Breaking News: UK Athletics Fined Following Paralympic Athlete’s Death
A judge at the Old Bailey has fined UK Athletics £350,000 and ordered them to pay £44,000 in costs after the death of paralympic athlete Abdullah Hayayei. The shot-putter died in 2017 when a metal cage collapsed on him during training in east London.
Judge Richard Marks KC described Hayayei’s death as “tragic, untimely and wholly avoidable.” He also imposed a 175-hour community service order on Keith Davies, the former head of sport at UK Athletics, who was responsible for the equipment involved in the incident.
The court heard that a strong gust of wind caused the cage to collapse, resulting in Hayayei suffering fatal head injuries. The athlete, who was 36 and used a wheelchair due to cerebral palsy, had previously represented the United Arab Emirates at the Rio Paralympics.
UK Athletics pleaded guilty to corporate manslaughter earlier this year, while Davies admitted to a breach of health and safety law. The investigation lasted nearly a decade, revealing that the equipment had been improperly assembled.
Judge Marks granted UK Athletics six years to pay the fine in installments.
