A New Era of Sport or a Dangerous Experiment?
Las Vegas has long been synonymous with spectacle, from high-stakes boxing matches to massive concerts and Formula 1 races. However, the Enhanced Games, held on Sunday night, may have surpassed all previous events in terms of audacity and controversy. The event, hosted in a purpose-built arena on the Strip, featured athletes using banned substances and promised a bonanza of world records. Backed by billionaire investors including Peter Thiel and Donald Trump Jr., the games aimed to redefine sport by allowing performance-enhancing drugs, regulated and celebrated.
The concept was bold: an event that pushes the human body to its ultimate limit. Athletes competed for $250,000 per event win and a $1 million bonus for breaking a world record. Maximilian Martin, CEO of the Enhanced Games, claimed, “We have arrived in mainstream culture. We are here to stay. We have changed the world tonight.” However, the event largely fell short of its ambitious goals, with most records remaining unbroken.
Record-Breaking Performance or Controversy?
The evening featured swimming, weightlifting, and track events. Greek swimmer Kristian Gkolomeev stood out, winning the 50-metre freestyle in 20.81 seconds—just 0.07 seconds faster than the legal world record set by Australian Cameron McEvoy. Gkolomeev claimed the $1 million world-record bonus. However, his achievement will not be recognized officially, as he was using WADA-banned substances and wearing a polyurethane skinsuit, which is believed to provide a 2% performance boost.
The results also sparked immediate scrutiny. Online sleuths on Instagram claimed Gkolomeev touched the wall after his time had already flashed up on screen, casting doubt on the timing accuracy. The Enhanced Games dismissed these claims as “completely unfounded internet drivel,” stating that their timing system, operated by Primetime Timing, is ISO certified and used in numerous international events.
On the track, American sprinter Fred Kerley, who had predicted Usain Bolt’s world record would be “destroyed,” ran 9.97 seconds in the 100 metres. This time would have placed him last in the Paris Olympics final two years ago. The race was interrupted multiple times, but Kerley still won $250,000 for finishing first. Meanwhile, Barbadian sprinter Tristan Evelyn, competing as a drug-free athlete, won the women’s 100m in 11.25 seconds, saying, “This proves that winning takes more than chemistry.”
British swimmer Ben Proud, who took multiple substances, won the 50m butterfly in 22.32 seconds—just 0.05 seconds outside the world record. He expressed frustration at being so close to a record.
The Drugs Used and Their Impact
Organizers published a breakdown of the substances taken by athletes over an eight-week preparation period. Among those who doped:
- 91% used testosterone or testosterone esters
- 79% used human growth hormone
- 62% used stimulants such as Adderall
- 41% used EPO, the endurance drug linked to cycling doping scandals
Organizers claimed all medications were approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. The Enhanced Games’ parent company sells many of these substances to the public and argues that banning them stifles athletes’ potential. However, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and WADA have declared the results illegal, with World Aquatics calling the event a “circus, built on short-cuts.”
Expert Opinions and Ethical Concerns
Health experts have raised alarms about the risks associated with the use of performance-enhancing drugs. Professor Rob Aughey from Federation University Australia called the event “a dangerous stunt with no place as a sporting event,” warning of potential health risks such as high blood pressure, heart damage, kidney and liver failure, muscle ruptures, and psychological harm.
Dr Catherine Norton from the University of Limerick highlighted the dangers of combining multiple substances at high doses. “The concern is magnified when combinations of substances are used, often at doses far beyond therapeutic recommendations, and in environments where the pressure to continually push boundaries is built into the model itself.”
Associate professor Kagan Ducker from Curtin University noted that while the event offers a unique opportunity to study the effects of illegal methods, there are significant ethical concerns. “Offering athletes, many of whom have low incomes from sport, is akin to luring lower socio-economic groups to participate in research for money—it’s truly unethical by any standards.”
Normalizing the Needle?
The broader implications of the Enhanced Games extend beyond Las Vegas. Dr Norton warned about the normalization of drug-assisted physiques and performances in social media and fitness culture. “If drug-assisted physiques and performances become increasingly normalised or commercialised, it may create unrealistic expectations for young people and recreational athletes.”
She added, “We should be cautious about creating environments where health is secondary to aesthetics, virality, or short-term outcomes. There is a real risk that the pursuit of ‘optimisation’ begins to overshadow wellbeing.”
