Widow of Emirati Paralympian Urges UK Court to Deliver Justice Over Fatal London Training Cage Collapse

The widow of Emirati Paralympian Abdullah Hayayei has spoken of the devastating impact his death has had on her family, as a UK court began sentencing proceedings over the fatal accident that claimed his life in 2017, according to a report by The National.

The newspaper said Hayayei died while training for the World Para Athletics Championships in London after a shot put throwing cage collapsed on him at the Newham Leisure Centre.

His wife, Badriah Hayayei, told the court that her husband had travelled to Britain to proudly represent the UAE, only to return home “as a corpse” because of negligence.

The couple’s five children were between the ages of two and 14 when they lost their father.

Appearing via video link from the UAE during the sentencing hearing at the Old Bailey on Monday, Mrs Hayayei urged the court to deliver what she described as a fair and just punishment for those responsible.

The court heard that the 36-year-old athlete suffered catastrophic head injuries on July 11, 2017, when the 200kg metal cage structure collapsed during a training session. Hayayei, who used a wheelchair and had cerebral palsy, was inside the throwing circle when the structure fell on him.

Prosecutors said the cage had been assembled incorrectly and lacked a crucial base plate, making it dangerously unstable. The incident was described in court as “an accident waiting to happen”.

UK Athletics has admitted corporate manslaughter, while Keith Davies, former head of sport for the 2017 World Para Athletics Championships, pleaded guilty to a health and safety offence.

In a victim impact statement read before the court, Mrs Hayayei said she initially struggled to believe the news of her husband’s death because she had been waiting to hear about his sporting success at the championships.

She said the tragedy had caused severe emotional and financial hardship for the family and added that her pain deepened after learning the accident could have been prevented had proper safety measures been followed.

Mrs Hayayei told the court that her husband was more than just another victim. She described him as a devoted father and husband with responsibilities, ambitions and dreams for the future, and said the fatal incident stemmed from gross negligence rather than a simple mistake.

The hearing was told that the throwing cages, originally used during the 2012 London Olympics, had never been correctly assembled in the five years after UK Athletics acquired them. One of the cages had reportedly collapsed once before in 2012, although nobody was injured in that incident.

Despite this, the equipment continued to be used at several public sporting events, including competitions in Stratford and Swansea.

Prosecutor John Price KC said numerous athletes and bystanders had been exposed to serious danger over the years because of the faulty installation of the cages.

Hayayei had been training under the supervision of UAE coach Ayman Ibrahim at the time of the accident. In a statement, the coach recalled how strong winds suddenly shook the cage moments before the upper metal bar crashed onto the athlete’s head.

Medical teams rushed to save Hayayei after he became trapped in the netting, but he never regained consciousness and was pronounced dead later that evening.

The court also heard that Davies had told police the cage was assembled according to instructions, a claim prosecutors argued was untrue.

Judge Richard Marks KC is expected to sentence both UK Athletics and Davies following the conclusion of the hearing. Under UK sentencing guidelines, companies convicted of corporate manslaughter can face fines ranging from £180,000 to £20 million.

Hayayei’s death shocked the UAE sporting community, particularly because of the determination with which he had rebuilt his life after suffering severe injuries years earlier while serving in the UAE Armed Forces.

In 2001, a metal rod fell on his head during military training, leaving him with serious nerve damage and a permanent disability. Despite the setback, he continued working with the Armed Forces and later became an accomplished para-athlete representing the UAE internationally.

Following his death, fellow athlete Mohammed Al Hammadi dedicated his medals at the 2017 World Para Athletics Championships to Hayayei and handed them to his children.

 

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