UK Athletics Penalized £350,000 Following Fatal Accident Involving Paralympian

A judge at the Old Bailey has imposed a £350,000 fine, plus an additional £44,000 in costs, on UK Athletics (UKA) following an inquiry into the death of a Paralympic athlete. The court heard that shot-putter Abdullah Hayayei lost his life in east London when a training cage collapsed onto him.

Mr. Hayayei, a 36-year-old wheelchair user with cerebral palsy, was preparing for the 2017 World Athletics Championships at the time of the incident. A former representative of the United Arab Emirates, he had previously competed in both javelin and shot put events at the Rio Paralympics.

The tragedy occurred when a strong gust of wind caused the metal structure to fall, striking Mr. Hayayei with a heavy metal bar. He died from head injuries resulting from the impact. Judge Richard Marks KC characterized the death as "tragic, untimely and wholly avoidable."

The court was told that the equipment had been assembled incorrectly, with essential base plates missing. Keith Davies, the former head of sport at UKA, who was responsible for the equipment, received a 175-hour community service order. Mr. Davies, now 79, pleaded guilty to breaching health and safety laws during an earlier hearing in February.

During the sentencing, Judge Marks noted that the accident was essentially "waiting to happen." The legal proceedings, which began nearly a decade ago, revealed that police detectives conducted years of detailed investigations. They discovered photographs from approximately a dozen other athletics events where UK Athletics officials had used the same cage without employing the necessary restraints to secure it.

Mr. Hayayei’s widow, Badriah, testified that her husband’s death had left her to raise five young children alone.

Prosecutor John Price KC informed the court that in the years following the incident, UKA attempted to shift blame onto Mr. Davies and even directed suspicion toward the Newham venue. Price described a subsequent statement submitted by UKA as "a deeply unworthy document by a national sporting body and one of which it should be ashamed."

While Judge Marks acknowledged that UKA’s initial stance was "most unattractive," he recognized it as a position taken by the organization's previous management team. He noted that the current leadership has disavowed that approach and expressed "sincere regret."

Describing UKA as "a club of passionate members" dedicated to developing elite athletes and grassroots sport, the judge highlighted the organization’s financial context, citing a turnover of £13.8m in 2025 and a projected loss of £400,000. Consequently, UKA was granted a six-year period to pay the fine in installments.

Source: BBC News Generated at: 2026-06-02 11:33:47 UTC