Justin Gatlin sheds light on the financial struggles track athletes face, revealing the pressures of low-paying contracts and the need for alternative income sources.
American sprint legend Justin Gatlin has opened up about how tough it is being a track and field athlete when it comes to making money.
The 2004 Olympic champion pointed out that athletes cannot make enough money to cater for themselves if they solely rely on their talents since their contracts don’t really give them a lot of money.
Justin Gatlin pointed out that a contract goes hand in hand with an athlete’s performance and if they drop in their performance, then they are also subjected to pay cuts.
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The former world champion noted that athletes go through a lot, most of which they prefer not to speak about.
He revealed that some even struggle to pay their bills, something that a fan might not be in a position to understand hence the decision to remain silent during their struggles.
“The people in our sport are so stressed out, man. They are stressed out because they know that this could be a detriment to their livelihood. If you go home, you might not be able to pay rent for some of these young guys,” Justin Gatlin said on the Run Your Race podcast.
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“When I was growing up, I didn’t know the difference between different sports’ contracts. I just loved the sport, I knew I was good at it 100% but when I started looking at the numbers I was a bit shocked.”
With such low-paying contracts, athletes are usually forced to have side hustles to make a sustainable income to cater for their celebrity status.
Top athletes like Noah Lyles and Sha’Carri Richardson have extended their income streams through endorsement deals from brands like Olay, and Omega.
Also, with new track leagues like Michael Johnson’s Grand Slam Track League and Alexis Ohanian’s Athlos, track and field is headed in the right direction.
