# Johnson defends $500,000 payment, athlete unsure if paid 2026-08-08T16:10:31+00:00 | Sports | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet Michael Johnson has clarified the $500,000 payment he received days before his Grand Slam Track circuit collapsed, saying it was reimbursement for expenses he paid on his personal credit card. The four-time Olympic champion told the Daily Telegraph he also loaned the company $2 million and forwent his own salary. Grand Slam Track filed for bankruptcy in December after cancelling its final leg. Meanwhile, British Olympic silver medallist Matt Hudson-Smith said he has “the memory of a fish” and does not know if he has been paid the $147,500 he is listed as being owed in a court filing. Johnson insists all athletes have been paid $11 million in total. ## Coverage - sportstar.thehindu.com - sportstar.thehindu.com Tags: athletics, bankruptcy, Grand Slam Track, Michael Johnson, payment controversy, sports business Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/michael-johnson-says-loan-not-secret-pay-in-grand-slam-track-collapse/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/michael-johnson-says-loan-not-secret-pay-in-grand-slam-track-collapse/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes.