They were the heartbeat of Botswana’s Olympic relay dream. But just days before the 2025 World Athletics Relays, the nation’s top sprinters—Letsile Tebogo, Colleb Kebinatshipi, and Bayapo Ndori—have withdrawn, which was reportedly due to a pay dispute. The Botswana Athletics Association confirmed the exits, citing personal reasons. For a nation that came within inches of Olympic gold, the timing couldn’t be more gutting. But while Botswana’s relay squad takes a hit, the World Relays face another storm quietly rumbling in the background. A fresh controversy is brewing, which has left fans questioning the relays.
Soon after the aforementioned athletes’ exit was confirmed, Tebogo issued a heartfelt statement, calling the decision one of deep reflection and long-term thinking. He said, “I wish to clarify that my withdrawal was not a decision taken lightly, nor without due consideration and engagement with relevant stakeholders. As stated, a personal decision was made in the best interest of all parties involved, and in full alignment with my long-term goals as a professional athlete. I remain fully committed to my country, the team, and the advancement of athletics in Botswana. As always, I remain proud to represent Botswana on the world stage and urge the nation to rally behind the team with the same energy and spirit that defines us as Botswana.”
But coming back to the World Relays, the controversy emerged after a prominent track and field account, TrackSpice, uploaded the official prize money chart for the 2025 Relays; keen-eyed fans and insiders began to notice something… off. While the traditional relay events—men’s and women’s 4x100m and 4x400m, along with the mixed 4x400m—promise $40,000 for gold, one event stood apart: the mixed 4x100m. Its top prize? $28,000.
The World Relay purse will be divided among the team. pic.twitter.com/hWhVR3q8j9
— Track Spice (@TrackSpice) May 8, 2025
In recent years, financial sustainability has become a growing conversation in track and field. Despite the emergence of new events like the Grand Slam Track and Athlos, which offer considerably better, consistent, and equitable pay, it remains a work in progress. Athletes juggle demanding international calendars with training, recovery, and travel—all of which come at a cost, both physically and financially; amidst this, the world events have failed to attract stars.
The relays will miss stars like Sha’Carri Richardson, Faith Kipyegon, and Noah Lyles, and their presence will undoubtedly be felt as the World Athletics Relays get underway. Previously, the Olympic gold medalist has even pointed out that track athletes are paid less compared to those competing in leagues like the NBA and NFL. Further, he detailed how the track events are restricted to only a couple of months during the season, unlike other sports that carry certain appeal throughout the season. Noah Lyles added, “The real reason it is stupid is because we’re not getting paid enough. That’s why were are not getting there.”
The Relays themselves have drawn attention lately, not only for the withdrawals but also due to quiet discussions around prize distributions, which, according to the fans, are not proportionate to the efforts.
Fans call out the World Relays prize money
When the X account posted the prize money for each athlete, it turned out that the gold-winning team gets $40,000, but that’s not per athlete. It’s split among six people, including two reserves. That’s less than $7,000 each. Silver? $28,000 per team. Bronze? $20,000. And just like that, fans were doing the math—and raising eyebrows.
One post said it plainly: “Wah, kinda money this to be split among 6 ppl?” Another chimed in, “They’re running for free.” The comments weren’t angry, just puzzled.
People wanted to understand how such elite athletes, representing their countries at a high-stakes qualifier event, could be walking away with such modest rewards, especially when you consider what they invest in the process. Flights, coaches, training camps, equipment, and physios—none of that comes cheap. And for many athletes, especially those without big sponsorship deals, every dollar matters. As one fan put it, “Whew, this is weak.”
That sparked another trend in the comments: ideas. Fans floated the suggestion of integrating relays into the growing Grand Slam Track series. “Maybe Grand Slam should add a Relay event so racers who aren’t in main events can just form teams,” one wrote. Given Grand Slam Track’s prize structure—$100,000 for first place in individual events, down to $10,000 for eighth- it’s easy to see why fans think it’s time for relays to get a slice of the pie. Another fan shared the same sentiment: “GrandSlamTrack should add a relay event.”
In the end, fans aren’t criticizing that, but they’re standing up for the athletes they admire. And as conversations go, this one isn’t slowing down anytime soon.
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