Michael Johnson will not work on BBC Sport’s athletics coverage this year while he continues to face the turmoil of his failed Grand Slam Track venture.
Johnson launched GST last year with the promise of pitching track stars against one another across four meets, one in Jamaica and three in the US. But the project proved disastrous as low ticket sales and poor broadcast revenues hit finances, before a major investor pulled out, causing the fourth meet in Los Angeles to be cancelled.
GST filed for bankruptcy in December. Athletes are still owed millions of dollars in prize money and appearance fees, and creditors are taking legal action against the organisation after alleging Johnson paid himself half a million dollars eight days before the league collapsed. GST strongly rejected the claims as “unfounded and false”.
Johnson has been a respected mainstay of the BBC’s athletics coverage since 2001, working predominantly as a studio analyst. However, he was absent from the broadcaster’s punditry team for last year’s World Athletics Championships in Tokyo as he focused on GST.
At the time, Johnson’s spokesperson told The Times: “He has other commitments unfortunately but is looking forward to working with the BBC in the future.”
However, The Independent understands BBC Sport has no plans to use Johnson on its coverage in 2026.
His spokesperson said in a statement: “Michael wishes to clarify that it was his decision not to continue with the BBC after the Paris 2024 Games. With his contract up for renewal after the Olympics, and Grand Slam Track launching soon after, he chose to focus fully on the project.
“The BBC understood his decision, and he remains grateful for their support and his longstanding relationship with the broadcaster.”
The BBC’s athletics coverage has been scaled back in recent years, and for the first time it will not be the lead broadcaster for this summer’s Commonwealth Games in Glasgow after losing the rights to TNT Sports. The BBC is still set to show some of the Games through its digital platforms.
The broadcaster will show the UK Athletics Indoor Championships and the outdoor UK Athletics Championships, as well as the London leg of the Diamond League in July, for which Johnson has been a studio analyst in the past.
In the legal filing made at the US bankruptcy court for the district of Delaware this week, Johnson was accused of paying himself before creditors. The filing revealed that Johnson was himself owed $2.2m by GST. But it alleged he took out $500,000 (£370,000) on 4 June when he knew it was in dire straits.
“Mr Johnson initiated a payment of $500,000 purportedly on account of an unsecured note,” lawyers for an official committee of unsecured creditors said. “Shockingly, Mr Johnson elected to secretly prefer himself over the athletes and other, non-insider creditors, while at the same time feigning to the public that he was selflessly looking to advance the interests of the athletes.
“Moreover, at the same time, the debtor knew it was in precarious financial straits without sufficient cash to complete its contemplated season.”
A GST spokesperson said: “We are aware of the UCC’s recent allegation that GST secretly paid $500,000 to Mr Johnson instead of paying athletes and vendors. 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.”
