Governing body "deeply sorry" over incident that killed Abdullah Hayayei in 2017 and insists "significant changes" have been made.

UK Athletics has been fined £350,000 over the “wholly avoidable” death of Para thrower Abdullah Hayayei, who was killed when a throwing cage collapsed during training in July of 2017.

Earlier this year the governing body had pleaded guilty to corporate manslaughter following Hayayei’s death, which occurred at Newham Leisure centre after the metal apparatus fell on the father of five while he was preparing to represent the United Arab Emirates at the World Para Athletics Championships.

A police and health and safety investigation discovered that the cage, owned by UKA and which partially collapsed in high winds, had been missing elements crucial to its stability.
UKA originally denied the charge but changed their plea to guilty in February. Sentencing on Tuesday (June 2) Judge Richard Marks KC said the death of Mr Hayayei was “tragic, untimely and wholly avoidable” as he issued the fine of £350,000 plus £44,000 costs, to be paid over six years.

Keith Davies, 78, the official who was head of sport for the 2017 World Paralympic Athletics Championships, admitted a health and safety charge and was given a community order of 175 hours of unpaid work.

In a joint statement, UKA Chair Ian Beattie and CEO Jack Buckner outlined why the initial plea was changed.

"The failings identified in this case should never have happened," read the statement. "UK Athletics accepts that and we are deeply sorry for what occurred and the impact it has had on everyone affected.

"Today marks the conclusion of a legal process that has lasted many years. We recognise, however, that people across athletics will rightly have questions about what this means, what has changed, and how UK Athletics has responded.

"Since joining UK Athletics — Ian in 2021 and Jack in 2022 — we have worked hard to build an organisational culture that is accountable, transparent and guided by the right values. That means acknowledging where we have fallen short in the past, taking responsibility when mistakes have been made and ensuring lessons are learned.

"As part of that journey, we have reflected carefully on how this case was handled over time. We recognise that the position taken by UK Athletics in the early stages of the investigation is not one we believe the organisation should take today. Accountability requires honesty, openness and a willingness to accept responsibility where responsibility exists.

"That is why, after careful consideration and legal advice, we believed the right course of action was to enter a guilty plea earlier this year and appear before the Court prepared to accept the consequences of our failings. It was important that UK Athletics took responsibility in a way that reflected the values we expect of ourselves."

The statement went on to highlight the changes that have been made since in the incident and insisted that the penalty will not affect the financial stability of an organisation that faced bankruptcy two years ago.

"Throughout this process, it has also been important to recognise the difficult position faced by our co-defendant, Keith Davies. Keith accepts his sentence following his guilty plea to the Health and Safety charge. We, and the judge, also recognise his long-standing commitment to athletics and the integrity with which he has served the sport over many years. This case, which has hung over him for almost nine years, has been incredibly difficult for him personally, and we have sought to support him appropriately throughout.

"We also understand that today's outcome may cause concern for athletes, coaches, officials, volunteers, staff and supporters. We hope people will recognise that UK Athletics today is a different organisation, both in its people and its culture. While there is always more work to do, significant changes have been made to strengthen safety, governance, event management and decision-making across the organisation and the wider sport.

"Nothing can undo what happened in July 2017. However, we remain committed to ensuring the lessons from this tragedy continue to shape how we operate. That responsibility does not end with today's sentence. We respectfully accept the Court's decision and remain committed to continuing this work with the seriousness, humility and responsibility it demands. While the financial penalty is significant, UK Athletics remains financially stable and able to continue delivering the support and services the sport needs.”

Hayayei made his Paralympic debut at the Rio 2016 Games, where he finished sixth in the F34 javelin and seventh in the shot put. He had been set to compete in the shot put, discus and javelin at London 2017, which would have been his second World Championships after the 2015 event in Doha, where he finished fifth in the discus and eighth in the shot put.