Yohan Blake Offended By $40,000 Offer; Says Not Close To Real Worth

The Manager of triple Olympic Medalist YOHAN BLAKE has accused U.K. Athletics promoter IAN STEWART of making an "insulting" offer for his sprinter to compete in Sunday's Aviva Birmingham Grand Prix, according to Simon Hart of the London TELEGRAPH. Stewart was further accused of being "interested only in providing a platform" for U.K. double Olympic champion MO FARAH. Manager CUBIE SEEGOBIN said that he was "taken aback by an email" Stewart sent to him on the last day of the Olympics that offered the Jamaican world champion $40,000 to run in Birmingham. Seegobin said it "didn't come close" to the athlete's worth. The offer was rejected, however, Blake accepted invitations to compete in Lausanne Wednesday, Zurich in a week's time and Brussels on Sept. 7. As the world's second-fastest sprinter behind six-time Gold Medalist USAIN BOLT, Blake is believed to be commanding appearance fees of $150,000 -- half of what Bolt earns per meeting (TELEGRAPH, 8/22).