British Sprinters Take 100m Gold and Silver as Ticket Prices Spark Controversy at Birmingham Europeans

Britain swept the men's 100m podium's top two spots, but high ticket prices are leaving seats empty at Birmingham's European Athletics Championships.

Romell Glave won gold and Jeremiah Azu took silver to give Britain a one-two finish in the men's 100m final at the 2026 European Athletics Championships in Birmingham — a striking home success on day two of the competition. Dutch athlete Nadine Visser also claimed a notable victory in the women's 100m hurdles, ending her long wait for a European title in that event. Despite the on-track drama, the championships have been overshadowed by widespread criticism of ticket pricing. BBC commentator Steve Cram and the coach of reigning Olympic 800m champion Keely Hodgkinson are among prominent voices raising concern, with some describing the prices as 'crazy.' The criticism centers on the visible effect: empty seats at a major home athletics event. The backlash highlights a recurring tension in major sports events between revenue targets and public accessibility. Birmingham is hosting the championships, giving British athletics a high-profile home stage, but organizers face questions about whether pricing strategy is undermining the atmosphere and reach of the competition.

Why it matters

Empty seats at a flagship home championship damage the atmosphere for athletes and the sport's public profile in the UK. The pricing debate could influence how future major athletics events are ticketed across Europe.

What's next

The championships continue in Birmingham, with further finals across multiple track and field events still to come.

Key facts

• Romell Glave won gold in the men's 100m final at the European Athletics Championships in Birmingham
• Jeremiah Azu claimed silver, giving Britain a one-two finish in the event
• Nadine Visser of the Netherlands won the women's 100m hurdles title
• BBC commentator Steve Cram publicly criticized ticket prices at the event
• Keely Hodgkinson's coach joined a 'chorus of concern' over pricing causing low attendances
• The event is being held in Birmingham in 2026

Bias & framing notes

Both sources are from The Guardian. The athletics results coverage is straightforward match reporting, while the ticket pricing story focuses almost entirely on critics and does not include any response or stated rationale from event organizers, leaving the official position absent from the reporting.

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