Corporate Manslaughter and the Death of a Paralympian

Apr 17, 2026

By John Wendt

Abdullah Hayayei was a 36-year-old United Arab Emirates Paralympian who reached the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Paralympic Championship Finals in the F34 Javelin and Shot Put events. At the 2015 World Championship in Doha, he finished fifth in Discus and eighth in Shot Put. Track and Field 34 para-athletes have a disability that is mostly in their legs and throw seated or use a wheelchair. He was one of the most famous Emirati athletes and a father of five. After the Paralympic Games, his next big international competition was going to be the 2017 World Para Athletics Championships in London. 

At the 2017 Championships, Hayayei was training at Newham Leisure Centre outside of London, one of two official training venues for the Championships, when he took his place in the training circle. Then according to reports, “Police, London Ambulance Service and London’s Air Ambulance were called shortly after 17:00hrs on Tuesday, 11 July, to reports of a seriously injured man at Newham Leisure Centre in Prince Regent Lane, E13. The man was pronounced dead at the scene at 17:20hrs…At this early stage, it is believed the man was struck by a metal pole which formed part of training facilities at the centre. It can be confirmed that the man was a competitor at the World Para Athletic Championships. His next of kin have been informed. The Health and Safety Executive have been informed.”[43] Craig Spence of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) said, “The whole Paralympic movement is in mourning today…It was decided not to postpone the World Championships and they will open on Friday night as planned.”[44] A moment of silence in Hayayei’s honor was held at the beginning of the Opening Ceremonies of the Championships.

Majid Al Usaimi, the vice president of the UAE Disabled Sports Federation said that the pole was part of the discus cage, and “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.”[45] Metropolitan Police began an investigation with support from the International Paralympic Committee and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety, and also Newham Council’s Health and Safety Team.[46]

Nearly eight years later on January 8, 2025, Malcolm McHaffie, Head of the Crown Prosecution Service Special Crime Division announced, “Following a review of the evidence provided by the Metropolitan Police Service, the Crown Prosecution Service has authorised criminal charges against UK Athletics Limited and a 77-year-old man following the death of United Arab Emirates Paralympian Abdullah Hayayei…UK Athletics Ltd has been charged with corporate manslaughter and a Health and Safety at Work Act offence. Keith Davies, the former Head of Sport at UK Athletics Ltd, has been charged with gross negligence manslaughter and a Health and Safety at Work Act offence.”[47] Specifically UK Athletics Ltd (UKA) was charged with failing to discharge general health and safety duty to a person other than employee, contrary to sections 3 and 33(1)(a) of, and Schedule 3A to, of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and Davies was charged with gross negligence manslaughter and failing to discharge general health and safety duty at work, contrary to sections 7 and 33(1)(a) of, and Schedule 3A to, of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.[48]

The allegations were that the shot put and discus cage that Hayayei and others used was erected without its “base structure” and notably that UKA routinely supplied the shot put cages without base structures for the entire period between 2012 and 2017. Additionally, it was alleged that UKA failed in the duty to provide “safe athletics equipment” for para-athletic and international events, training and competition.[49] The corporate manslaughter charge against UKA alleged that UKA’s senior management’s conduct “fell far below what could reasonably be expected.”[50] Regarding Davies, it alleged that in his role of 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” and a “gross breach of duty of care.”[51] Davies was accused of a health and safety work offense regarding the supervision of the discus and shot put cages during the period between October 2012 and July 2017.[52] Both UKA and Davies denied the allegations.

UKA was charged under the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act (CMCHA) which came into force in 2008. The legislation was enacted to ensure that companies and other organizations can be held accountable for very serious failings resulting in death. Prior to the enactment of the CMCHA prosecutors had to identity a senior person as the “controlling or directing mind” who had to be found guilty of manslaughter before pursuing a charge against a corporate body.[53]

Under the CMCHA to be guilty of Corporate Manslaughter the prosecution must prove that the organization owed a relevant duty of care to the deceased; that there was a gross breach of that duty by the organization; that the way in which its activities were managed or organized by its senior management was a substantial element in the breach; and that the gross breach of the organization’s duty caused or contributed to the death.[54] Cases of corporate negligence manslaughter are still relatively rare and take a great deal of time.

