Ben Johnson Gets Lucrative Shoe Contract

GENOA, Italy — World 100-meter champion Ben Johnson signed a $2.5-million, five-year sponsorship deal with an Italian shoe and clothing company Friday.

Johnson, from Canada, signed with Diadora, which has sponsored tennis players Bjorn Borg of Sweden, Guillermo Vilas of Argentina, and Formula One racing drivers Alain Prost of France and Niki Lauda of Austria.

The contract is believed to be the largest individual sponsorship deal in track and field.

Johnson, who set the world record of 9.83 seconds at 100 meters in the World Championships in Rome last year, said at a press conference that a muscle problem in his right thigh would force him to withdraw from an indoor meet today in Genoa.