UK Athletics has formally pleaded guilty to corporate manslaughter in connection with the death of Paralympic athlete Abdullah Hayayei, who tragically died during training in London in 2017.
The announcement came on Friday, marking a significant development in a case that has drawn international attention.
Hayayei, a 36-year-old athlete from the United Arab Emirates, was preparing for the 2017 World Paralympic Athletics Championships at the Newham Leisure Centre when a metal throwing cage fell on him.
The athlete, who had previously made his Paralympic debut in javelin and shot put at the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro, was pronounced dead at the scene. His death shocked the athletics community and raised urgent questions about safety standards in sports facilities.
UK Athletics had initially pleaded not guilty when charged with corporate manslaughter last year, with a trial scheduled for later this year. However, in a significant turn of events, the organisation changed its plea to guilty on Friday.
Simon Antrobus, the lawyer representing UK Athletics, formally entered the plea on behalf of the organisation.
In addition to UK Athletics, Keith Davies, the head of sport for the 2017 World Paralympic Athletics Championships, also entered a guilty plea for an offence under the Health and Safety at Work Act.
Davies, now 78, faces legal consequences alongside the organisation. Both UK Athletics and Davies are expected to be sentenced in June, according to reports.
In a statement, UK Athletics expressed deep regret over the incident. “UK Athletics deeply regrets that the incident in July 2017 resulted in the tragic loss of Abdullah Hayayei’s life,” the statement read.
The organisation offered its sincerest condolences to Hayayei’s family, teammates, and the wider athletics community.
Abdullah Hayayei was a prominent figure in Paralympic athletics and had represented the United Arab Emirates at multiple international events. His career, though cut tragically short, had shown remarkable promise.
The circumstances surrounding his death, involving the failure of a metal throwing cage to meet safety standards, highlighted serious gaps in facility management and oversight during international sporting events.
The case has drawn attention not only because of Hayayei’s status as an elite athlete but also because it underscores the responsibilities of sports organisations in ensuring the safety of athletes.
Legal experts have noted that the guilty plea by UK Athletics represents a rare instance of accountability at an organisational level for the death of a professional athlete.
The sentencing in June is expected to set a precedent for how sports governing bodies are held accountable for health and safety violations, particularly when negligence leads to fatal outcomes.
Advocacy groups have welcomed the guilty plea as a step toward justice for Hayayei’s family and as a warning to other organisations about the importance of strict safety protocols.
This development also serves as a reminder to international sporting bodies that athlete safety must remain a priority, and that lapses can have tragic consequences.
The athletics community continues to mourn Abdullah Hayayei, whose career and life were tragically cut short, while the case serves as an important turning point in enforcing accountability within sports organisations.
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