Nigerian sprint sensation Favour Ofili, alongside several top international athletes, is currently facing a frustrating situation, as organisers of the inaugural Grand Slam Track competition have yet to pay out prize money and appearance fees.
The issue affects a number of world-class track and field competitors who are still awaiting payments that total millions of pounds. These include rewards for placements and fees for simply appearing at the events.
It was learnt that the delay became serious that some athletes turned to World Athletics, the sport’s global governing body for intervention.
Ofili participated in the second leg of the series held in May at the Ansin Sports Complex in Miramar, Florida.
Representing Louisiana State University, she clocked 10.94 seconds to finish third in the women’s 100 meters behind Melissa Jefferson-Wooden and Tamari Davis. She also ran in the 200 meters, where she placed fourth.
The Grand Slam Track series kicked off with its first meeting in April at Independence Park in Kingston, Jamaica. It was followed by events in Miramar and then Philadelphia, which hosted the third leg from May 31 to June 1.
However, the final event scheduled for Los Angeles from June 27 to 29 was abruptly cancelled. Athletes were informed during an emergency meeting, where organisers cited disappointing ticket sales, lack of sponsorship, and limited broadcast revenue as the main reasons for the cancellation.
According to The Times, many athletes and their agents have yet to receive payments from the events in Kingston, Miramar, and Philadelphia.
The Association of Athletics Managers reportedly contacted Grand Slam Track officials and later held a Zoom meeting with event founder and Olympic legend Michael Johnson to address the situation.
While it is typical for prize money to be withheld until doping tests are complete, athletes had anticipated that appearance fees would be disbursed much earlier. Organisers have since reached out to athlete representatives, offering reassurances that payments will be processed soon.
The Grand Slam Track was launched by Michael Johnson with an ambitious $12.6 million (£9.2 million) prize pool.
At its unveiling, Johnson promised that top athletes could earn up to $200,000 in appearance fees, with each round also offering up to $100,000 in prize money.