Six medal ceremonies were cancelled at Alexander Stadium on Saturday evening after a man was arrested on suspicion of fraud, with transport also suspended while security procedures were carried out.
The disruption came after the final event at the European Athletics Championships in Birmingham, where the ceremonies had been scheduled to take place between 22:00 and 23:00 BST. Great Britain had just won gold in the men's and women's 4x100m relays, but the planned presentations did not go ahead.
What happened at Alexander Stadium?
West Midlands Police said a man in his 30s remains in custody for questioning. The arrest prompted the event to pause transport operations, and thousands of spectators were left waiting as buses, coaches and other departures were held back while necessary security checks took place.
The crowd appeared to be near the 23,000 capacity of the stadium, which made the delays especially noticeable for fans trying to leave after the evening session. At 23:03 BST, the official event account said buses and coaches would start to arrive and departures would gradually begin to take place.
How the evening changed
Birmingham 2026 said the safety and wellbeing of spectators, athletes, workforce and the wider Championships family would always be the first priority. It also said it recognised the delays created challenges for those affected and thanked everyone for their patience, understanding and cooperation throughout the evening.
The event account also apologised for the significant delays in leaving the Alexander Stadium venue and asked spectators to listen to instructions from safety personnel and marshals. In the early hours of Sunday, operations had returned to normal.
The episode was a reminder that major championships depend on more than what happens on the track. The racing and medal moments can be the headline attraction, but transport, crowd management and security all have to work together once the action ends. For a venue like Alexander Stadium in Birmingham, that matters just as much as the final result list.
