UK Athletics, the governing body for track and field in the United Kingdom, and a former official have been charged with manslaughter in connection with the death of 36-year-old Paralympian Abdullah Hayayei in 2017, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) announced on Wednesday.
Hayayei, a para athlete from the UAE who specialized in shot put, discus, and javelin, tragically died after a metal throwing cage fell on him while he was training for the shot put at Newham Leisure Centre in London. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Malcolm McHaffie, Head of the CPS Special Crime Division, stated that UK Athletics has been charged with corporate manslaughter as well as a violation of the Health and Safety at Work Act. Additionally, Keith Davies, who served as Head of Sport for the 2017 World Paralympic Athletics Championships, faces charges of gross negligence manslaughter and a Health and Safety at Work Act offense.
“Following a review of the evidence provided by the Metropolitan Police Service, the Crown Prosecution Service has authorized criminal charges against UK Athletics Limited and a 77-year-old man following the death of United Arab Emirates Paralympian Abdullah Hayayei,” McHaffie noted in his statement.
UK Athletics has informed CNN that it will refrain from making any public statements at this time due to the forthcoming legal proceedings. Similarly, World Para Athletics has indicated it cannot comment on ongoing legal matters.
Hayayei competed in the 2016 Rio Paralympics, where he achieved seventh place in the men’s shot put F34 and sixth place in the men’s javelin F34.
Both UK Athletics and Davies are scheduled to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on January 31.
Credit: CNN
