Egyptian bodybuilder Mamdouh Elssbiay has been crowned Mr Olympia 2020.
Also known as "Big Ramy", he has competed in seven Olympias – the professional men's bodybuilding contest – in total since 2013, but this is the first time he has won.
Elssbiay, 36, previously won the People’s Champ Award, which is voted for by fans, in 2018.
He’s the first bodybuilder to win both Mr Olympia – which was claimed by Arnold Schwarzenegger in 1970 – and the People’s Champ Award.
Back in October, Elssbiay issued a statement after he tested positive for Covid-19 and was unable to compete at the NPC European Championships.
“I stayed five months stranded in Dubai after the cancellation of [bodybuilding competition] Arnold Australia and now another big chance to qualify for Olympia just vanished in front of my eyes,” he wrote on Instagram.
“But life goes on and the show must go on. If it was just about me I would go and compete. I have a little cough but nothing that bad, but it would be irresponsible for me to risk older people’s [lives].”
However, he was issued a special invitation to this year's competition which saw a number of other bodybuilders withdraw, including names such as Cedric McMillan, Flex Lewis and James Hollingshead.
Just a week before the event, Roelly Winklaar also had to pull out because he tested positive for Covid-19.
With this Olympia win, Elssbiay becomes just the 16th male bodybuilder and the second from the Arab world to win the Mr Olympia title since the contest started in 1965.
Samir Bannout, known as the "Lion of Lebanon" won in 1983.
The Mr Olympia top five for 2020:
Winner – Mamdouh Elssbiay, $400,000
Second place – Brandon Curry, $150,000
Third place – Phil Heath, $100,000
Fourth place – Hadi Choopan, $45,000
Fifth place – William Bonac, $40,000
Ways to control drones
Countries have been coming up with ways to restrict and monitor the use of non-commercial drones to keep them from trespassing on controlled areas such as airports.
"Drones vary in size and some can be as big as a small city car - so imagine the impact of one hitting an airplane. It's a huge risk, especially when commercial airliners are not designed to make or take sudden evasive manoeuvres like drones can" says Saj Ahmed, chief analyst at London-based StrategicAero Research.
New measures have now been taken to monitor drone activity, Geo-fencing technology is one.
It's a method designed to prevent drones from drifting into banned areas. The technology uses GPS location signals to stop its machines flying close to airports and other restricted zones.
The European commission has recently announced a blueprint to make drone use in low-level airspace safe, secure and environmentally friendly. This process is called “U-Space” – it covers altitudes of up to 150 metres. It is also noteworthy that that UK Civil Aviation Authority recommends drones to be flown at no higher than 400ft. “U-Space” technology will be governed by a system similar to air traffic control management, which will be automated using tools like geo-fencing.
The UAE has drawn serious measures to ensure users register their devices under strict new laws. Authorities have urged that users must obtain approval in advance before flying the drones, non registered drone use in Dubai will result in a fine of up to twenty thousand dirhams under a new resolution approved by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai.
Mr Ahmad suggest that "Hefty fines running into hundreds of thousands of dollars need to compensate for the cost of airport disruption and flight diversions to lengthy jail spells, confiscation of travel rights and use of drones for a lengthy period" must be enforced in order to reduce airport intrusion.
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