Controversy Surrounds Enhanced Games Where Athletes Use Performance-Enhancing Drugs for Million-Dollar Prizes

The Enhanced Games, an emerging sporting event set to launch in Las Vegas in May 2026, has sparked intense debate within the athletic community. Unlike traditional competitions, this event permits athletes to use performance-enhancing drugs, including substances approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) such as steroids, testosterone, and growth hormones. The event offers lucrative prizes, with winners potentially earning up to US$1 million and additional rewards for setting world records.

Olympic swimmer Ben Proud has become the first British athlete to participate in the Enhanced Games. After securing a silver medal at the previous Paris Olympics, Proud's decision to join has drawn significant criticism from major sporting bodies. Critics argue that this move undermines the principles of fair play and athlete safety, posing serious health risks while challenging the integrity of clean sport.

The event is a departure from traditional sporting norms, emphasizing human potential through pharmacological enhancement. Proud and other signatories aim to explore the limits of human performance, motivated in part by financial considerations. Prize money for each event can reach US$250,000, and breaking world records can net US$1 million. Several elite athletes, including four-time world champion Megan Romano and Australian swimmer James Magnussen, have signed up.

Funding for the games is largely driven by private investors, notably venture capitalists such as Peter Thiel and Christian Angermayer. However, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has condemned the event, labeling it "dangerous and irresponsible." National sports organizations, including UK Sport and Aquatics GB, have also publicly disapproved.

Critics highlight the broader implications of the event, particularly concerning the integrity of sport. The move raises concerns about normalizing doping and diminishing anti-doping efforts, which aim to ensure athlete health and fair competition. Moreover, the decision reflects ongoing disparities in sports funding, with less popular or minority sports like swimming often struggling with financial support.

The controversy extends beyond ethics and health, touching on societal issues such as inequality and public health. Athletes like Proud justify their participation as a pursuit of pushing human boundaries, but skeptics warn it could tarnish athletes’ legacies and hinder future opportunities. The debate encapsulates the tension between personal ambition, health risks, and societal responsibility in competitive sports.

source: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-09-games-athletes-dope-us1-million.html