Spanish teammates' mid-race assistance draws criticism at European Championships

The women's European Championships race walking event became a point of contention due to an unusual display of assistance between Spanish teammates. Maria Perez, who went on to win the women's half marathon, received prolonged support from Miguel Ángel López, her male counterpart competing in the marathon.

Footage showed López pacing Perez for a significant portion of her race. This act sparked outrage, particularly from Swedish commentator Gustav Zetterlund. "I don't actually like this. That a man in a completely different class on a completely different distance affects another competition at the same time," Zetterlund stated, adding, "This is unfortunate, it raises questions about whether you received help or not."

Despite the criticism, the rules of the competition do not explicitly prohibit teammates from assisting one another. However, the incident has ignited debate regarding the fairness and integrity of the race, especially given the differing distances and categories involved. The race itself was also criticized for its challenging course, featuring hills, turns, and speed bumps, as well as for starting four different races simultaneously to minimize traffic impact in the city center.