UK Athletics pleads guilty to corporate manslaughter over Paralympian death
UK Athletics has pleaded guilty to corporate manslaughter after the death of a Paralympian in London in 2017.
Abdullah Hayayei, of the United Arab Emirates, was killed at Newham Leisure Centre nearly a decade ago after part of the metal throwing cage – common apparatus at many athletics tracks – fell on the 36-year-old.
Parts of the cage collapsed and stuck shot putter Hayayei on the head.
UK Athletics pleaded guilty to corporate manslaughter at the Old Bailey on Friday, while Keith Davies – described as a senior UK Athletics manager and ‘Head of Sport’ – admitted to a Health and Safety at Work Act offence.
UK Athletics pleads guilty
Colin Gibbs, senior specialist prosecutor with the Crown Prosecution Service special crime division, said: “Abdullah Hayayei was a father of five who should have been able to compete on the world stage and return home safely to his family.
“There can be no doubt that UK Athletics were grossly negligent in their safety management, which caused the death of a talented athlete.
“They left equipment in a seriously unsafe condition, and Mr Hayayei’s death was wholly avoidable – a fact the organisation has admitted.
“For years there was a failure to inspect, maintain and properly manage basic safety components, leaving a heavy metal structure dangerously unstable.
“Our thoughts remain with Mr Hayayei’s family, and we hope these convictions bring them some measure of justice.”
An investigation launched by the Metropolitan Police found the “management and organisation of the discus activity was grossly negligent” by UK Athletics, while the cage itself was missing its stabilising base.
A Crown Prosecution Service statement added that prosecutors concluded that “the risk of death was obvious, serious, and longstanding”, and “the risk could have been prevented by following instructions, using a stabilising base or preventing use of the cage without it”.