World Athletics President Seb Coe Defends Michael Johnson's Grand Slam Track After Cancellation

Michael Johnson and Seb Coe

World Athletics President Seb Coe Defends Michael Johnson's Grand Slam Track After Cancellation

Abigael Wafula 16:30 - 25.06.2025

World Athletics President Seb Coe has publicly supported Michael Johnson's Grand Slam Track amidst its recent cancellation and criticism.

World Athletics president Seb Coe has backed Michael Johnson’s Grand Slam Track to bounce back stronger and better amid criticism from the track and field community.

The fourth leg of the Grand Slam Track was scheduled for Los Angeles at the Drake Stadium from June 27 to 29, but was cancelled.

This was after three Slams, with the debut happening in Kingston, Jamaica, from April 4 to 6 at the National Stadium.

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The second slam in Miami was held at the Ansin Sports Complex from May 2 to 4, with the third Slam happening in Philadelphia from May 30 to June 1 at Franklin Field.

Following the cancellation of the Slam, Michael Johnson received a lot of backlash from track and field athletes, enthusiasts and experts, but Seb Coe has quickly jumped to his defence.

Seb Coe Backs Michael Johnson’s Grand Slam Track to Flourish

Michael Johnson and Grand Slam Track
Track legend Michael Johnson is the commissioner of Grand Slam Track League

The Grand Slam Track fourth leg was cancelled due to economic challenges, mainly, and Michael Johnson promised a bigger event in 2026.

Seb Coe also believes that Michael Johnson can make something big out of the Grand Slam Track, noting that most start-ups always experience such challenges.

"We want to be enablers. I'm not the 'computer says no' federation. We want to encourage fresh thinking and fresh income into this sport. I've been involved in startups, and it's complicated. But execution is everything," Seb Coe said as per France 24.

Seb Coe: World Athletics Ultimate Team Championship Will Be a Game Changer

Seb Coe
Seb Coe Image source: Imago

Seb Coe added that after the World Championships in Tokyo, Japan, focus will shift to the World Athletics Ultimate Team Championship from September 11-13, 2026, in Budapest.

Each three-hour session will see athletes compete in their national kits, representing both themselves and their countries.

"Next year is unashamedly aimed at TV. It's unashamedly aimed at unlocking new audiences. So we go from 2024 where we have a big global audience in the Olympic Games to 2025 which are world championships,” he added.

"2026 now gives us, in September, an opportunity for the world to remember we're big and punchy and still there."

The World Athletics Ultimate Team Championship is set to feature an unprecedented prize pool of $10 million, marking one of the largest financial commitments ever made in the history of track and field team competitions.

This record-breaking sum underscores the event’s ambition to elevate the global appeal of athletics and reward athletes at a level never seen before.