UK Athletics has been fined $471,520 after the tragic death of Emirati Paralympian Abdullah Hayayei, who was fatally injured during a training session ahead of the 2017 World Para Athletics Championships in London.
Hayayei, aged 36, was preparing for the championships at Newham Leisure Centre when a metal throwing cage collapsed on him. The athlete, who represented the United Arab Emirates in javelin and shot put at the 2016 Rio Paralympics, was declared dead at the scene.
Subsequent investigations by police and health and safety officials revealed that the discus cage was missing essential stabilising metal lattice base plates, rendering the structure dangerously unstable.
In a significant development, UK Athletics pleaded guilty to corporate manslaughter in February. Alongside the substantial fine, the organisation was ordered to pay £44,000 in court costs.
Keith Davies, the former head of sport for the 2017 World Para Athletics Championships, also admitted to breaching health and safety regulations. The 78-year-old received a community order and was mandated to complete 175 hours of unpaid work.
Colin Gibbs of the Crown Prosecution Service stated, “There can be no doubt that UK Athletics were grossly negligent in their safety management, which caused the death of a talented athlete.” He added that the organisation had left equipment in a dangerously unsafe condition and that Hayayei’s death was entirely preventable.
UK Athletics issued a statement expressing their “deep and genuine” regret over the incident, acknowledging that the failings identified should never have happened. The organisation emphasized that, since the tragedy, it has been committed to learning from the incident and enhancing safety standards and safeguards throughout the sport.
