Full Breakdown
The Enhanced Games: A Drug-Enabled Competition in Las Vegas
5/22/2026, 9:31:11 PM
Event Overview & Participants
The Enhanced Games will take place in Las Vegas on May 24, featuring 42 athletes across swimming, track, weightlifting and strongman. Competitors include former Olympic medalists such as U.S. swimmer Cody Miller, Irish swimmers Shane Ryan and Ben Proud, sprinter Fred Kerley, and Australian swimmer James Magnussen. Participation is optional; 36 athletes entered a 12-week supervised trial, 34 of whom used performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) while two competed “naturally.”
Drug Regimens & Medical Oversight
Athletes receive individualized protocols approved by an independent medical commission and the U.S. FDA. Allowed substances span five categories identified by organizers: testosterone esters, anabolic agents, peptide-based growth factors, metabolic modulators and stimulants. Clinical data released by the Games show 91 % of drug-using athletes took testosterone or its esters and 79 % used human growth hormone (HGH). Health screening includes genomic sequencing, cardiac analysis and comprehensive blood work to mitigate acute or long-term risk.
Financial Incentives
Organizers have pledged a $25 million prize pool. NBC News reports $250,000 per event winner and a $1 million bonus for any world-record performance; Unilad cites $500,000 per winner with the same $1 million record bonus. The Games have already awarded $1 million to Greek swimmer Kristian Gkolomeev for a 50-meter freestyle record achieved under the event’s drug-permitted rules. Funding comes from tech billionaire Peter Thiel, a venture fund linked to Donald Trump Jr., and founder Aron D’Souza.
Official Statements & Responses
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) labeled the concept “dangerous and irresponsible,” warning it “sends a dangerous message to young people.” WADA President Witold Banka emphasized that sport’s appeal rests on “clean and fair competition.” UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) chief executive Jane Rumble called the Games “incredibly disappointing” and warned that IPED use is “unsafe, dangerous to health and undermines fair competition.” Barbados National Anti-Doping Commission chair Dr. Adrian Lorde expressed disappointment and advised athletes not to participate. The Enhanced Games’ organizers assert that their “independent medical commission” safeguards health and that the event will be livestreamed on YouTube, Twitch and Kick.
Criticism & Opposition
Anti-doping bodies, national commissions and several athletes’ agents have condemned the event, citing reputational damage and potential normalization of doping. Critics argue the financial lure may attract athletes from lower-paid sports, while supporters claim the Games expose the hidden prevalence of PEDs in elite sport.
On-the-Ground Perspectives
Swimmer Shane Ryan explained his decision as a response to “Olympic athletes don’t get paid a lot of money,” noting his €18,000 salary fell below a year’s minimum-wage earnings. Magnussen described the Games as “the first time there has been a level playing field for drug cheats.” Barbadian sprinter Tristan Evelyn was dropped by her agent after announcing participation.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources differ on prize amounts ($250k vs. $500k per winner) and on the exact list of sports (NBC mentions swimmers, sprinters, weightlifters; Unilad adds strongman). No independent verification of the medical safety data has been published, leaving a gap in public health assessment.
Verbatim Quotes
- “The old rulebook is gone,” — Cody Miller, U.S. swimmer
- “At the end of the day Olympic athletes don’t get paid a lot of money,” — Shane Ryan, Irish swimmer (RTÉ Sport)
- “I was on 18,000 euro, and that’s below minimum wage for a whole year’s worth and hours and hours and hours. ... We don’t make a lot of money, and I did it for over a decade.” — Shane Ryan, Irish swimmer
- “To the few people who are choosing to participate in the Enhanced Games, athletes, coaches and the medical personnel, I question why they would risk forever tarnishing their reputations by being associated with doping in sport,” — Witold Banka, President, WADA
- “We have to be careful how we deal with these cases,” — Dr. Adrian Lorde, Chairman, Barbados National Anti-Doping Commission
- “It is incredibly disappointing that any British athlete would consider competing in an event that flies in the face of the true spirit of sport.” — Jane Rumble, Chief Executive, UKAD
What’s Next
The Las Vegas event will be broadcast live, after which organizers plan to expand the format and market “performance-medicine” products to consumers. Anti-doping agencies have signaled intent to monitor the competition’s health outcomes and may pursue regulatory action if safety standards are breached.
