UK Athletics denies Paralympian's manslaughter

UK Athletics (UKA) and its former head of sport have pleaded not guilty to charges of manslaughter following the death of Paralympian Abdullah Hayayei.

Hayayei, 36, died on 11 July 2017 after a metal cage fell on him while he was training at Newham Leisure Centre in east London ahead of the World Para Athletics Championships.

At a pre-trial hearing at the Old Bailey, the UKA denied a further charge of failing to ensure the safety of non-employees, while Keith Davies, 77, from east London, denied failing to take reasonable care for health and safety.

According to the charges, the shot put cage that Hayayei was using was allegedly erected without its "base structure".

Hayayei, who represented the United Arab Emirates at the Rio 2016 Paralympics, had been due to compete in the F34 shot put, discus and javelin events at the 2017 World Para Athletics Championships in London.

UKA was accused of having "routinely" supplied or provided shot put and discus cages at events between 2012 and 2017 which were "without their said base structures".

The charge of corporate manslaughter alleged that the conduct of the organisation's senior management "fell far below what could reasonably be expected".

It was also alleged that between October 2012 and July 2017, UKA failed in its duty to provide "safe athletics equipment" for international athletics and para-athletics events, including at competition and training events.

Mr Davies is accused of a "gross breach of duty of care".

It is alleged that in his role as the head of sport for the 2017 World Para-Athletics Championships, a cage he "knew or ought to have known was provided/supplied and erected without its said base structure".

He has also been accused of a health and safety at work offence, relating to supervising the provision of discus and shot put cages in the period between October 2012 and July 2017.

UKA was represented at the hearing by Simon Antrobus KC, who entered the pleas on the organisation's behalf.

Mr Davies was granted unconditional bail.

The next hearing in the case will be at the Old Bailey on 12 October 2025.

The trial is scheduled for December 2026 at the Old Bailey. It is estimated to last eight weeks and is due to be heard by Judge Mark Lucraft KC, the Recorder of London.