UK Athletics fined $471K over 'wholly avoidable' death of Paralympian

Keith Davies, former head of sport for the 2017 World-Paralympic Athletics Championships is shown in London, on March 18, 2025. (Lucy North/PA via AP)

LONDON — UK Athletics, the governing body of British track and field, was fined 350,000 pounds (US$471,000) on Tuesday after pleading guilty to corporate manslaughter in the case of a Paralympian who died when a practice cage fell on him during training.

Abdullah Hayayei, 36, was preparing to represent the United Arab Emirates when he was hit on the head by a metal pole during the accident at Newham Leisure Centre in east London on July 11, 2017.

Judge Richard Marks said Hayayei’s death was “tragic, untimely and wholly avoidable” as he announced the sentence during a hearing at Central London Criminal Court on Tuesday.

Keith Davies, 79, who was head of sport for the 2017 world para athletics championships in London, was ordered to perform 175 hours of unpaid work after he plead guilty to a health and safety charge.

Davies, a retired physical education teacher, either knew or should have known about the problems with the equipment because of the previous collapse of an identical cage, Marks said.

“This was an accident which sooner or later was waiting to happen,” the judge said.

The 36-year-old Hayayei was training when part of the throwing cage fell on him. He had competed at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Paralympics, finishing sixth in javelin and seventh in shot put.

The 440-pound (200-kilogram) cage is made out of metal poles and wire that is designed to protect spectators from errant throws by shot putters and other throwers.

Danica Kirka, The Associated Press