Six medal ceremonies at the European Athletics Championships in Birmingham were postponed Saturday night after police arrested a man on suspicion of fraud at Alexander Stadium. West Midlands Police said concerns were raised after the man was found in an area of the stadium without the right accreditation.
The arrest triggered a suspension of transport from the venue and set off security procedures that kept spectators waiting outside for more than an hour after the evening session had ended. Members of the crowd reported seeing a large police presence and blue flashing lights on the main road outside the stadium. People posted on social media about "crazy queues" for the shuttle bus.
The evening session had concluded with Great Britain winning gold medals in both the men's and women's 4x100m relay. The crowd appeared to be near the stadium's 23,000 capacity when the disruption began. At one point during the session, an announcement was made that the six medal ceremonies, scheduled to take place between 22:00 and 23:00 BST, had been cancelled.
An official statement posted to the event's X account at 23:03 read: "We apologise for the significant delays in leaving the Alexander Stadium venue this evening. Buses and coaches will start to arrive and departures will begin to gradually take place. We thank you for your patience with this matter. Please listen to the instructions from the safety personnel and marshals who are there to support you."
Tournament organizers said operations returned to normal in the early hours of Sunday. A statement from Birmingham 2026 said: "The safety and wellbeing of our spectators, athletes, workforce and the wider Championships' family will always be our first priority. We recognise that the delays presented challenges for those affected and would like to thank everyone for their patience, understanding and cooperation throughout the evening."
A West Midlands Police spokesperson said a man in his 30s remained in custody for questioning. More information about the postponed medal ceremonies was expected to be released later Sunday.
