A new and controversial sporting competition has made its debut in Las Vegas, USA, and it’s turning the sports world upside down.
The Enhanced Games are like the Olympics, but with one major difference: athletes are allowed to use performance-enhancing drugs that are banned in almost every other sport. Think substances like testosterone and human growth hormone, which are strictly prohibited by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).
The idea is to see just how fast, strong, and powerful humans can get when there are no restrictions on what they can put in their bodies.
The event was founded in 2023 by entrepreneurs Aron D’Souza and Maximilian Martin, and has attracted backing from some big-name investors, including billionaire Peter Thiel and Donald Trump Jr. There is also serious prize money on offer, around $25 million in total, with a $1 million bonus for any athlete who breaks a world record.
At the first competition, Greek swimmer Kristian Gkolomeev swam the 50 metre freestyle in 20.81 seconds, faster than the current world record of 20.88. However, because the Enhanced Games is not a sanctioned event, that time will not be officially recognised.
American sprinter Fred Kerley, who had boldly predicted he would smash Usain Bolt’s 100m world record, ended up running 9.97 seconds, a time that would have put him last at the Paris Olympics.
Not everyone is impressed. Health experts warn that anabolic steroids and growth hormones can cause serious damage to the heart and increase the risk of stroke.
