World Athletics has criticized Grand Slam Track’s proposed look at funding a new season of events despite being engulfed in an ongoing bankruptcy proceeding.
In a statement released on Monday, the sport’s governing body seemingly took issue with information that emerged from a meeting of the league’s creditors on January 14 where a disclosure revealed that $400,000 would be allocated for new athlete contracts for 2026.
“It is unconscionable that efforts would be made for Grand Slam Track to restart in 2026 without the settlement of outstanding financial obligations to athletes, vendors and service providers,” World Athletics said in its statement. “It is paramount that athletes who competed in good faith and vendors and service providers are treated fairly and paid.”
In addition to the would-be allotment for new contracts, the league wants to spend $100,000 on marketing, an additional $120,000 on payroll and $50,000 on consultancy fees as part of a proposed budget.
Grand Slam Track currently owes more than 340 creditors around $40 million and filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in December after months of speculation about its finances following the cancelation of its final scheduled meet in Los Angeles in June 2025.
Last Friday, the Association of Athletics Managers, which acts on behalf of many of track and field’s top athlete representatives, released a statement warning that it will not support any attempts for a new Grand Slam Track season if current debts to athletes and vendors are not fully paid.
“We were surprised to hear in the most recent creditor meeting that GST is already working toward a 2026 season,” the statement read. “This with over $30m owed to over 150 athletes and more than 100 service vendors worldwide. In their request for $2.9M in debtor-in-possession financing from the bankruptcy court to cover their operating costs for the next few months, GST included $400,000 for athlete recruitment for the 2026 season. This would all be funded prior to any other 2025 payments being made. The AAM does not support this approach.”
Updated bankruptcy filings show that the league now owing over $40 million to its creditors turned out be $10 million more than was previously disclosed in December.
The league had until the end of January to present a detailed breakdown of its plan to restructure as a company and explanin to the court how it could begin to repay creditors, according to United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware.
