Prosecution over man’s death after drinking contest in China

Organisers of a binge-drinking contest in central China’s Henan province were ordered to pay compensation of US$70,000 after one participant died.

Wang Qiang took part in the drinking competition in Luoyang city in July with a friend. Both men reportedly said they “felt weird” afterwards and fell unconscious, the Xinhua news agency reported

The other man regained consciousness after medical attention. However, Wang never recovered and the cause of death was attributed to alcohol poisoning.

Wang’s family filed a lawsuit against the organisers of the event – the Henan Alcohol Association, the Henan Alcohol Association Luoyang Office and Luoyang Siyue Trade Co. Ltd, for their active role in Wang’s death.

The Laocheng district court of Luoyang ruled on Tuesday that the organisers should pay 447,642 yuan (US$70,000)  to the family.

The defendants did not say whether they would appeal.