Michael Johnson Says Grand Slam Track On Hold Until 2025 Debts Are Paid

Grand Slam Track will not return spot successful 2026 unless athletes person their prize money for this year, says laminitis Michael Johnson.

The four-time Olympic sprint champion confirmed nan upstart way circuit has been incapable to salary millions successful quality fees and prize money from its inaugural play and will not move guardant until those debts are cleared.

Grand Slam Track launched successful 2025 arsenic a high-paying replacement to nan Diamond League, focusing exclusively connected way events and offering salaries for contracted athletes on pinch up to $100,000 for title winners. The conception lured successful apical names, including British Olympic sprinters Daryll Neita and Matthew Hudson-Smith, and 1500m world champion Josh Kerr, pinch nan committedness of swift payouts and a bold caller shape for elite sprinting and middle-distance races.

The play began pinch meets successful Kingston, Miami and Philadelphia, though nan second was trimmed from 3 days to 2 arsenic costs mounted. The finale successful Los Angeles, scheduled for June, was cancelled altogether aft organizers grounded to unafraid promised investment. Johnson said nan move was designed “to debar further losses” and statesman nan “lengthy process of stabilizing nan institution to get backmost connected track”.

“It is incredibly difficult to unrecorded pinch nan reality that you’ve built thing bigger than yourself while simultaneously emotion for illustration you’ve fto down nan very group you group retired to help,” Johnson said successful a statement connected Friday. “We promised that athletes would beryllium reasonably and quickly compensated. Yet, present we are struggling pinch our expertise to compensate them.”

Industry outlet Front Office Sports reported past month that Grand Slam owes astir $13m to competitors. Johnson blamed nan situation connected “circumstances beyond our control” aft committed backing grounded to materialize, but insisted nan convention had nary plans to fold.

Instead, he said, Grand Slam is “putting systems and partnerships successful place” to guarantee specified a breakdown ne'er happens again. “While I americium nary alien to setbacks and overcoming obstacles, this existent business of not being capable to salary our athletes and partners has been 1 of nan astir difficult challenges I’ve ever experienced. The 2026 play will not hap until these obligations are met – and that is my number 1 priority.”