UK Athletics Fined £350,000 Over 'Wholly Avoidable' Death of Paralympian

UK Athletics has been ordered to pay a £350,000 fine for the "tragic, untimely and wholly avoidable" death of Paralympian Abdullah Hayayei, who was killed in 2017 when a throwing cage collapsed on him during a training session.

The governing body had previously pleaded guilty to corporate manslaughter following the incident at Newham Leisure Centre.

Hayayei, a 36-year-old father of five from the United Arab Emirates, was preparing for the World Para Athletics Championships when the metal structure fell on him.

An investigation by police and health and safety officials revealed that the cage, which was owned by UKA, was missing key components essential for its stability and had partially collapsed in high winds.

After initially denying the charge, UKA changed its plea to guilty in February of this year. During the sentencing on Tuesday, Judge Richard Marks KC imposed the £350,000 fine and ordered the organisation to pay an additional £44,000 in costs over six years.

Keith Davies, 78, who served as the head of sport for the 2017 championships, admitted to a health and safety violation and was sentenced to a community order of 175 hours of unpaid work.

In a joint statement, UKA Chair Ian Beattie and CEO Jack Buckner expressed deep remorse and explained the decision to change their initial plea.

"The failings identified in this case should never have happened," the statement read. "UK Athletics accepts that, and we are deeply sorry for what occurred, and the impact it has had on everyone affected."

The leaders, who joined the organisation after the incident, acknowledged that the initial handling of the case did not align with the values of accountability and transparency they now champion.

"We recognise that the position taken by UK Athletics in the early stages of the investigation is not one we believe the organisation should take today," they continued.

"That is why, after careful consideration and legal advice, we believed the right course of action was to enter a guilty plea earlier this year and appear before the Court prepared to accept the consequences of our failings."

The statement also highlighted that "significant changes" have been implemented to improve safety, governance, and event management since the tragedy.

They assured that while the financial penalty is substantial, it will not compromise the organisation's stability, which had faced bankruptcy concerns two years ago.

UKA also acknowledged the difficult position of their co-defendant, Keith Davies, noting his long-standing commitment to athletics and the personal toll the nearly nine-year case has taken on him.

Hayayei made his Paralympic debut at the Rio 2016 Games, competing in the F34 javelin and shot put, where he finished sixth and seventh, respectively.

The athlete was slated to participate in the shot put, discus, and javelin events at the London 2017 World Championships. This would have marked his second appearance at the global competition, following his debut at the 2015 championships in Doha. In that event, he secured a fifth-place finish in the discus and an eighth-place result in the shot put.