UK Athletics pleads guilty over 2017 death of Abdullah Hayayei

LONDON, Feb 20: UK Athletics on Friday pleaded guilty to corporate manslaughter over the death of Abdullah Hayayei, who was killed in 2017 while the Paralympic athlete was training in London.

Abdullah Hayayei, 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 36-year-old athlete — who had made his debut in the javelin and shot put at the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro — was pronounced dead at the scene.

UK Athletics was charged last year with corporate manslaughter and the organisation had pleaded not guilty, with a trial due to take place later this year.

But UK Athletics changed its plea to guilty on Friday, with its lawyer Simon Antrobus entering the plea on the organisation’s behalf.

The head of sport for the 2017 World Paralympic Athletics Championships Keith Davies, 78, also pleaded guilty to an offence under the Health and Safety at Work Act.

UK Athletics and Davies are expected to be sentenced in June.

The organisation offered its deepest sympathy to his family and teammates in a statement.

UK Athletics was charged last year with corporate manslaughter and the organisation had pleaded not guilty, with a trial due to take place later this year.

But UK Athletics changed its plea to guilty on Friday, with its lawyer Simon Antrobus entering the plea on the organisation’s behalf.

The head of sport for the 2017 World Paralympic Athletics Championships Keith Davies, 78, also pleaded guilty to an offence under the Health and Safety at Work Act.

UK Athletics and Davies are expected to be sentenced in June.

The organisation offered its deepest sympathy to his family and teammates in a statement.

“UK Athletics deeply regrets that the incident in July 2017 resulted in the tragic loss of Abdullah Hayayei’s life,” the statement said.