Clyde Hart, who has coached Wariner for five years beginning with their days at Baylor University, said Wariner wanted to pay him less than his previous contracts.

Hart declined to say if Wariner has lined up a new coach. Wariner's agent is world record holder Michael Johnson, another Hart protege.

Hart said his previous one-year contract paid him a percentage of Wariner's earnings and that the runner offered him a new deal for less pay.

"The better he did, the better the coach would be compensated," under the old deal, Hart said. "If he didn't do good, I would suffer also."

In addition to the Olympic gold medal, Wariner won the gold medal at the 2005 and 2007 World Championships, setting a personal record each year under Hart's tutoring.

Hart deflected a question whether the dispute strained his relationship with Johnson and Wariner.

"It's been a strange situation all the way around," Hart said.

Johnson did not immediately respond to a telephone message seeking comment left with Wariner's manager, Deon Minor.

Hart said he enjoyed coaching Wariner but made his decision based on the business of the sport.

"It was good money, and probably most people would jump at it in a heartbeat," he said, without giving specifics. "I just felt that any type of cutback wasn't justified."

Hart said he will continue to coach Sanya Richards, the world's top-ranked female runner over 400 meters the past three years.