Michael Johnson, the four-time Olympic champion, has agreed to refund $500,000 to the Grand Slam Track (GST) league after allegations of a "secret" payment surfaced. The payment was made just days before the league's collapse in December 2025. The GST league held three events in Kingston, Miami, and Philadelphia before folding, leaving contracted runners without the lucrative prize money and salaries they were promised.
The league's collapse led to a bankruptcy filing in the US, with vendors claiming against Johnson and GST. A legal filing in Delaware accused Johnson of making a "secret" payment of $500,000 eight days before the league's collapse. Johnson's spokesperson has maintained that the payment was a reimbursement of expenses, not a payment to himself.
GST has disputed the accusation, calling it "unfounded and false". Despite the dispute, Johnson and Winners Alliance have agreed to fund the $500,000 to benefit creditors and facilitate the league's reorganisation.
Johnson had previously invested $2.25m in the GST league in May 2025, after Eldridge Industries decided not to invest $40m. His spokesperson has asserted that the payment was a partial reimbursement of expenses advanced by Johnson for the benefit of the athletes.
This development raises serious questions about the financial management of the GST league, and the role of Michael Johnson in its collapse. The fact that Johnson is refunding the $500,000 suggests that there may be some truth to the allegations against him. However, it remains to be seen whether this will have any impact on Johnson's reputation or his future involvement in track and field.
