Sports event vouching for doping sparks controversy

Greek swimmer Kristian Gkolomeev breaks the 50-m freestyle world record after using performance-enhancing drugs at an event of Enhanced Games in February 2025. Photo by AP

Critics warn that the event poses serious risks to athletes' health and undermines the fundamental values of sport.

In a joint statement released on June 10, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) denounced the Enhanced Games as "a betrayal of everything we stand for."

"Promoting performance-enhancing substances and methods sends a dangerous message – especially to current and future generations of athletes," the statement read. "Such substances can lead to serious long-term health consequences – even death – and encouraging athletes to use them is utterly irresponsible and immoral. No level of sporting success is worth such a cost."

The IOC and WADA emphasized their commitment to fair play, ethics and respect, vowing to protect the integrity of sport for future generations.

Travis Tygart, CEO of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, also voiced strong opposition.

"This is a dangerous clown show, not real sport," he said, as quoted by The Guardian. "As we have seen through history, performance-enhancing drugs have taken a terrible physical and mental toll on many athletes. Some have died."

Set to debut in May 2026 in Las Vegas, the Enhanced Games will feature events in sprinting, swimming and weightlifting. What sets it apart is the encouragement to use doping and provided substances under medical supervision.

Athletes will not be subject to traditional anti-doping tests, but instead will submit personal health profiles outlining their drug use, overseen by independent scientific and ethics boards.

Founder and chairman Aron D’Souza has defended the concept, calling it ethical, medically reasonable and a necessary break from what he describes as the "hypocrisy" of current anti-doping regimes.

"The Enhanced Games is renovating the Olympic model for the 21st century," he said, as quoted by Daily Mail. "In the era of accelerating technological and scientific change, the world needs a sporting event that embraces the future – particularly advances in medical science."

Despite fierce criticism, the Enhanced Games have attracted high-profile investors. The latest funding round includes capital from 1789 Capital, a firm co-founded by Donald Trump Jr. and Omeed Malik. Tech billionaire Peter Thiel is also listed as a key backer and advisor, The Guardian reported.

The event also promises huge prize money, offering up to $500,000 per event and a $1 million bonus for breaking a world record. Organizers say they are targeting athletes who feel sidelined by traditional doping regulations, such as former world swimming champion James Magnussen.

At an event of Enhanced Games in February 2025, Greek swimmer Kristian Gkolomeev used performance-enhancing drugs to break the 50-m freestyle world record with a time of 20.89 seconds, 0.02 seconds faster than the 2009 mark by Brazil’s Cesar Cielo. However, the record was not officially recognized. In addition to enhancing drugs, Gkolomeev wore a polyurethane suit banned by FINA, the international governing body for swimming.