Highlighting Athletes’ Pain, US Legend Claims ‘Track Gets Peanuts’ Compared to NASCAR’s Lucrative Deals

US track and field legend Michael Johnson has chimed in on the raging argument of athletes’ pay. Ahead of the Paris Olympics 2024, the underpayment of athletes has plagued the track and field realm. In what is a historic move, the World Athletics announced prize money of $50000 for all the gold medal winners in Paris. The organization is also committed towards providing monetary benefits to every medalist starting from 2028 onwards. 

However, even after the announcement, other athletes lagged behind. The US athletes did not get paid for participating and thus, the $50000 prize did not serve their purposes. Addressing the situation, Michael Johnson recently lashed out at the discrepancy and made his voice heard. 

Michael Johnson trolls the track and field norm hilariously

In a recently viral picture, an athlete was spotted with sponsor logos stuck all over his body. When he was mocked and compared to NASCAR athletes, Michael Johnson stepped in. For the uninitiated, NASCAR cars have a lot of sponsors on them for which fans often express their displeasure. Referring to the same, Johnson reposted the tweet and stated that NASCAR drivers get a substantial amount of money for flaunting the sponsors. 

His tweet read, “😂 Ha! But NASCAR gets paid lots of money to be covered in sponsor logos. Track gets peanuts to be covered in a number and their own name on wrinkled pieces of paper! But change is coming!” Johnson also went on to opine that sponsorships should become a norm for track and field athletes for them to earn more. He further lambasted the current practice of athletes wearing just a name and a number as pathetic. 

Well, surely, the present state of affairs seems alarming about the sport. Not only track and field but other avenues have also been affected. In what was a shocking revelation, a recent survey stated that gymnast Simone Biles does not earn anything from the competitions she participates in! While she is one of the highest-paid athletes, most of her income comes from sponsorship. Making their discontent known, several athletes protested in unison. 

Athletes team up to raise their voice against meagre pay

Throwing light on the matter, a Grand Canyon University athlete, Erin Brown, showcased the sorry state. In one of his uploaded videos, an athlete was seen cleaning at restaurants to get himself a decent earning. Tyrone Smith, the long jumper from Bermuda, reminisced of the time when he headed back to his car selling duty immediately after competing in an event. 

Setting a world record in the 100m discipline twice, Leroy Burrell opined, “Just because one CALLS one’s self a pro track athlete doesn’t mean one IS a pro track athlete.” Lastly, Katelyn Hutchinson, who is a 3x NCAA All-American, urged the authorities to start a payment program as soon as possible. Well, with debates getting prolonged, one can only hope that the protests reach the right ears. And the athletes get something to rejoice for.