is an internationally known MMA fighter, winner of five championship titles. Originally from Dublin, she transitioned from amateur boxing to mixed martial arts and regularly competes in the featherweight division of Bellator MMA. She is part of the SBG Ireland team and is friends with former UFC champion Conor McGregor. He is currently ranked 8th in his category in the world ranking.
The reaction of the authorities
The Unified Association of the Civil Guard categorized the incident as “shy”, claiming the lack of resources in the face of an attack of this type: “No protective barrier. Aggressor on the loose, officers on sick leave… We are the only defense of the citizens and we are facing unarmed professional fighters with NO RESOURCES”said a post on X about the incident.
