Abdullah Hayayei’s Death Sparks Legal Action Against UK Athletics

Abdullah Hayayei’s tragic death has led to UK Athletics facing charges of manslaughter. Hayayei aged 36, died in July 2017 after a metal cage fell on him during a training session at Newham Leisure Centre in London. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has charged UK Athletics Limited with “corporate manslaughter and a health and safety at work act offence.” Keith Davies the head of sport for the 2017 World Para-athletics Championships, faces charges of “gross negligence manslaughter and a health and safety at work act offence.”

Both UK Athletics and Davies, 77 will appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on January 31. At the time of his death, Abdullah Hayayei had been preparing for the World Championships in London. The United Arab Emirates athlete had planned to compete in the F34 shot put, discus and javelin events. Hayayei had already made his mark in the Paralympic world, finishing sixth in the javelin and seventh in the shot put during his debut at the 2016 Rio Paralympics.

He also finished fifth in discus and eighth in shot put at the 2015 World Championships in Doha. His death occurred just before his second World Championships appearance in London. The athletics community held a moment of silence in his honor during the opening ceremony of the World Championships at London Stadium. The charges against UK Athletics and Keith Davies reflect the legal system’s effort to hold those responsible accountable for the incident, highlighting concerns over safety standards in the sport.