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“You won’t be coming back there,
You won’t be coming back there,
You won’t be coming back there,
Before you go, before you run away.
Ooo ohh, you can’t look back, girl,
Gonna catch a wave and smoke a little ganja.
Ooo oh,h you can’t look bac,k girl,
Ooo ohh ohh ohh, ooo ohh ohh ohh.”
— Daniel Wesley, Ooo oh (song)
Michael Johnson, the head of Grand Slam Track, told athletes who competed in the Kingston, Jamaicammeeting that they would receive the prize money they earned by July 31. It is now August 1, and no payments have been made.
American sprinter Gabby Thomas is owed $100,000.
An email message was sent to agents on Thursday, July 31, saying that they expect to have investor funds “imminently.” And would work to process those funds to the athletes once GST has them.
“Grand Slam Track is anticipating investor funds to hit our account imminently, and the athletes are our top priority. Once these funds are received on our end, we will work to immediately process them to your athletes. Noting all banks have different timelines for receiving and depositing funds into individual accounts.”
Thomas left a comment reading “Pls pay me” on Grand Slam’s TikTok account recently.
American athlete Grant Fisher told reporters Wednesday in Eugene, Oregon,“Tomorrow would be the last day before I think people get pretty upset.”
Currently, Grand Slam Track owes $13 million.
If this money is not paid in a reasonable amount of time, the athletes, sponsors, agents, spectators and media will not return to the series. The inaugural event will be the only edition.
There will be little to no recourse for the athletes who are owed money. If the organization cannot pay prize money and venue rent, it will not be able to afford a judgment from a lawsuit. The athletes performed for free, perhaps forgoeing other opportunities.
“Ooo ohh, you can’t look back, girl,
Gonna catch a wave and smoke a little ganja.
Ooo ohh you can’t look back, girl,
Ooo ohh ohh ohh Ooo ohh ohh ohh.
Before you run away,
Before you run away,
Before you run away.”
