United Kingdom Athletics is facing charges of manslaughter following the tragic death of Paralympian Abdullah Hayayei.
Hayayei, aged 36, lost his life in July 2017 after a metal cage fell on him while he was training at Newham Leisure Centre in London.
The incident occurred as the United Arab Emirates athlete prepared for the 2017 World Para-athletics Championships.
The Crown Prosecution Service has filed charges against UK Athletics Limited for “corporate manslaughter and a health and safety at work act offence.”
Additionally, Keith Davies, who served as head of sport for the 2017 championships, has been charged with “gross negligence manslaughter and a health and safety at work act offence.”
Both UK Athletics and 77-year-old Davies are scheduled to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on January 31.
Hayayei, a father of five, was a dedicated thrower set to compete in the F34 shot put, discus, and javelin events at the London championships.
He made his Paralympic debut at Rio 2016, achieving sixth place in the javelin and seventh in the shot put.
The London event would have marked his second World Championships appearance, having previously competed in Doha, Qatar, in 2015, where he placed fifth in the discus and eighth in the shot put.
In his memory, a moment of silence was observed during the opening ceremony of the 2017 World Championships at London Stadium.
