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Michael Johnson, the four-time Olympic gold medallist and former world record holder in the 400-metre event, who transitioned into a sought-after TV analyst, has lost some of the credibility he had built over the years.
It appears that Johnson made poor business decisions attempting to launch the Grand Slam Track (GST) league in the US and Jamaica. The story is covered extensively by the publication Front Office Sports.
Today in a court filing we learned how much Grand Slam Track owes the athletes and companies who make up its 20 biggest debts.
— Margaret Fleming (@mgfleming12) December 15, 2025
Several Olympians are owed $190K+. Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone is the league’s fifth-highest creditor, owed more than $350K.https://t.co/hJhR4tnzjq
GST owes millions of dollars and more than $350,000 to star athlete Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone.
Poor business acumen can be forgiven if the intent is benign.
Citius Magazine’s credibility
At the same time, the so-called athletics publication “Citius Magazine” has potentially lost the journalistic credibility it may have had. As it turns out, the company is owed $272,915.80 for promotional storytelling of GST.
On its About Us page, the text reads, “Part commentary and analysis, part media personalities and storytellers— we share content across social, video, podcasts, articles, and newsletters to keep you connected to your favorite sport. Because just like you, we love track and field. And by creating accessible and entertaining ways to follow the sport and its athletes, we believe even more people will fall in love with it, too.”
Apparently, the media company was unable to help GST.
While Citius’ About Us page content could be construed as transparent, it is not fully clear that the publication is nothing more than an advertisement for those willing to pay, such as GST.
Journalism’s role in society
Accepting payment to cover a sport from a journalistic perspective renders the publication strictly a promotional business. Citius Magazine may be nothing more than a marketing vehicle and not a credible news source. It is now impossible to tell.
Journalism is often regarded as one of the four pillars of democracy. Journalism in its truest intent stands alongside the three traditional pillars: the Legislature, the Executive, and the Judiciary. Its role is to inform the public and hold power accountable. Journalism’s role is to ensure transparency and give a voice to the voiceless.
It serves as a crucial link, allowing citizens to understand events and form their own opinions, making it vital for an informed electorate and a functioning democracy.
Journalism evolved from ancient news dissemination, with roots in Rome’s Acta Diurna (59 BCE) for public notices and China’s Tang Dynasty court circulars (bao). However, modern, regularly published newspapers emerged around 1609 in Germany. The first English newspaper was published in 1622. Widespread public access was enabled by the Gutenberg printing press.
Publishing as promotion crosses the line of ethics and objectivity. Considering that Citius Magazine bids on news stories for promotion, all attempts at journalistic integrity are now in question.
By accepting money for storytelling, Citius Magazine is at risk of losing credibility in all its news stories.
GST filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, and Citius Magazine was named as one of the unsecured creditors.
The story is front-page news at publications like Let’s Run and Front Office Sports
