Everything we know about Abdullah Hayayei death as UK Athletics charged with manslaughter | Other | Sport

UK Athletics and its former head of sport have been charged with manslaughter after Paralympian Abdullah Hayayei died in 2017, the Crown Prosecution Service said.

Hayayei, who represented the United Arab Emirates at the 2016 Paralympics, died aged 36 when a metal throwing cage fell on top of him during a shot put training session in London eight years ago.

He was pronounced dead at the scene after being struck by a metal pole in the incident.

Hayayei had been training to represent the UAE in the shot put, discus and javelin disciplines at the World Para Athletics Championships, which had been due to start in London the following week.

The athlete had finished sixth in the javelin F34 competition and seventh in the shot put F34 on his Paralympic debut in Brazil.

Keith Davies, who is the former head of sport at UK Athletics, has been charged with gross negligence manslaughter, as well as a health and safety offence.

UK Athletics has also been charged with corporate manslaughter and a Health and Safety at Work Act offence.

Head of the CPS Special Crime Division, Malcolm McHaffie, 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.

It comes following an investigation launched by the Met Police after Hayayei’s death in July 2017, with the CPS stating on Tuesday the charges have been authorised.

Speaking at the time, Majid Rashed, vice president of the UAE International Paralympic Committee, said: “I can say the throwing cage collapsed on the athlete’s head – but how that happened, we can not say.

“He was ambitious, he wanted to win medals for his country and for his family. He had a lot of dreams within the para-sports movement.

“The athletes were very close to Abdullah, they trained in the same centre in the UAE. It’s really very difficult for all of us but we promised ourselves that we are going to continue…

“We are working with the athletes to get them in a better situation, obviously today will be better than yesterday, tomorrow we believe will be even better for them.”