Anti-doping bodies speak out against drug-fueled Enhanced Games
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and bodies across the world have taken aim at the event after organizers revealed the date, venue and format for the competition.
The Enhanced Games will be staged in Las Vegas in May 2026, with athletes participating in three sports — athletics, swimming and weightlifting.
Athletes will be allowed to use drugs that are banned across international sports such as steroids and human growth hormones, with winners of each event receiving $250,000, and a bonus of $1 million for anyone who breaks a world record.
Aron D'Souza, the Australian entrepreneur who is the founder of the event, says the Enhanced Games are an exercise in testing the boundaries of human performance.
"The Enhanced Games is renovating the Olympic model for the 21st century," D'Souza said on Wednesday as details of the games were revealed.
"We are here to move humanity forward. The old rules didn't just hold back athletes, they held back humanity.
"We are not just organizing competition, we are in the business of unlocking human potential. We are the vanguard of super humanity."
The Enhanced Games will take place from May 21 to 24 at the Resorts World hotel in Las Vegas.
Swimming will hold 100- and 50-meter freestyle events, along with the 100- and 50-meter butterfly.
Athletics events include the 100-meter sprint and 100- and 110-meter hurdles. Weightlifters will compete in the snatch and clean and jerk disciplines.
WADA, the global anti-doping watchdog, on Thursday condemned plans for the event as "dangerous," voicing concern it could lead athletes around the world to dabble in illicit substances with potentially deadly consequences.
"WADA condemns the Enhanced Games as a dangerous and irresponsible concept," the agency said in a statement. "The health and well-being of athletes is WADA's number-one priority.
"Clearly this event would jeopardize that as it seeks to promote the use of powerful substances and methods by athletes for the purposes of entertainment and marketing.
"There have been many examples of athletes suffering serious long-term side-effects from their use of prohibited substances and methods. Some have died."
Travis Tygart, the head of the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), said the event was a "dangerous clown show that puts profit over principle."
Australia's anti-doping body, Sport Integrity Australia (SIA), condemned the risks posed to athletes participating in the Enhanced Games.
"We work to ensure that sport is safe and fair to all," SIA Chief Executive Sarah Benson said in a statement. "The Enhanced Games is promoting the complete opposite and poses a significant risk to athlete health and safety."
Matt Fedoruk, USADA's chief science officer, highlighted that many substances had been banned in conventional sporting events because they were dangerous.
"These things aren't just banned because they're effective at making athletes stronger or faster," Fedoruk said in a post on USADA's website.
"Many are banned because they've been proven to be dangerous for athletes, with some harmful side effects being potentially irreversible."
D'Souza, however, has pushed back on those criticisms, insisting that the competition would be conducted "safely."
"We live in a world transformed by science — from vaccines to AI," said D'Souza.
"But sport has stood still. Until today. We are not updating the rulebook — we are rewriting it. And we're doing it safely, ethically, and boldly."
The Enhanced Games have received financial backing from investors who include billionaire PayPal founder Peter Thiel as well as investment firm 1789 Capital, in which Donald Trump Jr. is a partner.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yomiuri Shimbun
19 hours ago
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Kiryu Clinches Spot at Tokyo Worlds; 2nd Time in Career to Break 10 Seconds
FUJIYOSHIDA, Yamanashi — Sprinter Yoshihide Kiryu broke 10 seconds in the men's 100 meters for the second time in his career on Sunday, a performance that earned him a spot on Japan's team at next month's world championships in Tokyo. Kiryu clocked 9.99 seconds in a preliminary heat at a meet at Mt. Fuji Meisui Stadium in Fujiyoshida, Yamanashi Prefecture. That surpassed the Tokyo qualifying standard of 10.00 and, combined with his victory at the Japan championships in July, automatically secured his place on the world team. Kiryu, 29, previously ran a then Japan record of 9.98 in July 2017. Two of three available spots in the men's 100 for the Tokyo worlds have now been filled, with Kiryu joining Abdul Hakim Sani Brown, who clocked 9.96 at the Paris Olympics.
