UK Athletics charges Coach Barnes over allegations of inappropriate relationships with athletes

United Kingdom Athletics (UKA) has charged coach and event organiser Chris Barnes with a number of breaches of UKA’s Code of Conduct for Coaches, according to the Federation’s official website.

‘The allegations concern inappropriate relationships with athletes, the sending of explicit images to athletes and a number of other behaviours which, if proven, separately and together amount to abuses of the athlete/coach relationship.

‘He is also charged with bringing the sport of athletics into disrepute and failing to act with dignity, courtesy and good manners towards other members of the athletics family,’ wrote the UKA on its website.

The matter, according to the Federation, ‘will now proceed to a disciplinary hearing before the appropriate UKA Panel.’

There have been allegations of inappropriate relationships with athletes levelled against a former President of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria but the matter was never investigated despite glaring evidences.