Previously camera pictures of the goal or try area of a sports field have been taken from cameras placed along the sides of the field or behind the goal or touch line. This has the disadvantage that on occasions this misses the intricacies of the actions that happen inside the goal area or touch line and is not of great deal of use to referees of the game in determining whether the ball has entered the goal or a try has been scored.

Therefore this has led to a number of poor refereeing decisions in the past and disappointment on the part of fans at not seeing exactly what is going on.

Therefore it is an aim of the present invention to provide a sports post equipped with a camera system which is easy to manufacture and unobtrusive.

Accordingly the present invention is directed to a sports post equipped with at least one camera system in which the or each camera system is placed inside the hollow tube of the sports post. This has the advantage that not only is the camera not visible to the players therefore putting them off their shot or making them play for the camera or providing them with a point of aim for the ball but it also ensures that there is no camera equipment on the outside of the sports post which would interfere with the game.

Preferably the sports post forms part of a set of goal posts or rugby posts.

In the preferred embodiment upright members of the goalposts or rugby posts are equipped with two camera systems on either side. Advantageously the cameras are pointing inwards. This enables the whole goal area to be adequately covered.

Advantageously the goal posts are equipped with two camera systems in the top corners of the sports posts.

This provides the advantage that the viewer can see the action from above whilst studying the whole goal area.

In the preferred embodiment at least one camera system is placed on an insert which fits inside a sports post. This provides the advantage that no adaptation is required of existing sports post structure other than a hole through the sports post to enable the camera lens to function.

Advantageously, at least one camera system is placed on a L-shaped insert which is fitted in the corner between the upright member of the sports post and the top member of the sports post. Goal posts are normally constructed of three separate elements which are inserted into pre-dug sports post holes in the field.

In a preferred embodiment the camera lens is surrounded by a hood which is larger than the hole in the sports post. Preferably the hood is painted the same colour as the sports post. This has the advantage of making the camera hole in the sports post and the camera itself less visible to the players.

An example of a set of goalposts made in accordance with the present invention will now be described in relation to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a prospective view of a goalpost; Figure 2 shows a side view, an enlarged view and a cross section of the top member of a ; Figure 3 shows the other end of the top member; Figure 4 shows a plan side top and perspective view of the insert for one corner of the goalpost; Figure 5 shows the same view for the insert for the other corner; Figure 6 shows the insert in relation to the top member and side member of the goalpost; Figure 7 shows the insert for use in the bottom of the goalpost; Figure 8 shows the insert equipped with a camera for the bottom insert into the goalpost; and Figure 9 shows the side insert in relation to the bottom of the goalpost.

In Figure 1 the goalpost 10 comprises a top member 12 and two upright members 13. The goalpost 10 also shows the corner camera insert 16 and the bottom camera insert 18.

Figure 2 shows a cross-section through the hollow top member 12. As can be seen the top member has a slotted groove 20 in its intended rear side into which fits the securing devices for the goal net. The member has a substantially circular shape and has on its inside two protrusions 22 at the top and two 24 at the bottom forming slots 26. The end 28 of the top member 12 is inclined at an angle of 45 degrees. Figure 3 shows the other end of the top member.

Figure 4 shows the insert 16 for fitting into one of the top corners of the goalpost 10. The insert 16 has a substantially L shape and is equipped with a camera 30 mounted on a mounting bracket 32. The camera 30 can be rotated on the mounting bracket to ensure that it can see through a hole cut in underside of the top member 12 and in the inside edge of the upright member 14 of the goalpost but when in use is generally fixed. The L- shaped insert 16 is also equipped with cable tie 34 at the bottom corner thereof through which the cable (not shown) carrying signals from the camera 30 is fitted and then runs down the inside of the upright member 12 of the goalpost 10. There is a further bracket 36 also provided to hold the cable for the camera 30. This bracket 30 is not strictly necessary and may only need to be used with certain camera types. Figure 5 shows the insert 16 for the other corner of the goalpost 10.

Figure 6 shows the insert 16 in relation to the top member 12 and the upright member 14 of the goalpost showing how it fits into slots 26 in the upright member 14 which are similar to those in the top member 12.

Furthermore there can also be seen an L-securing bracket 38 which is bolted to square head bolts 40 slotted in the

track 20 on the intended rear side of top member 12, and upright members 14 and held there by bolts 42. As can be seen a half aperture 44 has been formed on the side top edge of the upright member 14 pointing across the goal mouth, there is a similar half aperture in the top member 12 (not shown).

Figure 7 shows the insert 18 for fitting inside the bottom of the upright member 14 of the goalpost 10. The insert 18 has a square box section with a slot 44 cut in one side to enable cables to enter the inside of the upright member 14 and a hole 46 cut in order to mount the camera.

Figure 8 shows the insert 18 with a camera 47 mounted on top of a projecting element 48 which is secured to the side of the insert 18 by a bolt through the hole 46.

Figure 9 shows the insert 18 in relation to the bottom of the upright member 14 of the goalpost 10 as can be seen it fits straight up inside the upright member 14.

The upright member 14 has an aperture 50 cut in its side to enable the camera 47 to film and has a hole 52 for the cables in the intended rear side of the upright goalpost member 14.

This goalpost 10 has the advantage that all the cabling for the cameras 30,47 are contained inside the hollow upright members 14 therefore not obstructing the goal in any way. Furthermore the cameras 30,47 are easily positioned inside and can be neatly fitted and removed depending upon the requirements of the game.

Only minor amendments being necessary to existing goalpost structures to enable their fitting.

As will be readily apparent to the reader whilst the example refers to a football goal post the concept is equally applicable with minor variation to rugby posts, hockey posts, Australian rules football posts, American football posts etc as all that is necessary is hollow posts which can accept inserts.