"Relay politics in the '90s were crazy" - Michael Johnson explains why he never competed in 4x100 relay event at the Olympics and World Championships

Retired American sprinter Michael Johnson recently revealed why he could never represent the United States in 4x100m relay events at the Olympics and the World Championships despite excelling in individual domains. He is a four-time Olympic champion.

Johnson is considered one of the greatest track runners of all time for his athletic dominance back in the day. He participated in the Olympics three times in his career and earned a gold in each of his participations.

1992 Barcelona was his first Olympic appearance, where he secured gold in the 4x400 meter relay. This was followed by an individual Olympic double in the 200m and 400m at the 1996 Atlanta Summer Games. 2000 Sydney marked his last appearance in the quadrennial event, where he stood atop the podium in 400m.

Furthermore, he holds eight World Championship titles across 200m, 400m, and 4x400m relay events. Despite being so dominant in all these disciplines, the Dallas native never competed in the 4x100 relay event.

The reason for his absence from the shorter relay event remained unknown for a long time. However, a curious fan recently asked Michael Johnson on X (formerly Twitter) why he never participated in 4x100 relays. To this, the American icon replied:

"2 reasons. One fair. One unfair. UNFAIR: 90’s relay politics were crazy. ‘91 I was left off the 4x4 despite being world ranked #1. They lost! FAIR: US 100m depth at that time was ridiculous! Who would I replace?"

When Michael Johnson revisited his first Olympics in Barcelona in 1992

Olympic & Paralympic Games, Paris 2024 and Beyond - Laureus World Sports Awards Madrid 2024

The 1992 Barcelona Olympics were a bittersweet event for Michael Johnson, as he could not participate in his marquee 200m and 400m individual events due to food poisoning. However, he recovered well in time to help his American 4x400m relay squad clinch gold. He ran his lap in 44.73 seconds to ensure the team's victory.

The 56-year-old revisited his first Olympic memories last year when a post about the iconic Olympic cauldron lighting at the Barcelona Games resurfaced on X (formerly Twitter). Michael Johnson retweeted the post, writing:

"My first Olympics. Will never forget this moment!"

The American legend announced his retirement from professional athletics in 2008 and is now working towards promoting the sport of track and field on the international level through a new league. He has reportedly raised $30 million from investors and strategic partners for the initiative. The inaugural season of the league is set to begin in 2025.