Grand Slam Track, backed by Olympic legend Michael Johnson, has been warned to pay athletes what they are owed or risk setting a “dangerous precedent” in athletics.
The competition promised big prize money and salaries in its first season, but its final event was cancelled and organisers later filed for bankruptcy in the United States. This left many athletes unpaid, including world record holder Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, who is owed $268,750.
The Association of Athletics Managers says Grand Slam Track now risks damaging trust in the sport and has called on organisers to prioritise clearing debts, reported to total more than $30m, before trying to stage more events.
