Grand Slam Track, the competition backed by Olympic great Michael Johnson, has been asked to settle debts owed to athletes who took part last year or risk setting a “dangerous precedent”.
Its inaugural season promised lucrative prize money and salaries for contracted riders, but its final event was canceled and the organizers subsequently voluntarily declared bankruptcy in the United States.
That move left many big names out of pocket, including women’s 400m hurdles world record holder Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, who is owed $268,750 (£196,000).
The Association of Athletic Directors (AAM), which represents several stars, says GST now risks undermining confidence in the sport having requested $400,000 (£292,000) as part of its court-supervised reorganization to pay for “athlete recruitment” for a 2026 season.
The AAM is calling on the GST to “immediately prioritize” paying all outstanding debts – which it claims exceed $30m (£11.8m) to more than 150 athletes and businesses – “before attempting to host additional events”.
The BBC has contacted GST for comment.
In a statement last month, it said it would use the bankruptcy process “to stabilize its finances, implement a more efficient operating and cost model, and position GST for long-term success.”