Athletes threaten legal action after Michael Johnson’s Grand Slam Track faces £13.9m unpaid-fees row

Top track athletes, agents and suppliers say they will consider suing Grand Slam Track and its founder, Olympic champion Michael Johnson, if they are not paid nearly £13.9 million in prize money and fees by the end of the month.

The dispute stems from GST’s inaugural season, staged between April and June, which was cut short after organisers cancelled a fourth meeting in Los Angeles amid mounting financial problems. According to reporting in The Times, competitors and third parties who helped run the three completed events in Kingston, Jamaica, Miami and Philadelphia are collectively owed the equivalent of £13.9 million.

Organisers had promoted the series as a high-reward alternative for elite athletes, promising $100,000 for winners at each meeting and advertising a total prize pool of $12 million. The financial shortfall followed the withdrawal of a major investor after the opening Kingston meeting failed to generate sufficient revenue from sponsorship and ticket sales, according to people with knowledge of the situation.

Johnson, a four-time Olympic champion, publicly acknowledged missed payments in a statement last month, saying GST had been “unable to meet” deadlines for compensating athletes and stakeholders. He has said the organisation hoped to resolve outstanding liabilities by the end of September after securing new sponsorship agreements.

Lawyers representing athletes and suppliers have reportedly begun examining potential claims, and some rivals say the unpaid sums have caused serious personal and financial strain. The Times reported that two athletes postponed planned house purchases after not receiving hundreds of thousands of dollars they were due. World Athletics president Lord Coe has said the global governing body is monitoring the situation.

British sprinter Daryll Neita, who competed in the series, said on BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast that she was grateful for the competitive opportunity but believed “we all are” still owed money. "I would just hope that ultimately we're all able to get what's owed and I do believe that it will be a positive outcome," Neita said. "They were going out of their way to give us a five-star experience and it was nice to see track developing in that way."

The league staged its first three meetings despite reports of dwindling cash reserves, a decision that has fuelled frustration among some athletes and suppliers who argue staging additional events while unable to pay commitments exacerbated the problem. The Los Angeles meeting was cancelled after organisers said they faced “alarming financial issues.”

GST’s backers and prospective sponsors have not publicly disclosed the terms of any rescue deals. Johnson has framed the league as an attempt to reward athletes more fairly and raise the profile of track and field, but organisers now face the immediate task of settling debts to participants and contractors to avoid litigation and regulatory scrutiny.

Athletes and their representatives have set a deadline for payment by the end of the month, after which some have said they will pursue legal action to recover fees. Lawyers for affected parties did not immediately respond to requests for comment. GST did not provide additional comment beyond Johnson’s earlier statement.

The episode adds to a growing conversation about the economics of staging elite invitational events outside established international competition calendars. Promoters have argued such leagues can offer athletes higher pay and new commercial opportunities; critics say they can be risky ventures that leave competitors exposed if revenue targets are not met.

For now, the most immediate matters are the outstanding payments and whether new sponsorship will cover liabilities. If sums are not settled promptly, organisers face the prospect of multiple legal claims from athletes, agents and suppliers seeking what they say they are owed.