Angry Alexis Ohanian Shuts Troller Amid Athlos Star Gabby Thomas’ Recent Signing With Rival League: “Weird Behavior”

A little hint had always been in the air, and on November 26, it finally clicked for the track and field world. Yep, Gabby Thomas officially joined the Grand Slam Track (GST) league, sending shockwaves through the sport. The three-time Olympic gold medalist from Paris was already a star, and her role as the face of Alexis Ohanian’s Athlos NYC 2024 had made her a fan favorite. With $100K prize money on the line, her signing with GST felt inevitable. But here’s the question: is everyone really cool with this?

Earlier this year, Gabby became the poster girl for Athlos NYC—the first-ever women-only track event. Sure, she didn’t snag a win in the 200m on the penultimate day, but her influence helped put Athlos on the map. Yet, behind the scenes, things got spicy. A feud erupted between GST and Athlos, with Ohanian accusing GST of messing with athletes’ rights. GST fired back, and while the drama’s still simmering, Gabby has now signed up with the very league Ohanian has been beefing with. Awkward much?

Signing with Michael Johnson’s GST means Gabby is now playing by their rules. And some fans think this might complicate her role as Athlos NYC’s poster girl. Among the loudest voices? Track raconteur Erin Brown, who stirred the pot on December 1 with a pointed question for Ohanian on X: “@alexisohanian how you let the opps that you hate so much sign the face of your track meet.” Ohanian didn’t dodge the shade; he served up a mic-drop reply:

“I’m so happy for all the people who have followed us @athlos and started investing in the sport! @itsgabbyt deserves everything and more. Weird behavior from you to think anyone would “own” an athlete tbh….” That’s not all! Ohanian even commented below the post writing, “Still time to delete this..” Brown’s yet to clap back, but Ohanian’s response says it all. Athlos NYC is all about empowering athletes, and clearly, that’s why Gabby could jump over to GST without strings attached. That makes sense, right?

On November 26, GST published the 27-year-old athlete’s statement. The words mainly discuss her reason for entering the show. It follows, “Coming off of the Olympics, I want to continue testing myself and competing at the highest level against the fastest women in the world. Grand Slam Track allows us that chance in 2025. Michael’s vision is incredibly exciting.” So the words further explain that Gabby is aligned with Michael Johnson’s view of the league. Moreover, she accepted the rules and regulations coded under GST’s book. But aren’t those the same things that once concerned Ohanian? 

Are Alexis Ohanian’s debates looking weak? 

Alexis Ohanian has always been the guy with flowers—and funding—ready for anything that pumps more cash into athletics. He even gave World Athletics a shoutout for their fresh investment plans. But when it comes to GST’s rulebook, he’s not exactly handing out compliments. So, what’s the beef?

GST organizers stirred the pot with a new, let’s call it “exclusive access” clause. Athletes who sign up need permission to compete in other meets—including, yep, Ohanian’s beloved Athlos. Unsurprisingly, Alexis wasn’t thrilled. On October 2, he hit up X to call out GST’s co-founders Michael Johnson and Bill Ackman, penning a pointed yet polite plea: “It’s disappointing you’re requiring these women to get permission from you & Bill in order to compete in other leagues. It’s not very athlete-friendly.”

He wasn’t done there. Ohanian doubled down with a follow-up: “You’re an Olympic legend and I hope you’ll reconsider. It’s so much better for the sport to give these women more options and not fewer—especially while it’s still so under-invested-in.” Moreover, he justified the need for this contest by adding, “This is going to be new into the sport.”

So, did Johnson and co. budge? Not quite. Johnson posted a video defending GST’s “innovative” approach and stressing that this league is different. Meanwhile, GST clapped back at Ohanian, dismissing him as a “newcomer.” Now, about that controversial clause: The clause holds two sets of sentences and those tell to “obtain prior written consent” to “engage in a Competing Sports League’s event.”

But here’s the twist—it doesn’t apply to heavy hitters like the Olympics, Diamond League, or national championships. That loophole might’ve paved the way for Gabby Thomas to join GST. But here’s the kicker—does this soften Ohanian’s argument? Or is he still standing tall on the side of unrestricted athlete freedom? For now, the debate rages on.