What happens when a new league’s financial collapse becomes the punchline at a global awards ceremony? Mondo Duplantis just showed the world, at Michael Johnson’s expense. Back in June, the league was forced to cancel the last leg of the race in LA and has yet to pay the athletes in full. To make things worse, Johnson received only half of what the investors initially promised. Now, Duplantis’ jab has rubbed salt right on top of GST’s $19 million debt.

As he received his 2025 World Athlete of the Year award, the pole vault champion said, “There was another tour that tried to exclude field events. That didn’t go so well, did it? I am very proud to represent field eventers.”

These words elicited a wave of laughter and applause from the crowd. And the crowd included entities like Prince Alb

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