Conceived by London-based entrepreneur Aron D\u2019Souza<\/a> and backed financially by billionaires Peter Thiel<\/a>, Christian Angermayer<\/a> and Donald Trump junior, the one-day extravaganza will see 42 athletes competing in swimming, track athletics and weightlifting.<\/p>\n With substantial appearance fees and an unprecedented US$25 million (\u00a318.6 million) in prize money \u2013 including US$1 million bonuses for breaking world records \u2013 the lucrative payouts have attracted some big names. These include Olympic medallists Cody Miller<\/a> and Ben Proud<\/a> for swimming; Olympic medallist Fred Kerley<\/a> for track; and record-breaking weightlifter Thor Bj\u00f6rnsson<\/a>.<\/p>\n The Enhanced Games has drawn widespread criticism from international and Olympic sport. The World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) has labelled them a \u201cdangerous and irresponsible concept\u201d<\/a>, threatening to test athletes involved to \u201cprotect the integrity of legitimate sport\u201d \u2013 despite the majority being retired from traditional sport. Wada also urged US authorities to shut down the games \u2013 which evidently didn\u2019t happen.<\/p>\n The International Olympic Committee (IOC) also issued a formal statement calling the games<\/a> \u201cutterly irresponsible and immoral \u2026 a betrayal of everything we stand for\u201d. Travis Tygart, CEO of the US Anti-Doping Agency dismissed the Enhanced Games as \u201ca dangerous clown show\u201d<\/a>.<\/p>\n In response, D\u2019Souza argues that Wada is hypocritical<\/a> and points<\/a> to Olympic corruption scandals<\/a>, claiming the Olympics are no longer fit for purpose. Other supporters have also promoted the idea of self-determination<\/a>, and the need to break free of the IOC\u2019s rules and regulations.<\/p>\n As sport researchers, we might be tempted to dismiss the event as a publicity stunt. However, based on our ongoing research into Olympic swimmers and coaches\u2019 perceptions of the Enhanced Games (we have spoken to more than 20 so far), we believe the event is symptomatic of bigger issues. It represents a critical inflection point, and a unique opportunity to reflect upon the current shortcomings of traditional sport. <\/p>\n Deeply entrenched battlelines have been drawn on both sides of this complex debate. Recent events, such as Enhanced Games swimmer Kristian Gkolomeev breaking the former 50m freestyle world record<\/a>, the games\u2019 filing of an US$800 million anti-trust lawsuit<\/a> against Wada, World Aquatics and US Swimming, and the Enhanced Group\u2019s recent floating on the New York Stock Exchange<\/a> are telling. They all appear to be the first shots fired in a potentially long and protracted ideological war over the future of sport.<\/p>\n Proponents argue that permitting PEDs such as testosterone, anabolic steroids, growth hormones, peptide hormones and stimulants could potentially unlock unprecedented human potential, allowing athletes to transcend current biological limits. Here, the Enhanced Games and the Olympic Games share a common goal of maximising human potential; the difference lies in precisely how it should be achieved and the transparency surrounding those methods.<\/p>\n Supporters of the Enhanced Games also argue that a regulated approach to using PEDs under strict medical supervision is safer for athletes, transforming what is currently an illicit, underground practice into a controlled medical environment, akin to legalising substances like cannabis.<\/p>\n Conversely, defenders of traditional sport argue that this approach contradicts the fundamental integrity of sport. They assert that Olympism is based on natural talent, dedication and rigorous training, free from artificial advantages. Concerns have also been raised about the long-term health consequences for athletes<\/a> who use PEDs, and the negative role modelling for young athletes who may see drug use as a shortcut to success.<\/p>\n Another critical battleline relates to whether the Enhanced Games exacerbate or alleviate existing issues of integrity within traditional Olympic sport. Proponents of the Enhanced Games \u2013 including many of the Olympians that we interviewed \u2013 argue that the current system is fundamentally flawed.<\/p>\nSport\u2019s ideological war<\/h2>\n
Threat or revolution for sport?<\/h2>\n
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