Recently, Michael Johnson was accused of secretly transferring half a million dollars to himself while his event, the Grand Slam Track, was on the brink of collapse. And amidst this turmoil, the four-time Olympic gold medalist finds support from these particular US athletes.

According to Global Athletics Hub on X, Melissa Jefferson-Wooden, Kenny Bednarek, and Freddie Crittenden have all submitted written letters expressing their support for Grand Slam Track’s plan of reorganization and its bid to emerge from bankruptcy, with all three indicating their willingness to compete in the league in future seasons.

The backing represents a crucial lifeline for the embattled startup, which cannot survive without its most bankable talent.

Indeed, Jefferson-Wooden, the newly crowned world champion who swept triple gold in Tokyo, was a marquee name in GST’s inaugural season, competing in the Kingston event back in April 2025 before embarking on her historic, undefeated campaign.

Bednarek, the Olympic silver medalist, is owed a reported $195,000 from the aborted season, while his willingness to return signals a remarkable degree of forgiveness, given the sums still outstanding.

The situation that Michael Johnson’s GST finds itself in is undeniably precarious. After launching in June 2024 with grand promises of more than $30 million in financial commitments and a lucrative prize structure designed to revolutionize the sport, the league managed just a few scheduled events before cash ran dry.

A proposed $30 million investment from Todd Boehly’s Eldridge Industries fell through after an underwhelming opening meet in Jamaica. And by the time it filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in December, the organization had accumulated total debts of $40.68 million against just $831,385 in assets.

And the new accusation? Apparently, GST came with an official statement: “On behalf of Grand Slam Track, we are aware of the UCC’s recent allegation that GST secretly paid $500,000 to Mr Johnson instead of paying athletes and vendors.”

They added, “This claim is unfounded and false. As was previously explained to the UCC, Mr Johnson advanced millions of dollars for GST’s operating expenses, including athlete travel, accommodation and costs, only a portion which was repaid through the reimbursement. It is unfortunate that the UCC chose to ignore facts and is instead attempting to discredit the company and Mr Johnson through false statements.”

World Athletics has made its position on the event’s future, stating, “It is unconscionable that efforts would be made for Grand Slam Track to restart in 2026 without the settlement of outstanding financial obligations to athletes, vendors, and service providers. It is paramount that athletes who competed in good faith and vendors and service providers are treated fairly and paid.”

So, while athletes like Jefferson-Wooden and Bednarek have chosen to give Grand Slam Track a second chance, a three-time Olympic gold medalist has shared her frustrations before.

Gabby Thomas has called out Michael Johnson’s Grand Slam Track multiple times

Just like Kenny Bednarek and other athletes, Gabby Thomas is still owed $185,625 from the collapsed season and has publicly mentioned her disappointment with how the entire venture was managed.

On one of GST’s TikTok videos, the three-time Olympic champion wrote, “So dope! pls pay me…” And her frustration was justified.

During an interview with Baker Machado from Front Office Sports News, she pinpointed the root cause of Michael Johnson’s failure, stating, “Hard to say. There probably are a few reasons. But if I had to put it all in just one thought, I think too much, too fast, which is really funny talking about track and field league. I think Athlos did it the right way.”

For Thomas, GST wasn’t a new event apart from Diamond Leagues and World Athletics meets. She has participated in track and field competitions like the Athlos, which, as per the Olympic champion, did everything right.

“We had an inaugural event. We took our time with it. We took what athletes wanted to see and made it happen. And no matter how long it takes, it was very thoughtful, very, very thorough,” she added, focusing on Athlos’ success.

While Michael Johnson fights to salvage his vision with support from Jefferson-Wooden and others, the dissatisfaction of frustrated stars like Gabby Thomas truly underscores how deep GST’s problem is.