The biggest appeal to Johnson is the exclusion of half of the sport of track and field.
Great Britain’s Jazmin Sawyers believes Grand Slam Track cannot achieve the desired change without the inclusion of field events.
The European indoor long jump champion said Telegraph, external: “(Johnson) talks about revolutionizing the sport, but it’s not happening in its current iteration. The sport is athletics, it’s the sport that gave it the life it has.”
Meanwhile, two-time reigning US Olympic discus champion Valarie Allman defended the athletes as those who “want to compete the most” and hopes the new competitions “recognise that athletics and track and field are a total package”.
In response to the criticism that followed the decision, Johnson said: “I love the sport. But I’ve had time to come to terms with the fact that if we’re going to keep doing the same thing, tell people ‘you should love this ‘ or ‘ you should understand that’ – that doesn’t work.
“Grand Slam track is track, that’s what we do. I’ll do what I think I can do; I think I can do track, I don’t think I can do athletics.
“Combining the two works in the Olympics and World Championships, but I’m not sure it works when you’re trying to create a professional sport outside of those world competitions.”
