Paralympic Athlete’s Death Was ‘Accident Waiting to Happen,’ Court Told

The death of Paralympic shot putter Abdullah Hayayei was the result of an "accident waiting to happen," a court heard as sentencing proceedings commenced at the Old Bailey. Hayayei, a UAE athlete who competed in a wheelchair, lost his life in July 2017 when a training cage collapsed during a gust of wind at a facility in Newham, London. He was preparing for the World Para Athletics Championships at the time of the tragedy.

UK Athletics, the body responsible for the event, and Keith Davies, the organization’s former head of sport, are currently facing sentencing for corporate manslaughter and a breach of health and safety laws, respectively. Both defendants entered guilty pleas earlier this year.

Prosecuting counsel John Price KC informed Judge Richard Marks KC that the equipment responsible for the fatal injury lacked essential components. The entire structure gave way in the wind, causing a 25kg metal bar to strike Hayayei on the head. The 36-year-old, who had cerebral palsy, died immediately at the scene.

The court listened to a victim impact statement from Hayayei’s widow, Badriah Rashid Zayed Al-Yahyaei. She recounted the devastation of losing her husband, leaving her to raise five young children alone.

"I was expecting news of his victory and success," she told the court. "Suddenly, the news arrived. At first, I could not comprehend it and refused to believe it. That moment remains vivid in my mind even today."

Al-Yahyaei emphasized that the tragedy was preventable, stating, "What happened was a result of gross negligence that could have been avoided had safety rules been adhered to. My husband went out to represent his country and raise the name of the UAE, and he returned as a corpse."

During the hearing, Mr. Davies and representatives from UK Athletics heard how key base support parts were missing from the heavy shot-putting cage on the day of the incident. While Mr. Davies had previously told investigators that the equipment had been assembled according to instructions, Mr. Price argued that the official "ought to have known that it was incorrect."

"The evidence shows he actually knew it, and therefore this was not a truthful statement by him," the prosecutor added.

An expert who inspected the Newham site after the accident confirmed that several bolts were missing. Mr. Price alleged that there existed a "culture and practice" of assembling the cage without these critical pieces, labeling the situation an "accident waiting to happen."

Furthermore, Mr. Price criticized a legal statement produced by UK Athletics years after the death, describing it as a "deeply unworthy document by a national sporting body and one of which it should be ashamed." He accused the organization of attempting to shift all blame onto Mr. Davies and even implying fault lay with the Newham venue.

In mitigation, Mark Balysz KC, representing Mr. Davies, read a statement from his client. Mr. Davies expressed that he has struggled immensely to come to terms with the athlete’s death.

"I have woken every night thinking about his loss, and his poor family," he wrote. "These feelings have intensified since I found out about the investigation for manslaughter."

The hearing is ongoing, with Judge Marks expected to deliver sentencing decisions on Tuesday.

Source: Yahoo News Generated at: 2026-06-02 10:41:29 UTC