A coroner has slammed British Cycling chiefs after an inquest heard how a rising star in the sport, who died from heart failure, had not been given a health check.
Charlie Craig had been selected for an elite training programme after showing promise in the junior ranks of the sport.
The son of a retired professional rider, Charlie dreamed of following the likes of Olympic stars Sir Bradley Wiggins and Chris Froome to reach the top in the sport.
But the superfit schoolboy had suffered several heart attacks believed to have been brought on by the surges of adrenaline triggered by his punishing exercise regime.
Charlie (centre) with his parents Sarah (left) and ex-professional cyclist Nick Craig. The youngster never spoke of chest pains or symptoms that would flag up any heart problems
Tragically neither the 15 year-old, his family nor GP had any idea of his condition, South Manchester Coroner’s Court was told.
Aan expert cardiologist told a coroner he believed huge surges in adrenaline during intense training was likely to have caused the superfit schoolboy to have suffered a series of heart attacks.
Weakened by the attacks Charlie went to bed one night and never woke up after his heart stopped beating.
Charlie from Hayfield, Derbys, was a rider with British Cycling’s Rider Route apprenticeship scheme. His father Nick had been a professional cyclo-cross champion.
The programme helps the most promising junior cyclists become the stars of world and Olympic cycling.
Despite his father own heart problems Charlie never underwent the same tests as his older brother Tom, who was also an elite Team GB cyclist, because he was deemed too young.
Charlie Craig, 15, was chosen to take part in an elite training programme after his potential was spotted by British Cycling chief
The inquest heard that on 20 January last year Charlie went to bed as normal, but was found dead in his bed by his mother Sarah the following morning.
Setting out his findings Coroner Chris Morris told the court in Stockport, Greater Manchester, described Charlie as ‘highly talented, competitive, cyclist, who had a bright future ahead of him
He said the teenager had shown no signs of any medical conditions and had been accepted onto the programme after filling out a basic health questionnaire. He had never reported any significant problems.
The coroner said Charlie, 15, was sensible about his schedule and in the fortnight before his death had been in a ‘low impact phase’ of training.
In relation to Charlie being referred for an ECG in 2015 after his father was found to have ‘cardiac feature’ Mr Norris said it would be ‘pure conjecture’ to say if it would have flagged up anything at that time.
The coroner said he accepted Professor Sanjay Sharma’s evidence that the teen had suffered a number of ‘silent’ heart attacks, while showing no signs of any coronary problems.
And while the exact reason for those ‘silent’ heart attacks was likely to remain unclear.
The cumulative damage they caused led to the fatal arrhythmia, when his heart stopped.
The inquest heard that damage to Charlie’s heart may have been caused by ‘very high surges of adrenaline’ which would coincide with periods of intense training
Giving a narrative conclusion he said: ‘Charlie Craig died as a consequence of a number of heart attacks, it’s likely these occurred as a result of an abnormal response to adrenaline and noradrenaline in his body produced by exercise.’
The coroner said he would be writing to the relative organisations about the lack of medical screening for junior cyclists.
‘It is of residual concern that British Cycling still does not routinely undertake medical evaluation or screening prior to accepting individuals on to their junior training programme,’ he said.
After his death tributes poured in for the teenager who was described as ‘an exceptionally talented young man who loved being on his bike’
MailOnline has contacted British Cycling for comment.
The coroner accepted it may not have changed Charlie’s fate, but he added: ‘All sports have a role to play in reducing the number of young deaths.’
Two weeks before the tragedy Charlie finished runner up in the under 16s National Cyclo-Cross Championships in Bradford, West Yorkshire, despite being ranked number one in the country.
British Cycling’s Programmes Director Andy Harrison said the elite training programme had been set up in 2015 to develop talented young riders to reach the top in the sport.
When his father Nick (pictured left with Charlie) broke the news of the tragedy on Facebook he said the family’s ‘world had fallen apart’. Right: Stockport Coroner’s Court, where the inquest is taking place
But Ian Yates, performance manager, admitted British Cycling only screened older riders for health issue. Younger riders and their parents just had to fill in a health questionnaire.
When his father Nick broke the news of the tragedy on Facebook he said the family’s ‘world had fallen apart.’
Mr Craig wrote: ‘Our beautiful lovely little boy Charlie went to sleep, but never woke up’.
After his death tributes poured in for the teenager who was described as ‘an exceptionally talented young man who loved being on his bike.’
Paralympic champion Dame Sarah Storey described his death as ‘a tragic loss’.
And Charlie was described by his headteacher as a role model to others and who ‘had a bright future ahead of him’.
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