On Saturday night, a number of competitors found themselves unable to leave the Alexander Stadium in Birmingham after a police‑related incident forced the suspension of transport services at the European Athletics Championships. Among those affected were sprint stars Amy Hunt and Dina Asher‑Smith, who, along with several teammates, were left waiting on the stadium grounds while officials dealt with the unfolding situation. The event organisers later issued a formal statement explaining that the temporary halt to shuttles and other transport arrangements was necessary to implement additional security measures.
West Midlands Police had taken a man in his thirties into custody on suspicion of fraud, prompting a heightened police presence and a brief lockdown of the stadium’s exit routes. The police action, while unrelated to the athletes themselves, created a ripple effect that impacted the flow of people in and out of the venue.
According to reports from the Press Association, the athletes who remained on site included the British men’s and women’s 4×100 metre relay squads, both of which had secured gold medals in the final two events of the evening’s programme. After the security team cleared the immediate area, the athletes were escorted to the high‑performance centre that sits adjacent to the stadium, where they could wait in a safe environment until transport resumed. Transport services eventually restarted roughly one hour and forty‑five minutes after the initial interruption. However, priority was given to those competitors who were scheduled to compete on Sunday, meaning that athletes like Hunt—who was targeting a historic quadruple of European titles, including a gold medal in the inaugural mixed 4×100 metre relay—were among the first to be moved.
The delayed shuttles meant that many spectators, who had already been waiting in long, static queues, experienced significant inconvenience and expressed frustration on social media, citing a lack of clear communication from the organisers. The incident also forced the cancellation of six medal ceremonies that had been slated for the 10 p.m. to 11 p.m. slot.
Organisers later clarified that the decision to postpone these ceremonies was directly linked to the police matter and the resulting security concerns. A statement released by Birmingham 2026 in the early hours of Sunday morning reiterated that transport operations had returned to normal after the police incident was resolved. The statement read in full: "Birmingham 2026 can confirm that transport operations have returned to normal following a police incident on Saturday evening. Championship transport was suspended until the necessary security measures had been carried out while West Midlands Police arrested a man in his thirties on suspicion of fraud.
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. Further information will be issued on Sunday relating to the evening's postponed medal ceremonies." While members of the public who were not waiting for shuttle buses were allowed to leave the stadium on their own, the police deemed the situation serious enough to maintain control over the exits until the suspect was secured and the area was deemed safe. An official post on the event’s X (formerly Twitter) account at 11:03 p.m.
offered an apology for the "significant delays" but stopped short of providing details about the cause of the disruption. Media personnel and other staff who were still working in the stadium and the nearby media centre after the general public had been cleared were permitted to remain in their respective zones.
No further explanation was given regarding the activities outside the main exits, but there were no reports of danger to anyone still inside the venue. The episode highlights the complex logistics involved in hosting a major international sporting event, where the safety of athletes, officials, and spectators must be balanced against the smooth operation of transport and ceremony schedules. It also underscores the importance of clear, timely communication in mitigating frustration among fans and participants when unforeseen incidents occur. Despite the setback, the championships continued, and the athletes who were delayed were eventually able to compete and celebrate their achievements in the days that followed.