UK Athletics has been charged with manslaughter over the death of a Paralympian in 2017. The head of sport at the governing body during the 2017 World Para-athletics Championships, 77-year-old Keith Davies, is also being charged.
UK Athletics charged
Abdullah Hayayei was training at Newham Leisure Centre in London when a metal throwing cage collapsed and landed on him. The 36-year-old athlete from the United Arab Emirates died at the scene.
Hayayei was set to compete in the F34 throwing events (shot put, discus, and javelin) at the 2017 World Championships after making his Paralympic debut in Rio the year before. In Rio, Hayayei finished sixth in the javelin and seventh in the shot put.
Following an investigation, public prosecutors have charged UK Athletics in relation to his death.
What they said
Crown prosecutor Malcom McHaffie said: “UK Athletics Ltd has been charged with corporate manslaughter and a Health and Safety at Work Act offence. Keith Davies, the former Head of Sport at UK Athletics Ltd, has been charged with gross negligence manslaughter and a Health and Safety at Work Act offence.”
