Track and field is going through a major string of bad luck right now! The sport suffered back-to-back blows after a few unforeseen situations cropped up this week. It’s odd that till a few weeks ago, everything looked good….

The biggest track names like Shericka Jackson and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce were making their comebacks. The Grand Slam Track legs were providing unbeatable track action. Also, Alexis Ohanian had announced the comeback of Athlos NYC in a new format in 2026. So what happened suddenly in a week that shifted the focus away from all this and shook the sport to its core?

Jamaican track and field talent drained to Turkey

The most recent setback was the one that hit Jamaica. Two of their Olympic medalist field athletes, Roje Stona and Rajindra Campbell, suddenly switched their allegiance to Turkey. Naturally, this must have been a heavy blow for the JAAA, which has been completely silent about this so far. Are they too shook to address this? After all, Stona had just become Jamaica’s first ever first-ever Olympic gold medallist in a throwing event at the 2024 Paris Olympics. While Campbell took bronze in the men’s shot put. But they have now called it quits over frustrations with their federation.

Campbell recently confessed to The Gleaner that “Jamaica has been having success in the field events for the longest time and even then, the cries were there for improvement and support, but I don’t believe the situation will change much….” The athletes even confessed that even their Paris Olympics achievements didn’t bring in much change because “in the moment promises are made, but after everything cools down, then it is back to their old ways.” The athlete’s dismay comes alive in his words!

But in Turkey, they see hope. Both the track and field athletes were promised seemingly irresistible rewards, including a US$500,000 signing bonus, monthly stipends, and six-figure bonuses for podium finishes. In fact, Onder Ozbilen, a consultant with Turkey’s Sports Ministry, later confirmed that, “Our aim is to elevate our competitive profile on the global stage, and we have long admired Jamaica’s athletic talent.” He even said that both Stona and Campbell will now act as role models in Turkish athletics. But this is just part one, because track and field fans are reeling from other setbacks too.

Michael Johnson’s track and field project collapsed

Track and field saw its worst nightmare coming true this week, when a mega event just fell apart out of the blue. Yes, while everyone was anticipating solid track performance in Los Angeles, Michael Johnson suddenly announced that Grand Slam Track’s final event in Los Angeles was called off. Reason? Economic issues! The four-time Olympic gold medalist, Johnson, announced, “Sometimes we have to make moves that aren’t comfortable, but what’s most important is the future and sustainability of the league.” 

While he promised that Grand Slam Track is on the lookout for new investors and shall be back in 2026, for track and field fans, this was a gut punch because their chance to watch Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, Kenny Bednarek, Gabby Thomas, and others was now gone! But, it wasn’t just GST, another track and field event was also called off.

Another track and field event got cancelled

Last year, at the 2024 USATF New York City Grand Prix, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone had run her first 400m flat race of the season. She’d made it one to remember with a world lead time, but this year, no such magic could happen. This year, the 2025 NYC Grand Prix got called off too. The meet director, Mark Wetmore, stayed silent about this call, but USA track and field circulated a statement. It said, “USA Track & Field is disappointed to learn of the cancellation of the 2025 New York Grand Prix….While USATF does not organize this event, we understand the impact this change may have on athletes seeking critical opportunities to compete, earn prize money, and gain world-ranking points.”

Clearly, this was a blow to many hopeful track and field stars. Not just this, the LA Grand Prix was called off too, because its dates clashed with the GST LA leg, which eventually got withdrawn too. But not everything was bitter as, World Athletics brought in a major change, too.

World Athletics’ proposal for change

The World Athletics has now launched a request for proposal (RFP) regarding two services that cater to their athlete shoe regulations. This means they just made an international call for a specialized independent provider that can oversee the regulation and control of sports footwear used in elite athletics. Till now, this was done by the WA itself. Now this wish is to appoint a body to conduct the following activities, like pre-approval and review of footwear to be used in competitions. Also, post-event supervision will be conducted under the guidance of a lead contact from World Athletics. However, all of this will be done within the regulations itself.

So yes, track and field is going through a major shift right now. A lot of sudden incidents have clouded the sport. But there are at least a few positives amid all these major hits.