A man in his 30s was arrested at the European Athletics Championships in Birmingham after he was found in an area of Alexander Stadium with the wrong accreditation, triggering a security response that left athletes, coaches, officials and spectators waiting late into the night.
Concerns were first raised at around 8.15pm on Saturday. Later that night, security measures were put in place and transport for championship staff and athletes was suspended. Stadium announcers also said six medal ceremonies would be postponed.
Long delays for athletes and spectators
The disruption spread well beyond the immediate security check. By 10.15pm, one coach had boarded a bus that did not leave until 11.45pm and did not get back until 12.30am. Around midnight, many athletes, coaches and officials were still leaving the stadium, while some spectators were also caught up in the delays.
Joanne Ray described the scene as cold and confusing, saying there were mothers with babies strapped in carriers and disabled people in electric wheelchairs among those waiting. She said people were “absolutely frozen” and that no information was given to those being held back.
Ray also said a drone was above the crowd “all the time,” which made clear that something serious was happening even if the people at the stadium were not told what it was. When she reached the bus area, she said there were lots of police, fully armed, and compared that with the more routine sight of a single beat officer at a normal event.
What happened and what comes next
West Midlands police said the arrest followed the accreditation issue, but the effect was immediate: transport was paused, medal ceremonies were delayed and the stadium was locked into a security operation that lasted for hours.
The impact of the disruption was felt at a major championships venue hosting four evening’s worth of action, with some people not getting away until after midnight. The next morning, competition continued as Alisa Vainio won gold in the women’s marathon in a championship record 2hrs 22.26min.
