Olympics on steroids

The Star

14-06-2025

CITIUS, Altius, Fortius – Communiter ('Faster, Higher, Stronger – Together) - that's the Olympics motto. But it comes with a caveat. No cheating, no doping.
Imagine if the caveat was lifted, and it was anything goes in sport.
That is the vision of the The Enhanced Games.
This bold, controversial, and futuristic take on global sport is now being planned for 2026 in Las Vegas.
It positions itself as an alternative to the Olympics, but one that embraces performance-enhancing drugs and cutting-edge science in the pursuit of human excellence.
Starting big: The competition will feature three core disciplines – swimming, athletics, and weightlifting.
At the heart of the concept is a provocative question: What if athletes were allowed to use scientific and medical advancements, without restrictions, to push the limits of performance?
According to the organisers, the Enhanced Games aims to 'pioneer a new era in sport', one where the benefits of technology, pharmacology, and biotechnology are not frowned upon, but instead celebrated as tools to elevate human potential.
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The competition will feature three core disciplines - swimming, athletics, and weightlifting, with more events potentially added as momentum builds.
The swimming programme includes the 50m and 100m freestyle, as well as the 50m and 100m butterfly.
On the track, fans can expect the 100m sprint, 100m hurdles (women), and 110m hurdles (men). In the weightlifting arena, the snatch and clean and jerk will be the mainstays.
The buzz intensified after a test event saw Greek swimmer Kristian Gkolomeev clock a blistering 20.89s in the men's 50m freestyle - 0.02 seconds faster than the current world record.
While the time won't be officially recognised, it has already sparked debate across sporting circles.
Then, there is the financial lure. Athletes at the Enhanced Games could stand to earn up to US$500,000 (RM2.1 mil) per event, with additional bonuses for those who break existing world records, official or not.
But while the idea is pitched as a revolution in fairness and transparency, critics argue that it risks glorifying doping and undermining decades of clean sport advocacy.
Proponents counter that with proper medical oversight and innovation, a new standard of athletic performance can be safely achieved.
With the countdown to 2026 underway, the Enhanced Games is becoming one of the most talked-about – and divisive concepts – in modern sport.