Enhanced Games Announces Inaugural Broadcast Team Amid Controversy Over Performance-Enhancing Competition

The Enhanced Games, a competition that permits athletes to use performance-enhancing substances, will be held in late May 2026. The event will feature races, weightlifting, swimming and other sports, with the aim of showcasing record-breaking performances.

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Enhanced was founded in 2023 by entrepreneur Aron D’Souza. The concept challenges the anti-doping policies of most sports bodies, which ban performance-enhancing drugs to preserve fair play. In 2024 the International Olympic Committee issued a statement warning that the Games could “destroy any concept of fair play and fair competition in sport.”

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Former NFL player and ex-Fox Sports host Emmanuel Acho will co-anchor with MLB Network and Professional Women’s Hockey League commentator Abby Labar. The panel also includes longevity-medicine analyst Bryan Johnson, Fox Sports commentator Justin Kutcher, former Olympic field-hockey player Sam Quek, weightlifting analyst Max Atia, swimming analyst Kurt Mills Hanson, and actor-turned-reporter Oliver Trevena, whose Caliwater brand sponsors hydration.

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Maximilian Martin, CEO of Enhanced, said the Games could revolutionize global perceptions of sport and highlighted the broadcast team’s credibility, noting Acho’s reputation and Labar’s experience. He also described Bryan Johnson as the most aligned voice for the organization’s mission on longevity medicine. The IOC’s 2024 statement remains the primary institutional critique.

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Traditional sports organizations oppose the Enhanced Games, arguing that sanctioned drug use threatens athlete safety and undermines fair competition. Critics warn the event could normalize performance-enhancing substances and erode established anti-doping standards.

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• “The first Enhanced Games is going to revolutionize how we think about sports which from around the world,” — Maximilian Martin, CEO, Enhanced

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• “Emmanuel is a prominent and trusted voice in the U.S. sports media landscape and together with Abby Labar will curate an incredible evening of world record breaking action for our viewers.” — Maximilian Martin, CEO, Enhanced

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• “Bryan is arguably the most aligned person to Enhanced’s mission, and we are excited to have him provide his expert commentary on athlete protocols, health and performance, as it will dramatically elevate our broadcast team,” — Maximilian Martin, CEO, Enhanced

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• “The idea of the Enhanced Games does not merit any comment. If you want to destroy any concept of fair play and fair competition in sport, this would be a good way to do it.” — International Olympic Committee (statement to Reuters)

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The Enhanced Games’ permissive drug policy forces sport regulators to confront the line between medical advancement and fair competition. Viewer ratings and athlete outcomes from the May event will likely shape future policy debates and potential follow-up editions.

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