Enhanced Games
Founded by Australian businessman Aron D'Souza, it would allow athletes to use performance-enhancing substances without being subject to drug tests.
The event is meant to take place in 2025, and reactions have been generally negative from sports bodies, athletes, the scientific community, and media outlets, with commentators highlighting the safety risks of encouraging performance-enhancing drug use.
The Enhanced Games is meant to be the first event of its kind to support performance-enhancing drugs and not follow the rules of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).
[10] The event, announced in June 2023, is intended to be annual and to include track and field, swimming, weightlifting, gymnastics, and combat sports.
Originally planned for December 2024,[11][12][13] a specific date and location are not set as of February 2025,[14] and D'Souza estimates the number of athletes to be "maybe a couple of thousand".
[15] Brett Fraser, chief athletics officer of the organisation, says that the planned included sports are a "core suite of products", and can be improved upon in the future.
[1][23] In January 2024, Enhanced Games announced that it had secured a multi-million-dollar investment round from venture capitalists, including Thiel and Balaji Srinivasan.
"[14][26] The Australian swimmer and Olympic medalist James Magnussen said in February 2024 that he intends to come out of retirement to compete in the games in an attempt to break the 50m freestyle world record.
[3] In August, D'Souza said that he had 500 "sleeper athletes" who are "breaking world records in their basement and sending us videos of it" ready for competition.
[16] Magnussen said that other Australian swimmers had contacted him, expressing interest,[9] and D'Souza says that the first Enhanced Games will include athletes from the 2024 Summer Olympics.
"[18] The CEO of Sports Medicine Australia said that no member of the organization had expressed support for the Enhanced Games in their capacity as healthcare professionals.
[30] The CEO of the Australian Sports Commission said, "I cannot see any responsible and ethical person thinking the Enhanced Games is even remotely sensible".
[30] Rahul Gupta, director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, stated that the Biden administration had deep concerns regarding the Enhanced Games.
"[43][44] Swimmer and Olympic gold medalist Libby Trickett said it was understandable the Enhanced Games would attract fascination and interest, and that "I really, really, really hope that it's done under medical supervision because that's the only way I can kind of justify in my head something like this to go ahead.
[46] Former Australian Football player Adam Cooney stated, "I would say that 90–95 per cent of the population would put their hand up and do [what James Magnussen did], they're not going to get anywhere near a world record obviously, but it is pretty enticing.
"[16] Academic John William Devine said that "In a sporting world in which inequality of opportunity is already rampant, the removal of the doping ban would only deepen an existing moral failing.
[3] The Globe and Mail's journalist said, "I will admit, I am incredibly curious to see an "enhanced" person running faster than Usain Bolt, or swimming better than Michael Phelps.