The Mainichi
20 hours ago
- The Mainichi
Americans set a relay world record in swim worlds in Singapore and Ledecky wins again
SINGAPORE (AP) -- The Americans set a world relay record and piled up three gold medals Saturday in what's been an otherwise frustrating swimming world championships for them. And at the heart of the turnaround on the next-to-last day of the worlds in Singapore was none other than 28-year-old Katie Ledecky, the most decorated female swimmer in history. Despite the world record in the mixed freestyle 4x100 relay -- 3 minutes, 18.48 seconds -- the story was Ledecky remaining unbeaten in the 800 freestyle. She first won that race in the 2012 Olympics and has never lost since in a major competition. Perhaps for the first time in her career, Ledecky was given only a 50-50 shot by many to beat the 18-year-old Canadian Summer McIntosh, the star of these worlds with Frenchman Leon Marchand. McIntosh's best time this season was 8:05.07 -- just behind Ledecky's world mark of 8:04.12 set earlier this year. After 700 meters, McIntosh of Canada was ahead by 0.14 seconds, but she faded and Ledecky won in 8:05.62 with Lani Pallister of Australia taking silver (8:05.98). McIntosh (8:07.29) settled for bronze. McIntosh has won three individual gold medals in Singapore and was trying for five. She will come up short, though she will be the favorite in Sunday's 400 individual medley. Ledecky said she was unaware she was trailing and, when asked about it, glanced down at a race-results sheet to confirm it. "I didn't know," she said. "I just knew it was close the whole way. There were times where I thought I was just going to break away. I was just happy I was up there. "You just never know when you dive in what everyone's tactics are going to be -- or what's going to happen," she added. "It was fun to just to be in that kind of a race. Just try to make small moves just here and there." Ledecky has won 23 gold medals at world championships and 30 overall. Add to that nine Olympic gold medals and 14 Olympics medals overall. If you're counting, that 44 Olympic and world medals. McIntosh, who won three gold medals in the Paris Olympics, hates losing and she showed it afterward with her comments. They were short and right to the point. "Obviously, that's not even close to what I wanted; time-wise, place-wise, how I executed the race. Nothing," she said. In other results Gretchen Walsh of the United States won the 50 butterfly in 24.83 seconds for her second individual gold of the worlds. Earlier in the worlds she won the 100 fly. Alexandria Perkins of Australia claimed silver (25.31) with bronze for Roos Vanotterdijk of Belgium (25.43). "It feels great to be like myself again in the water after kind of a rocky week," said Walsh, referring to the " acute gastroenteritis " that the Americans have battled in Singapore following a training camp in Thailand. "Two-time world champion. Can't complain with that," Walsh added. Paris Olympic 50-free gold medalist Cameron McEvoy of Australia repeated his title in the worlds, winning in a quick 21.14. Ben Proud of Britain was the silver medalist (21.26) and American Jack Alexy took bronze (21.46). Defending champion and world-record holder Kaylee McKeown of Australia won gold again, taking the 200-meter backstroke in 2:03.33. American Regan Smith took her fourth silver medal in Singapore (2:04.29) with bronze for American Claire Curzan (2:06.04). Maxime Grousset of France picked up his second gold, taking the 100 butterfly in 49.62, just off the world record of 49.45 by American Caeleb Dressel. Noe Ponti of Switzerland took silver (49.83) with bronze for Canadian Ilya Kharun (50.07). Grousset also won the 50 fly. The record It was only the second world record set in these championships. It came on a night when the United States won three gold medals, by far its best performance in what had been a lackluster championships for the team. The relay team members were: Alexy, Patrick Sammon, Kate Douglass and Torri Huske. The Americans how have eight gold medals, one ahead of Australia with the championships closing on Sunday. The Americans have 26 overall and Australia has 17 overall. The only other record set in the meet came earlier in the week with Marchand shattering the 200 IM record (1:52.69). He'll try to break his own 400 IM record on Sunday, a mark of 4:02.50 set in the 2023 worlds in Fukuoka, Japan.
