Grand Slam Track Athletes Deny Michael Johnson’s Claim They Have Been Paid

Four-time Olympic champion Johnson launched the league in 2025 with the promise of lucrative prize money and salaries, but its final Los Angeles meet was cancelled and organisers voluntarily filed for bankruptcy in the US last December after what Johnson called a ‘catastrophic capital issue’ caused by investors pulling out. A reported $11m (£8.1m) owed to creditors — including athletes — is understood to be held by a third party.

Grand Slam Track founder’s credit card claim

In a Telegraph interview on Saturday, the 58-year-old said he was hurt by accusations he ‘secretly’ paid himself $500,000 days before the season collapsed, revealing he had used his own credit card to cover athlete flights and hotels.

I’m happy to clear it up, because it’s the most hurtful thing and the exact opposite of what was reported. Our credit card was full at Grand Slam Track, because we were facing significant cash-flow issues. I instructed our travel team to put it on my credit card, and I would be reimbursed for it. So, what I received was reimbursement.

Johnson’s representatives conceded the money had not yet reached athletes, insisting he had not set out to deceive anyone. It caps another turbulent week for athletics, after four Ugandan athletes went missing in Scotland following the Commonwealth Games.