Former UK Athletics boss charged with manslaughter after Paralympian killed when metal training cage fell on him
8 January 2025, 15:06 | Updated: 8 January 2025, 15:36
UK Athletics and a former leader of the organisation have been charged with manslaughter after a Paralympian was killed during a training session.
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UAE athlete Abdullah Hayayei, 36, died in 2017 after a metal throwing cage fell on him while he was training for the shot put at Newham Leisure Centre in London.
Keith Davies, 77, of Leytonstone and Head of Sport for the 2017 World Paralympic Athletics Championships was charged this week with gross negligence manslaughter and health and safety offences.
UK Athletics Limited, the national governing body for athletics, was charged with corporate manslaughter.
Both are due to appear in court on January 31.
Hayayei, a father of five, was a discus and javelin thrower who had competed in the 2016 Paralympics.
Malcolm McHaffie, head of the CPS Special Crime Division, said: "The Crown Prosecution Service reminds everyone that criminal proceedings are active and both UK Athletics Ltd and Davies have the right to a fair trial.
"It is extremely important that there be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings."
At the time of his death, Majid Al Usaimi, the vice president of the UAE Disabled Sports Federation, said: “We are overcome by grief, all of the UAE delegation here in London, and are truly shocked by this news, but it is God’s will.
"We cannot discuss the details of the incident but what I can say is that during afternoon practice at the official training venue of the competition, Abdullah was going through his usual training routines, before the metal discus cage fell on his head. The on-site medical staff tried to help him but to no avail.”
Sir Philip Craven, president of the International Paralympics Committee, also said at the time: “We are all truly devastated by this tragic news and the passing of Abdullah.
The thoughts, prayers and condolences of the whole Paralympic Movement are with Abdullah’s family, friends and teammates as well as the whole of the National Paralympic Committee of the UAE.
"We are all in state of shock at this terrible tragedy.”
