U.K. Athletics charged with manslaughter following death of Paralympian

Abdullah Hayayei competes at the 2015 World Paralympic Athletics Championships in Doha, Qatar. (Warren Little/Getty Images via CNN Newsource)

U.K. Athletics – the governing body for track and field in the United Kingdom – and a former official have been charged with manslaughter following the death of a 36-year-old Paralympian in 2017, the Crown Prosecution Service announced on Wednesday.

Abdullah Hayayei, a para athlete from the UAE who competed in shot put, discus and javelin, was training for the shot put ahead of the World Paralympic Athletics Championships when a metal throwing cage fell on him at Newham Leisure Centre in London. He was later pronounced dead at the scene.

According to Malcolm McHaffie, Head of the CPS Special Crime Division, U.K. Athletics has been charged with corporate manslaughter and a Health and Safety at Work Act offence.

McHaffie also said that Keith Davies, who was the Head of Sport for the 2017 World Paralympic Athletics Championships, has been charged by the CPS with gross negligence manslaughter and a Health and Safety at Work Act offence.

“Following a review of the evidence provided by the Metropolitan Police Service, the Crown Prosecution Service has authorised criminal charges against U.K. Athletics Limited and a 77-year-old man following the death of United Arab Emirates Paralympian Abdullah Hayayei,” McHaffie said in a statement.

U.K. Athletics told CNN that it will not be making any statement at this time due to the upcoming proceedings, while World Para Athletics also said that it cannot comment on ongoing legal cases.

Hayayei competed at the 2016 Rio Paralympics, placing seventh in the men’s shot put F34 and sixth in the men’s javelin F34.

U.K. Athletics and Davies will appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on January 31.