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Paralympic Shot Putter's Death Blamed on Negligent Training Setup

BBC Sport •
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Abdullah Hayayei, a 36-year-old Paralympic shot putter from the UAE, died when a training cage collapsed during practice in Newham, London, in July 2017. The athlete, who had cerebral palsy, was struck by a 25kg metal bar that fell as the structure gave way in strong winds. UK Athletics now faces sentencing for corporate manslaughter, while former head of sport Keith Davies, 78, is charged with health and safety breaches.

The Old Bailey heard that critical support components were missing from the equipment, with bolts absent that should have secured the base. Prosecutors described the incident as an "accident waiting to happen" and revealed a pattern of assembling the cage without essential pieces. Davies allegedly claimed the equipment was properly assembled according to instructions, despite knowing otherwise.

Hayayei's widow, Badriah Rashid Zayed Al-Yahyaei, told the court she was left alone to raise their five young children. She had been expecting news of her husband's athletic success when she instead received word of his death. The prosecution condemned UK Athletics for producing a "deeply unworthy document" that attempted to shift blame to the Newham venue and Davies.

Davies wrote to the court expressing his anguish over the tragedy, stating he wakes nightly thinking about Hayayei's loss. Judge Richard Marks is expected to deliver sentencing decisions Tuesday, bringing a somber conclusion to a case highlighting serious safety failures in elite athletics training.