UK Athletics and former boss charged with manslaughter of Paralympic athlete

Abdullah Hayayei died after an incident at Newham Leisure Centre in east London in 2017

UK Athletics and the body’s former head of sport have been charged with manslaughter over the death of a Paralympian who was hit on the head by a metal pole during training in 2017.

Abdullah Hayayei, 36, who represented the United Arab Emirates, was injured at Newham Leisure Centre in east London on 11 July 2017 and was pronounced dead at the scene.

On Wednesday, police and the Crown Prosecution Service said that Keith Davies, 77, head of sport for the 2017 World Paralympic Athletics Championships, from Bushwood, Leytonstone, had been charged with gross negligence manslaughter and a health and safety offence.

UK Athletics Limited, the national governing body for athletics, has also been charged with corporate manslaughter and a health and safety offence.

The incident occurred after a metal cage fell on Mr Hayayei while he was training for the 2017 World Para Athletics Championships in London.

He had been due to represent his country in the shot put, discus and javelin, having previously competed in the F34 class javelin and shot put at Rio 2016 and in Doha in 201

Malcolm McHaffie, head of the CPS Special Crime Division, said: “The Crown Prosecution Service reminds everyone that criminal proceedings are active and both UK Athletics Ltd and Davies have the right to a fair trial.

“It is extremely important that there be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings.”

UK Athletics and Davies are due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on January 31.