Coach of Andre De Grasse on money in athletics: “Our sport has a problem”

Stuart McMillan, the coach of Canadian sprinter Andre De Grasse, posted his thoughts regarding prize money in the sport of track and field to social media on Sunday. “Our sport has a problem,” he says.

He compares winnings in athletics to those of tennis, specifically the IAAF Diamond League Final and the U.S. Open. The Arizona-based coach has mentored Andre De Grasse since the 22-year-old joined ALTIS, a high-performance training group, back in late 2015. De Grasse went on to win three medals at the Rio Olympics and was a medal favourite for the 2017 IAAF World Championships before withdrawing due to injury.

Instagram post

https://www.instagram.com/p/BXaPP8XBEeE/

“I started writing this a couple of weeks ago,” the Canadian coach says. “Some recent twitter interaction has motivated me to finish, and post it.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/BY3iBWIhQ_E/

Full post

“Our sport has a problem.

On August 24, in Zurich, [Switzerland], 23-year-old British sprinter CJ [Chijindu] Ujah won the finale of the most elite competitive series that this sport has to offer – the IAAF Diamond League.

In perhaps the most competitive event, in perhaps the world’s most competitive sport, at what is supposedly the year’s premier Series Final, CJ [Chijindu] took home $50,000 for winning.

Second place finisher, Ben Meité, won [US]$20,000.

For finishing fourth, World Champion Justin Gatlin won $6,000.

Fourth place…

In arguably the world’s most competitive event in the most competitive sport; the event which – along with the Heavyweight Champion in boxing – has historically captured the imagination of the entire world like no other…. $6,000.

In the currently finishing US Open of tennis – one of four yearly Major Series competitions in the sport – 23-year-old Japanese player Taro Daniel lost to Rafael Nadal in the second round. Daniel is ranked number 121 in the world in men’s singles. The US Open was his first ever. In his young career, he has won 14 ATP matches (the ATP World Tour is the tennis equivalent of the IAAF Diamond League – but with FAR more competitors in a FAR less competitive sport, played in FAR less countries, by FAR less people), while losing 29. He has won zero career titles, and has never advanced past the 2nd round at a Major.

For winning a total of one match at this year’s US Open, Daniel won $50,000.

The 4th place finisher won $920,000 – 150 times that won by Gatlin.

Our sport has a problem.”

Zero disrespect intended toward Taro, BTW. Only communicating the disparity in $ between T&F and other sports. Tennis just one example

— Stuart McMillan (@StuartMcMillan1) September 10, 2017

Both. The sport needs more $, no doubt. Needs to change public perception, no doubt. And needs to spend current $ more appropriately.

— Stuart McMillan (@StuartMcMillan1) September 10, 2017

T&F a highly watched 'professional' sport, that still relies almost entirely on the sponsorship $ from shoe companies.

This is a problem

— Stuart McMillan (@StuartMcMillan1) September 10, 2017

In case folks are wondering, link here is 2017 @Diamond_League prize money for all participants this past season:https://t.co/smyC27pDBO pic.twitter.com/U2oWTQ5SkN

— Stuart McMillan (@StuartMcMillan1) September 10, 2017

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