Grand Slam Track denies Michael Johnson banked $2m from series
Grand Slam Track has called “categorically false” suggestions that founder Michael Johnson earned $2m while competitors in the challenger athletics series went unpaid.
The organisation, which is facing possible legal claims from athletes totalling $19m (£14m), said that Johnson had in fact invested $2m of his own money into the cash-strapped venture.
Grand Slam Track was forced to cancel the last of four events in its debut season this year due to financial difficulties which have left athletes out of pocket.
“The rumours that Michael Johnson has received $2m or profited in any way from Grand Slam Track are categorically false,” a spokesperson told the Guardian.
“In fact, Michael has actually put over $2m of his own money into the project. We are working hard in real time to secure additional funds, and Michael has asked for patience while we try to fix this.”
British sprinter Zharnel Hughes said in July that he was still waiting for some of his payment and that his agent had been in touch with Grand Slam Track about the shortfall.
“I think a lot of the athletes that participated in it thoroughly enjoyed it,” Hughes said. “Now that the payment has been delayed and they fell short by not having the last Grand Slam, people might be a bit more hesitant. We’ll see how it goes next season.”
Johnson: Struggles ‘incredibly difficult’
Grand Slam Track faces an uncertain future after investors pulled out following a low-key first event in Kingston in April, which attracted sparse crowds.
Further two-day meets took place in Miami and Philadelphia in May and June, but just days later the Los Angeles Slam was cancelled and the season concluded early.
The series was conceived by Johnson as a means of elevating the sport that made him a star and offering better prize money to current athletes.
He said last month: “It is incredibly difficult to live with the reality that you’ve built something bigger than yourself while simultaneously feeling like you’ve let down the very people you set out to help.
“We promised that athletes would be fairly and quickly compensated. Yet, here we are struggling with our ability to compensate them.”