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Michael Johnson Defends £372,000 Payment as Grand Slam Track Creditors Press Bankruptcy Claims

The dispute matters because it sits at the center of an active Chapter 11 case that still holds millions in unpaid athlete and vendor claims.

Overview

  • Grand Slam Track remains in Chapter 11 after filing in late 2025 and a January court document listed roughly 340 creditors collectively owed about $40 million.
  • Johnson says the £372,000 was reimbursement for hotel charges he covered on his personal card and that he personally loaned GST $2 million and raised about $11 million to cover athlete pay.
  • Creditors have disputed that account, filing legal papers that described the payment as secret and leaving the transaction part of ongoing bankruptcy litigation.
  • Several athletes say they are not certain they have received full payment, with Olympic silver medalist Matt Hudson-Smith publicly saying he does not know if he was paid the $147,500 listed in the court filing while some funds remain in escrow.
  • The series collapsed after expected investor funding from groups tied to Eldridge and Todd Boehly failed to appear, leaving unpaid bills, cancelled Los Angeles finale plans and a wider lesson on the risks of star-driven, guarantee-heavy sports startups.