Reports reaching the media have revealed that para-athlete Abdullah Hayayei died after a discus cage fell on him during training, his sports federation says.
Hayayei, a United Arab Emirates thrower in the F34 class, was training at Newham Leisure Centre for the World Para-athletics Championships in London.
The vice president of the UAE Disabled Sports Federation, Majid Al Usaimi, told Dubai Sports TV “the metal discus cage fell on his head”.
Hayayei, 36, was pronounced dead at the scene at 17:20 BST on Tuesday.
The Health and Safety Executive has been informed, as have Hayayei’s family and team-mates.
Al Usaimi, speaking in Arabic to the channel, said: “We are overcome by grief, all of the UAE delegation here in London, and are truly shocked by this news, but it is God’s will.
“We cannot discuss the details of the incident but what I can say is that during afternoon practice for the throwing team, at the official training venue of the competition, Abdullah was going through his usual training routines, before the metal discus cage fell on his head.
“The on-site medical staff tried to help him but to no avail.”
The Metropolitan Police said emergency services “were called shortly after 17:00hrs on Tuesday… to reports of a seriously injured man at Newham Leisure Centre”.
It added: “At this early stage, it is believed the man was struck by a metal pole which formed part of training facilities at the centre.”
Al Usaimi added that the UAE team would still compete at the World Championships.
“We had a meeting with the entire delegation and decided to continue our journey here, with greater motivation in honour of and as a tribute to our brother Abdullah,” he said.
IPC president Sir Philip Craven said: “We are all truly devastated by this tragic news and the passing of Abdullah.”
Hayayei made his Paralympic debut at Rio 2016, finishing sixth in the javelin F34 and seventh in shot put F34.
London 2017, which starts on Friday, was to be Hayayei’s second World Championships.
At the 2015 event in Doha, Qatar, he finished fifth in the discus F34 and eighth in shot put F34.
He was set to compete in the shot put, discus and javelin F34 events.
Source: BBC
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