UK Athletics fined £350,000 over death of Paralympian
A judge at the Old Bailey has fined UK Athletics £350,000 with £44,000 in costs after hearing how a paralympic athlete died when equipment fell on him at a training ground in east London. Shot-putter Abdullah Hayayei was killed when a metal cage collapsed as he prepared for th
A judge at the Old Bailey has fined UK Athletics £350,000 with £44,000 in costs after hearing how a paralympic athlete died when equipment fell on him at a training ground in east London.
Shot-putter Abdullah Hayayei was killed when a metal cage collapsed as he prepared for the World Athletics Championships in 2017.
He had previously represented the United Arab Emirates at the Rio Paralympics when he competed in the javelin and shot put.
Judge Richard Marks KC described Mr Hayayei's death as "tragic, untimely and wholly avoidable."
He also handed UKA's former head of sport 79-year-old Keith Davies a 175-hour community service order after hearing how he was in charge of the equipment, which had been assembled with vital base plates missing.
The court heard how a strong gust of wind had collapsed the cage and Mr Hayayei had died of head injuries after being hit by a heavy metal bar.
The athlete was a 36-year-old wheelchair user who lived with cerebral palsy.
The court heard from his widow Badriah who said his death had left her coping alone with five young children.
