UK Athletics has been fined £350,000 after admitting corporate manslaughter following the death of Paralympian Abdullah Hayayei at a training venue in east London.
The former United Arab Emirates athlete died in 2017 when a metal throwing cage collapsed during a training session ahead of the World Athletics Championships. Judge Richard Marks KC described the incident as a “tragic, untimely and wholly avoidable” death.
Equipment Failure Led To Fatal Head Injuries
Hayayei, who competed in the shot put and javelin at the 2016 Paralympic Games, was preparing for competition when a strong gust of wind caused the structure to collapse.
The court heard that essential base plates needed to secure the cage had not been installed. A heavy metal bar struck the 36-year-old athlete, causing fatal head injuries.
Hayayei, a wheelchair user who lived with cerebral palsy, left behind his wife Badriah and five young children.
Former Official Given Community Service Order
Former UK Athletics head of sport Keith Davies, 79, was sentenced to 175 hours of community service after pleading guilty to a health and safety offence connected to the incident.
The court heard Davies had responsibility for the equipment, which had been assembled incorrectly on the day of the accident.
Investigation Revealed Long-Standing Safety Failures
Police investigators found evidence that the same throwing cage had been used at numerous athletics events without proper restraints being fitted.
Photographs collected during the investigation showed repeated failures to secure the equipment correctly, suggesting the risk had existed long before the fatal incident.
Judge Marks said the tragedy was an accident that was effectively “waiting to happen”.
Criticism Of UK Athletics’ Initial Response
During sentencing, prosecutors criticised UK Athletics for its handling of the case in the years following Hayayei’s death.
The court heard that the governing body initially attempted to shift responsibility onto Davies and the venue. Prosecutor John Price KC described one submission made by UK Athletics as a document the organisation “should be ashamed” of.
The judge agreed the approach had been unattractive but acknowledged that current leadership had distanced itself from those actions and expressed genuine remorse.
Financial Impact On Governing Body
While imposing the fine, the court noted that UK Athletics recorded a turnover of £13.8 million in 2025 and is forecasting a loss of around £400,000.
Taking the organisation’s financial position into account, the judge allowed the governing body six years to pay the penalty and associated legal costs of £44,000.
The case brings to a close a lengthy legal process that lasted almost a decade and serves as one of the most serious safety failures in British athletics history.
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