Yomiuri Shimbun
a day ago
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Americans Set a Relay World Record in Swim Worlds in Singapore and Ledecky Wins Again
SINGAPORE (AP) — The Americans set a world relay record and piled up three gold medals Saturday in what's been an otherwise frustrating swimming world championships for them. And at the heart of the turnaround on the next-to-last day of the worlds in Singapore was none other than 28-year-old Katie Ledecky, the most decorated female swimmer in history. Despite the world record in the mixed freestyle 4×100 relay — 3 minutes, 18.48 seconds — the story was Ledecky remaining unbeaten in the 800 freestyle. She first won that race in the 2012 Olympics and has never lost since in a major competition. Perhaps for the first time in her career, Ledecky was given only a 50-50 shot by many to beat the 18-year-old Canadian Summer McIntosh, the star of these worlds with Frenchman Leon Marchand. McIntosh's best time this season was 8:05.07 — just behind Ledecky's world mark of 8:04.12 set earlier this year. After 700 meters, McIntosh of Canada was ahead by 0.14 seconds, but she faded and Ledecky won in 8:05.62 with Lani Pallister of Australia taking silver (8:05.98). McIntosh (8:07.29) settled for bronze. McIntosh has won three individual gold medals in Singapore and was trying for five. She will come up short, though she will be the favorite in Sunday's 400 individual medley. Ledecky said she was unaware she was trailing and, when asked about it, glanced down at a race-results sheet to confirm it. 'I didn't know,' she said. 'I just knew it was close the whole way. There were times where I thought I was just going to break away. I was just happy I was up there. 'You just never know when you dive in what everyone's tactics are going to be — or what's going to happen,' she added. 'It was fun to just to be in that kind of a race. Just try to make small moves just here and there.' Ledecky has won 23 gold medals at world championships and 30 overall. Add to that nine Olympic gold medals and 14 Olympics medals overall. If you're counting, that 44 Olympic and world medals. McIntosh, who won three gold medals in the Paris Olympics, hates losing and she showed it afterward with her comments. They were short and right to the point. 'Obviously, that's not even close to what I wanted; time-wise, place-wise, how I executed the race. Nothing,' she said. In other results Gretchen Walsh of the United States won the 50 butterfly in 24.83 seconds for her second individual gold of the worlds. Earlier in the worlds she won the 100 fly. Alexandria Perkins of Australia claimed silver (25.31) with bronze for Roos Vanotterdijk of Belgium (25.43). 'It feels great to be like myself again in the water after kind of a rocky week,' said Walsh, referring to the ' acute gastroenteritis ' that the Americans have battled in Singapore following a training camp in Thailand. 'Two-time world champion. Can't complain with that,' Walsh added. Paris Olympic 50-free gold medalist Cameron McEvoy of Australia repeated his title in the worlds, winning in a quick 21.14. Ben Proud of Britain was the silver medalist (21.26) and American Jack Alexy took bronze (21.46). Defending champion and world-record holder Kaylee McKeown of Australia won gold again, taking the 200-meter backstroke in 2:03.33. American Regan Smith took her fourth silver medal in Singapore (2:04.29) with bronze for American Claire Curzan (2:06.04). Maxime Grousset of France picked up his second gold, taking the 100 butterfly in 49.62, just off the world record of 49.45 by American Caeleb Dressel. Noe Ponti of Switzerland took silver (49.83) with bronze for Canadian Ilya Kharun (50.07). Grousset also won the 50 fly. The record It was only the second world record set in these championships. It came on a night when the United States won three gold medals, by far its best performance in what had been a lackluster championships for the team. The relay team members were: Alexy, Patrick Sammon, Kate Douglass and Torri Huske. The Americans how have eight gold medals, one ahead of Australia with the championships closing on Sunday. The Americans have 26 overall and Australia has 17 overall. The only other record set in the meet came earlier in the week with Marchand shattering the 200 IM record (1:52.69). He'll try to break his own 400 IM record on Sunday, a mark of 4:02.50 set in the 2023 worlds in Fukuoka, Japan.