Metropolitan Police said that their officers examined over 1,500 documents, compiled more than 160 statements, interviewed more than 80 witnesses and gathered several expert reports.[55] It was reported that after the investigation by the Police and HSE, prosecutors were able to determine that UKA was grossly negligent in their control, management and organization of the discus event when and where Hayayei died. They noted that athletes used a “portable free standing metal discus cage that was unstable and missing its stabilising base.”[56] Up to 200kg (approximately 440 lbs.) “of connected metal was able to move and fall in high winds, creating an obvious and serious risk of death.”[57] And finally they noted that the “risk could have been prevented by following instructions, using a stabilising base or preventing use of the cage without it.”[58] UKA owned the discus cage and was responsible for its use at events, and Davies, as head of sport, who was involved in the purchase of the cage before the 2012 London Olympic Games led its assembly and use from then until July 2017.[59]

On February 20, 2026, UK Athletics changed their plea and pleaded guilty to corporate manslaughter under section 1 of the CMCHA. Davies pleaded guilty to failing to take reasonable care for health and safety, contrary to section 7 (1) and section 33 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.[60] Detective Sergeant Brett Hagen, who led the Metropolitan Police investigation noted that, “Cases of this nature are rare and particularly difficult to prosecute due to various complexities surrounding the legislation…”[61]

Senior Specialist Prosecutor with the CPS Special Crime Division Colin Gibbs said, “Abdullah Hayayei was a father of five who should have been able to compete on the world stage and return home safely to his family…There can be no doubt that UK Athletics were grossly negligent in their safety management, which caused the death of a talented athlete…They left equipment in a seriously unsafe condition, and Mr Hayayei’s death was wholly avoidable – a fact the organisation has admitted…For years there was a failure to inspect, maintain and properly manage basic safety components, leaving a heavy metal structure dangerously unstable.”[62] UKA said, “UK Athletics deeply regrets that the incident in July 2017 resulted in the tragic loss of Abdullah Hayayei’s life. Our deepest thoughts and sympathy remain with his family, friends, teammates and all those affected by the events of that day. As you will appreciate, due to the ongoing court proceedings UK Athletics is unable to comment any further at this time.”[63]

Sentencing will take place on a date possibly as early as June 2026 at the Old Bailey. UKA could be facing a fine between £1.2m and £5m ($1.58m and $6.59m). But there is a provision for a reduction if there is a corporate admission before trial which UKA did.[64] Additionally since the fatal accident nine years ago, UKA has significantly revised its health and safety processes.[65] For example, a revised “Safe Athletics Track & Field Safety Guide For Competition” publication states under the “Throwing Safety Essentials” section, “If portable cages are used these MUST be IAAF approved, installed by a competent person/company in accordance with manufacturer instructions, and cross checked both during and post installation by an independent and competent safety advisor.”[66] UKA also follows the Guidelines from World Athletics which states, “Manufacturers should provide detailed setting out drawings and installation instructions, including footing designs, maintenance and operation instructions for the cage including the gates, net tensioning and anchoring… Maintenance procedures required to maintain the safety of cage before, during and after competition must be provided. The users and maintenance staff should be regularly reminded of these procedures.”[67]

This fine could be a large economic blow to UKA. In 2025 UKA reported a small profit for the first time in eight years after nearly facing bankruptcy.[68] As part of their long term viability plan in 2024 UKA entered into a joint venture with The Great Run Company (GRC) and London Marathon Events (LME) to form “Athletic Ventures” to reinvigorate the organization of athletics and “to transform the future and growth of athletics in the UK and to deliver major athletics events.”[69] It has also had several changes in leadership. For the last three years Jack Buckner has been the CEO of UKA, and British athletes had strong performances at the 2024 Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games. Athletic Ventures will host the 2026 European Athletics Championships this summer and is bidding to host the 2029 World Athletics Championships.

It appears that UK Athletics has learned a costly lesson from a very unfortunate and tragic incident. It affected UKA financially and reputationally. One of the objectives of the CMCHA is for organizations to take seriously safe workplaces and practices with strong and robust safety systems. It is a lesson that can be learned across all sporting events.

  1. Press Association, Para Athlete Abdullah Hayayei Dies after Being “struck by Metal Pole” in Training, The Guardian, July 12, 2017, https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2017/jul/12/paralympian-abdullah-hayayei-dies-london-2017-training-world-para-athletics-championships. ↑

  2. Morton, Paralympics Athlete Died after Discus Cage Fell on Him at Newham Leisure Centre, Newham Recorder (July 12, 2017), https://www.newhamrecorder.co.uk/news/21434684.paralympics-athlete-died-discus-cage-fell-newham-leisure-centre/. ↑

  3. Press Association, supra note 1. ↑

  4. International Paralympic Committee, Statement on UAE Athlete Abdullah Hayayei, (July 11, 2017), https://www.paralympic.org/news/statement-uae-athlete-abdullah-hayayei. When there is a possible case of manslaughter the police will conduct an investigation and the HSE or Local Authority will work with the police investigating health and work safety offenses. ↑

