UK Athletics Pleads Guilty to Corporate Manslaughter in Paralympian's Death

UK Athletics pleaded guilty on Friday to corporate manslaughter in the 2017 death of Abdullah Hayayei, a 36-year-old Paralympian from the United Arab Emirates, during a training session at Newham Leisure Centre in east London.

Hayayei, a father of five who competed in the F34 class for discus, javelin and shot put, was preparing for the World Para Athletics Championships in London when the incident occurred on July 11, 2017. While practicing shot put, part of a metal throwing cage collapsed and struck him on the head. Emergency services responded, but he was pronounced dead at the scene despite medical efforts.

An investigation by the Metropolitan Police and Newham Council's health and safety team determined that the cage had been assembled without its stabilizing base, rendering it unstable. Prosecutors from the Crown Prosecution Service described the setup as a result of gross negligence, including years of failure to inspect, maintain and properly manage the equipment. The charge against UK Athletics stated that the organization caused Hayayei's death by providing and operating the cage without its base structure during an organized para-athletics training event.