UK Athletics finally admit guilt over death of Paralympian | Other | Sport
UK Athletics has admitted to corporate manslaughter following the tragic death of Paralympian Abdullah Hayayei. The 36-year-old was struck on the head by a metal pole during a training session.
The athlete was preparing to represent the United Arab Emirates in the F34 class discus, javelin, and shot put at the World Para Athletics Championships at Newham Leisure Centre in East London in July 2017. During this preparation, part of a throwing cage collapsed onto him.
Despite the immediate response of emergency services and medical personnel, he was declared dead at the scene 20 minutes later. This incident prompted an investigation by Scotland Yard.
It was determined that the throwing cage had been improperly erected, rendering it unstable.
On Friday, UK Athletics Ltd confessed to corporate manslaughter, having previously refuted the accusation. The charge stated that the organisation caused the death by “supplying for use at an organised para-athletics training event in which he participated a discus/shot put cage which it used and operated without its base structure and which collapsed.”
In a statement, UK Athletics said: “UK Athletics deeply regrets that the incident in July 2017 resulted in the tragic loss of Abdullah Hayayei’s life. Our deepest thoughts and sympathy remain with his family, friends, teammates and all those affected by the events of that day.
“As you will appreciate, due to the ongoing court proceedings UK Athletics is unable to comment any further at this time.”
In a separate charge, the head of sport for the 2017 World Paralympic Athletics Championships has denied gross negligence manslaughter, but has admitted to a health and safety offence. Both Davies and UK Athletics will receive their sentences from the court at a future date.
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It’s been confirmed that the prosecution won’t pursue a trial and the remaining charges will be addressed following sentencing. UK Athletics could face a fine ranging from £1.2million to £5million for the offence, although deductions may apply if the offence is acknowledged prior to trial.
Detective Sergeant Brett Hagen, who spearheaded the Metropolitan Police investigation, responded to the development by saying: “Our thoughts are with Mr Hayayei’s family during what will be a significant moment for them. We thank them for their ongoing patience, understanding and dignity throughout this lengthy and complex investigation.
“The resulting charges and early guilty plea reflect our perseverance and dedication, and the significant work undertaken to build a comprehensive and compelling case against the defendants.
“Cases of this nature are rare and particularly difficult to prosecute due to various complexities surrounding the legislation, so we welcome this outcome.”
