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Michael Johnson has insisted that payments to Gabby Thomas, Emmanuel Wanyonyi, and others are coming soon, but the growing doubts have left athletes anxious.
Several top track and field athletes, including Olympic champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi, triple Olympic champion Gabby Thomas and 400m hurdles world record holder Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, are still owed millions in appearance fees and prize money from Michael Johnson's Grand Slam Track (GST) series.
As reported last month, Michael Johnson, the four-time Olympic champion, cancelled the final Grand Slam Track event in Los Angeles, scheduled for June 27 to 29, due to economic challenges.
Michael Johnson held an emergency meeting with athletes to inform them of the cancellation. Johnson held three legs of the Grand Slam Track, starting with the debut in Kingston, Jamaica. The second leg was held in Miami before the next event, which was staged in Philadelphia.
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As reported by The Times, senior figures in the sport have revealed that Olympic and world champions, along with their agents, are pursuing outstanding payments from the first meet in Kingston, Jamaica, in early April.
Some have expressed their concerns directly to World Athletics, with other athletes like Emmanuel Wanyonyi conducting interviews and airing out their grievances.
Michael Johnson's independent series, initially positioned as a rival to the Diamond League, boasted a total prize fund of $12.6 million (£9.2 million).
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Top athletes were promised appearance fees of up to $200,000, with potential prize money reaching $100,000 per round. However, the final event was cancelled due to poor ticket sales for the first three meets and concerns over insufficient broadcast and sponsorship revenue.
While prize money is typically withheld until drug test results are processed, athletes expected their appearance fees sooner. Diamond League results are usually processed within two to three weeks.
However, as things stand, many athletes and their representatives are still awaiting payments from the Kingston, Miami, and Philadelphia meets.
The Association of Athletics Managers wrote to GST and held a Zoom call with Johnson last week to address the issue. One source reported that Johnson could not provide specific payment dates.
He apparently hopes to secure new sponsors and relaunch the series in 2026. On Tuesday, Grand Slam Track emailed athlete representatives, attempting to reassure them about payment.
"Our plan is to make payments for Kingston prize money before the end of July and the remaining payments due by the end of September, which includes the honouring of Los Angeles appearance fees,” Grand Slam Track executive Kyle Merber stated.
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Reports last week indicated GST staff layoffs, and the vague nature of the recent communication continues to worry athletes and agents.
One leading agent commented, “It’s still a bit vague. If they have the money, why can’t they pay it now? For some of these athletes, we are talking a lot of money; hundreds of thousands of pounds. We just hope it comes through as promised, eventually.”
As uncertainty looms over delayed payments, top athletes and their agents continue to press for transparency and action, with trust in Michael Johnson’s Grand Slam Track series now hanging in the balance.
Whether promised funds materialise in the coming months could determine not only the future of the GST project but also Michael Johnson’s credibility within the sport.
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