Paralympic Shot Putter Killed in 'Inevitable Accident'

A Paralympic athlete lost his life in what was described as an "accident waiting to happen" after a metal bar collapsed onto him, a court has heard. Abdullah Hayayei, a 36-year-old shot putter from the United Arab Emirates who competed in a wheelchair, was killed when a training cage gave way during a gust of wind at a Newham, London, facility. The incident occurred in July 2017 as he prepared for the World Para Athletics Championships.

UK Athletics, the body responsible for organizing the event, faces sentencing for corporate manslaughter. Additionally, Keith Davies, the former head of sport for UK Athletics, is being sentenced for breaching health and safety regulations. Both the organization and Mr. Davies, 78, entered guilty pleas earlier this year.

During the hearing at the Old Bailey, prosecutor John Price KC addressed Judge Richard Marks KC, detailing how the fatal equipment lacked essential components. The structure failed in the wind, causing a 25kg metal bar to strike Mr. Hayayei on the head. Mr. Hayayei, who suffered from cerebral palsy, died instantly at the scene.

The court listened to a victim impact statement from Badriah Rashid Zayed Al-Yahyaei, the athlete’s widow. She described the devastation of being left alone with five young children, noting that she had been anticipating news of her husband’s triumph. "It was a huge shock to me because I was waiting for the news of his victory and success," she said. "Suddenly the news reached me. I could not comprehend it at first and refused to believe it, and today that moment is still in the mind."

She attributed the tragedy to "gross negligence," asserting that adherence to safety rules could have prevented the death. "My husband went out to represent his country, raise the name of the UAE, and returned as a corpse," she added.

Mr. Davies and representatives from UK Athletics sat in the courtroom as Mr. Price explained that critical base support parts for the heavy shot-putting cage were missing on the day of the accident. While Mr. Davies had told investigators that the equipment was assembled according to instructions, Mr. Price argued that the official "ought to have known that it was incorrect."

"He actually knew it," the prosecutor stated, concluding that Mr. Davies’s testimony was not truthful. An expert who inspected the Newham site after the incident confirmed that several bolts were missing. Mr. Price further alleged a "culture and practice" of assembling the cage without these key pieces, labeling the event an "accident waiting to happen."

The prosecutor also criticized a legal statement produced by UK Athletics years later, calling it a "deeply unworthy document" that a national sporting body "should be ashamed" of. He claimed the organization attempted to shift all blame onto Mr. Davies and even suggested fault lay with the Newham venue.

In his defense, Mark Balysz KC, representing Mr. Davies, read a statement the defendant had submitted to the court. Mr. Davies expressed that he has struggled immensely to process 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 proceedings are ongoing, with Judge Marks scheduled to deliver sentencing decisions on Tuesday.

Source: BBC News Generated at: 2026-06-01 14:13:39 UTC