  5. The Crown Prosecution Service, CPS Authorises Manslaughter Charges Following Death of Paralympic Athlete, (Jan. 8, 2025), https://www.cps.gov.uk/cps/news/cps-authorises-manslaughter-charges-following-death-paralympic-athlete. ↑

  6. Id. ↑

  7. Laura Scott, UK Athletics Denies Manslaughter of Paralympian Abdullah Hayayei, (Mar. 18, 2025), https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5yre8xx25eo. ↑

  8. Id. ↑

  9. Id. ↑

  10. Id. ↑

  11. Aviva Risk Management Solutions, Corporate Manslaughter and Sentencing Guidelines Version: 1.5, (Feb. 19, 2025), https://static.aviva.io/content/dam/document-library/risk-solutions/corporate_manslaughter_and_sentencing_guidelines_lps.pdf. ↑

  12. The Crown Prosecution Service, Corporate Manslaughter, (July 16, 2018), https://www.cps.gov.uk/prosecution-guidance/corporate-manslaughter. ↑

  13. Metropolitan Police, Athletics Governing Body Admits Corporate Manslaughter after Death of Para-Athlete, Mynewsdesk (Feb. 20, 2026), https://news.met.police.uk/news/athletics-governing-body-admits-corporate-manslaughter-after-death-of-para-athlete-506364. ↑

  14. The Crown Prosecution Service, UK Athletics Admit Corporate Manslaughter Charge Following Death of Paralympian, (Feb. 20, 2026), https://www.cps.gov.uk/cps/news/uk-athletics-admit-corporate-manslaughter-charge-following-death-paralympian. ↑

  15. Id. ↑

  16. Id. Later it was established that 10 metal connectors that linked the cage’s bases and posts had been unused or missing between 2012 and 2017 significantly reducing the cage’s stability. ↑

  17. Id. ↑

  18. The Crown Prosecution Service, UK Athletics Admit Corporate Manslaughter Charge Following Death of Paralympian, (Feb. 20, 2026), https://www.wired-gov.net/wg/news.nsf/articles/uk+athletics+admit+corporate+manslaughter+charge+following+death+of+paralympian+20022026151000?open. It appears that the previous charge of gross negligence manslaughter will be dropped. The cases are being heard in the Central Criminal Court (Old Bailey) and the case numbers are T2025005 (Davies) and T2025006 (UK Athletics Ltd). ↑

  19. Metropolitan Police, supra note 13. ↑

  20. The Crown Prosecution Service, supra note 14. ↑

  21. Sean Ingle, UK Athletics Pleads Guilty to Corporate Manslaughter after Death of Paralympian, The Guardian, Feb. 20, 2026, https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2026/feb/20/uk-athletics-pleads-guilty-to-corporate-manslaughter-after-death-of-paralympian-abdullah-hayayei. ↑

  22. Id. ↑

  23. United Kingdom Athletics, Safe Athletics Track & Field Safety Guide For Competition, (2018), https://www.britishathletics.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/health-and-safety/Safe-Athletics-Competition-Printer-Friendly.pdf. ↑

  24. Id. ↑

  25. World Athletics, Technical Guidelines, Throwing Cages – Track And Field Facilities Manual, Chapter 6.3 – Equipment For Throwing Events – Update 2020, (2020), https://worldathletics.org/search?q=throwing%20cages. ↑

  26. Bobbie Jackson, UK Athletics in Profit for First Time in Eight Years, BBC Sport (Oct. 21, 2025), https://www.bbc.com/sport/athletics/articles/cwynevl2wndo. The United States does not have federal regulations that cover corporate manslaughter, though some commentators have argued the need for that legislation. But the lessons learned apply to corporate boards and senior management. Do the board members and executives understand their roles and responsibilities? Are the board members actively involved or are they merely in place. Have policies been developed, reviewed and are they being followed? Are health and safety risks properly managed? Are the duties of care being explained and followed throughout the organization? Is there a culture of safety? See Olivia Gavzie, The Need for a Corporate Manslaughter Doctrine in the United States: Lessons from Boeing and the United Kingdom –, Journal of International Business & Law (Oct. 27, 2025), https://www.hofstrajibl.org/2025/10/the-need-for-a-corporate-manslaughter-doctrine-in-the-united-states-lessons-from-boeing-and-the-united-kingdom/. ↑

  27. Athletic Ventures, Transforming Athletics, Athletic Ventures (2024), https://www.athleticventures.co.uk. GRC organizes the world’s biggest half marathon, and an annual program of running and open water swimming events across the UK. ↑

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