“Not good”- World Athletics President delivers blunt verdict on Michael Johnson's Grand Slam Track, urges focus beyond 'vanity'

World Athletics President Sebastian Coe has spoken about the financial adversities revolving around Michael Johnson's Grand Slam Track League. GST debuted this year and was supposed to have four events.

However, due to concerns over the long-term sustainability of the league and financial issues, the fourth and final stop of the league was called off. Notably, several athletes have also addressed claims of not receiving their payments from GST and have also conveyed their concerns to World Athletics.

Addressing these concerns over GST, Coe shared that World Athletics has always stood with its athletes, and Johnson's league shouldn't pretend that the situation is satisfactory. He also mentioned that these growing leagues should be built over practicality. Sebastian Coe said (via Athletics Weekly):

"There is no point in pretending this is a satisfactory situation. It's not good. The one thing that World Athletics has always stood strongly behind is the athletes."

"For these things to work, they can’t be vanity projects. They have to be suffused in practicality and deliverability. I just want the events that are going to add lustre, that we can find space for, and we will encourage them to at least have the courtesy of spending that kind of time and that kind of effort."

World Athletics CEO, Jon Ridgeon, also shared that Michael Johnson's Grand Slam Track had received immense support from them. Additionally, Ridgeon mentioned that the GST has asked them for time, and they hope that the league resolves its concerning situation.

Several top stars, including the Women's 200m Olympic champion, Gabby Thomas, have voiced their concerns over not receiving their payments from Grand Slam Track.

Michael Johnson commented on the objective of Grand Slam Track's debut season after Los Angeles meet cancellation

Michael Johnson (Image via: Getty)

Michael Johnson shared his thoughts on the positive side of the debut season of his Grand Slam Track League. This came immediately after the cancellation of the Los Angeles event.

The former Olympic champion said that even though the decision to cancel the event was a tough one, he felt the desired objectives from this debut GST season had been achieved. He said (via Forbes);

"The decision to conclude the inaugural Grand Slam Track season is not taken lightly, but it’s one rooted in a belief that we have successfully achieved the objectives we set out in this pilot season."

Michael Johnson also remarked that GST, being a new league, will learn from the early mistakes they make and will work to rectify them.