UK Athletics was hit with a £350,000 fine after a court found it guilty of corporate manslaughter over the death of Abdullah Hayayei, a 36‑year‑old Paralympian from the United Arab Emirates. The athlete was killed on July 11, 2017, when a 440‑lb practice cage collapsed at Newham Leisure Centre during a training session. The 440‑lb cage, from the 2012 Games, lacked its base plate.

Investigators determined the 5‑ft cage fell because it had been erected without its mandatory base plate, a flaw known after a similar collapse in 2012. Judge Richard Marks noted the structure was an “accident waiting to happen,” and that UK Athletics had been on notice. Former head of sport Keith Davies received 175 hours of unpaid community work for a health‑and‑safety breach despite warnings.

The court heard Hayayei, a wheelchair‑bound shot‑putter with cerebral palsy, was preparing for the World Athletics Championships in London. His widow Badriah described the loss of a husband and father of five. With annual revenues of £13.8 million and a modest profit, UK Athletics now faces a penalty that could strain its community programmes. The sanction arrives as the body prepares for upcoming national meets.