Abdullah Hayayei, a United Arab Emirates Paralympic thrower, died in an accident while training for the IPC World Track and Field Championships that begin Friday in London.
“I can say that the throwing cage collapsed on the athlete’s head, so, but how and what is the reason, we will not be able to [say],” UAE Paralympic Committee vice president Majid Rashed said in a press conference Wednesday.
The collapse happened at 5 p.m. local time Tuesday in London. Hayayei, a 36-year-old father of five, was pronounced dead at 5:20.
It happened at Newham Leisure Centre and not the 2012 Olympic Stadium, where the world championships will take place.