UK Athletics pleads guilty to corporate manslaughter

UK Athletics has pleaded guilty to the corporate murder of Paralympic athlete Abdullah Hayayei.

Hayayei died at the age of 36 when a metal cage fell on him while he was training at Newham Leisure Center in London in July 2017.

UK Athletics pleaded not guilty to the charge in March 2025 but entered a new plea at the Old Bailey hearing on Friday.

Keith Davies, head of sport at the 2017 World Para Athletics Championships, also pleaded guilty to the health and safety charge, having previously denied a charge of manslaughter by gross negligence.

Prosecutor Karen Robinson asked the court to schedule a two-day sentencing hearing for early June, confirming that the prosecution would not hold a hearing and that outstanding charges would be dealt with at the conclusion of sentencing.

Davies, 78, was granted continued bail on the condition that he contact the Probation Service for a pre-sentence report.