08/09/26 10:56:00
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08/09 10:54 CDT Olympian Hudson-Smith says he's unsure if he's been paid what's
owed by Grand Slam Track
Olympian Hudson-Smith says he's unsure if he's been paid what's owed by Grand
Slam Track
By KEN MAGUIRE
AP Sports Writer
BIRMINGHAM, England (AP) --- Olympic silver medalist Matt Hudson-Smith says he
has "a memory like a fish" and doesn't know if he's been paid what he's owed by
Grand Slam Track, the league that filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection
late last year.
Hudson-Smith spoke Sunday at a press conference ahead of the European
championships in Birmingham, England, and addressed four-time Olympic champion
Michael Johnson's comments, in an interview with the Telegraph, that he had now
"been able to get these athletes paid."
Johnson formed the league by providing star athletes with salaries and
appearance fees to compete on a four-event circuit in 2025. There also was
prize money at each race but the series was cut short when Grand Slam Track
canceled its final meet last June in Los Angeles.
"I'm going to be real, I have a memory like a fish, so I can't remember what's
going on," said Britain's Hudson-Smith, a two-time European champion in the 400
meters
A filing in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Delaware in January listed Hudson-Smith as
being owed $147,500.
"This whole year, I've been just focused on Europeans. Grand Slam, I don't know
if I've been paid, to be honest with you, and you can quote that," said the
31-year-old Hudson-Smith, who won silver in the 400 at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The court filing listed more than 300 people and companies owed some $40
million. Eric Edwards Jr., a lesser-known hurdler, was on the list and told The
Associated Press in January that the money was earmarked for practical needs
like paying rent.
Johnson told the Telegraph that he's spent the past year finding solutions for
the athletes.
"Everybody's been paid --- $11 million for three track meets --- more money
than has ever been paid to track athletes to compete," Johnson said.
A note on the bottom of the Telegraph's video interview of Johnson said:
"Johnson raised $11m to pay athletes but some of that is held in escrow and
still in the process of being distributed."
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AP sports: https://apnews.com/sports
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