AthleticsThe National Coaching and Training Centre (NCTC) in Limerick is searching for a new director with the announcement that Pat Duffy has been appointed chief executive of Britain's leading coaching agency, Sports Coach UK.

Duffy will continue work at the NCTC until the national forum at the University of Limerick next September, and then start his duties with Sports Coach UK - seeing Ireland lose one of its best sporting administrators in the process.

"It is a tremendous honour to be appointed to this position at such an important time for UK sport," said Duffy. "It was a very difficult decision to move on from NCTC, but the challenge and professional development opportunities of the UK position are just what I need at this stage of my career.

"One of the main reasons I was approached about the sports coach UK job was the record of and esteem in which the NCTC and its staff are held internationally."

Duffy has worked at the Limerick centre since its inception in 1991, taking over the position of director in 1994. His move to Sports Coach UK sees him front the government-designated lead agency for coaching in Britain, which is charged with implementing the 2002 Coaching Task Force Report, and which has seen an additional £27 million per annum directed at coaching initiatives. The core company has 90 full-time staff, while its affiliated trading company, Coachwise, employs a further 60 full-time staff.

Meanwhile, an Irish team of 26 men and women this morning left for Ontario, Canada to compete in the 15th World Transplant Games. The Irish team ranges in age from 19 to 69 and comprises kidney, liver, heart and pancreas transplant recipients who share a common, new zest for life.

The 26 Irish transplant recipients will join 2,000 participants and guests, including family members and organ donor families from 55 countries at the Games, which are expected to be one of the biggest events for transplant recipients.