UK Athletics Ltd has been fined £350,000 over the death of Paralympian Abdullah Hayayei, who was killed when a practice cage collapsed on his head at Newham Leisure Centre in east London on July 11, 2017. The 36-year-old father-of-five from the United Arab Emirates was preparing for the World Athletics Championships when the 440lb metal structure toppled over because it was assembled incorrectly without its base plate.
Judge Richard Marks KC described the death as “tragic, untimely and wholly avoidable”, noting that the failings by UK Athletics were not a “one off” but an “accident waiting to happen”. The court heard that UK Athletics had acquired two identical cages from the 2012 Olympics, which had never been properly assembled with base plates attached. One cage had collapsed in 2012 without causing injury.
Keith Davies, 79, who was head of sport for the 2017 World Paralympic Athletics Championships, admitted a health and safety charge and was handed a community order of 175 hours of unpaid work. The judge told retired PE teacher Davies that he knew, or ought to have known, base plates were an “integral part” of the cage construction.
Mr Hayayei’s widow, Badriah, who attended court by videolink from the UAE, described the impact on her family, saying: “I hope the court looks at the magnitude of the harm to our family because Abdullah was not just a person who passed away. He was a father, a husband with responsibilities, dreams and a future.”
The court heard that wheelchair user Mr Hayayei, who had cerebral palsy, had been due to compete in the shot-put event. He collapsed immediately after the cage fell and died later that evening. UK Athletics pleaded guilty to corporate manslaughter and was fined £350,000 plus £44,000 costs, to be paid over six years.
