A Swimmer Broke a World Record at the Enhanced Games

As Kristian Gkolomeev approached the final stretch of the 50-meter freestyle event, the atmosphere escalated from a mere murmur to a deafening roar, with the vibrant lights of the Las Vegas Strip providing a dramatic backdrop.

Gkolomeev, a 32-year-old Greek swimmer competing in the final event of the Enhanced Games—a highly controversial sporting event—saw 42 athletes from various countries embrace an open policy towards performance enhancement, utilizing substances that would typically disqualify them from Olympic competition and other international events. The stakes were high: a $250,000 prize for first place and a $1 million reward for setting a world record.

This approach has faced considerable backlash from numerous global sporting agencies, citing concerns regarding fairness and significant health risks, which include hypertension, stroke, liver damage, and psychological disorders. Some organizations have even enforced bans on all participants associated with the Enhanced Games.

Gkolomeev, who has represented Greece in four Olympic Games without securing a medal, shattered the world record with a time of 20.81 seconds. This accomplishment eclipsed the previous record of 20.88 seconds held by Cameron McEvoy of Australia, achieved during the China Open just a few months prior. However, his record-setting performance employed both performance-enhancing drugs and a "supersuit," outlawed by World Aquatics over 15 years ago due to the significant advantage it provided swimmers—meaning the record will not be officially recognized.

"I had a lot of fun. This is amazing," Gkolomeev remarked following his victory, according to Reuters, adding, "I'm going to continue next year. Maybe I'll break it again."

Prior to this climactic moment, the evening had seen no world records broken, nor had any athletes come close, despite considerable anticipation. American sprinter Fred Kerley, who had boldly asserted that he would eclipse Usain Bolt's 9.58-second world record in the 100-meter dash, recorded a time of 9.97 seconds—an effort that would have left him last in the 2024 Paris Olympics. The event's audience, featuring a significant presence of muscle-bound attendees posing for a jumbotron "flex cam" between competitions, also revealed substantial empty seating throughout.

Nevertheless, elements of credibility punctuated the narrative of the Enhanced Games. Advocates presented a rationale in favor of accommodating athletes who might opt to dope regardless, highlighting potential harm reduction gained through medical oversight—though experts express skepticism regarding this approach. The $50 million temporary facility constructed for the Games was an impressive structure, featuring an Olympic-sized 50-meter pool, a 100-meter sprint track, and an elevated podium catering to weightlifting events.

Despite these enhancements, serious contradictions within the event's messaging loomed large, creating a sense of discomfort akin to that of a dystopian venture. The event seemed to encapsulate a fusion of health policies influenced by MAHA and the biohacking ethos of Silicon Valley.

Research from an ongoing clinical trial involving 36 of the 42 athletes in the Enhanced Games—where only two athletes competed naturally—revealed that participants employed various substances, including testosterone esters, anabolic agents, peptides, growth factors, metabolic modulators, and stimulants.

In the lead-up to the event, organizers disclosed that 91% of athletes relied on testosterone or testosterone esters, 79% used human growth hormone, and 62% utilized stimulants such as Adderall. The organization asserted that all studied substances were FDA-approved, while also marketing performance-enhancing drugs.

A scholarly paper concerning the Enhanced Games published in the journal Performance Enhancement & Health highlighted that androgenic-anabolic steroids could lead to "life-altering effects" on cardiovascular, endocrine, and cognitive functionalities, underscoring that a harm reduction approach must include "comprehensive health assessments before PED use begins, but also long-term ongoing clinical support."

Adding to the event's credibility was Hafthor "Thor" Björnsson, a renowned strongman and actor famous for his role as The Mountain in Game of Thrones. Performance-enhancing drugs are largely sanctioned across strongman competitions, and Björnsson revealed that he had been using them since age 19. Interestingly, given that the Enhanced Games limited usage to FDA-approved substances, Björnsson had to forgo some drugs he typically consumed.

Björnsson expressed his preference for a transparent environment for PED use compared to the conditions he encountered during his formative years, admitting his ignorance about safe practices at that time. "By doing bloodwork and by being under great supervision like I am today, I'm a lot more aware of my health," he stated. He, along with most athletes I spoke with at the event, praised the standard of care provided by Enhanced as among the best in his career while emphasizing the critical nature of such oversight while doping.

Yet, Björnsson’s experience highlighted some of the gaps within the Enhanced Games framework. Notably, he was the sole athlete among more than two dozen I spoke with willing to disclose details about his substance use; others refrained, citing personal privacy and fears of "copycats." Last year, Gkolomeev had similarly set the 50-meter freestyle world record while filming a documentary for Enhanced Games, mentioning at that time that he "microdosed" on PEDs.

"The reason [athletes aren't revealing their substance use] is because it doesn't matter," noted Max Martin, CEO and cofounder of Enhanced Games. "What matters is that it's a protocol personalized to [each athlete]."

This emphasis on ensuring proper support throughout doping, however, somewhat dismisses the reality that many individuals lack the financial resources to create personalized drug regimens, yet may still delve into doping if organizations like Enhanced succeed in achieving their goals of normalizing PED usage within sports and society.

Martin envisions a diversified future for Enhanced, proposing an annual major event supplemented by various smaller competitions across different sports. The financial incentives are substantial and stand to attract numerous talents; many Olympians have historically been inadequately compensated, making the financial backing and rewards at Enhanced notably more lucrative.

Three-time Olympic swimmer Shane Ryan from Ireland revealed that financial considerations motivated his decision to join Enhanced, criticizing the limited compensation structures in traditional international competitions. At 32, he described how many swimmers of his generation had resorted to unregulated peptides and other hazardous methods to remain competitive as they aged, indicating he had contemplated a similar path before being approached by Enhanced.

Martin referenced a pivotal 2011 study indicating that 43% of athletes in an international sample acknowledged doping, decrying traditional sports’ "naïve" belief in overall cleanliness. Although that statistic remains debated, it clearly suggests that doping incidents far exceed zero.

"Now I'm being taught how to do it the right way," Ryan stated. "And I'm being paid to do it."

Ryan expressed hopes that Enhanced could set a precedent for distinguishing between truly "clean" events and openly enhanced competitions, suggesting even stricter testing protocols for traditional events like the Olympics.

"What we're doing is completely separate," Ryan emphasized during a recent media session. "It's marketing, it's show business. And it should be separate."

The financial appeal and argument for aiding aging athletes' career longevity comprise the most compelling reasons presented for Enhanced, at least regarding athletes' motivations. However, it is within the organization's business model that certain conflicts of interest become significantly more difficult to overlook.

Upon exploring the Enhanced website's product page, one might observe what seems to be a spinoff resembling telehealth provider Hims, but centered around performance-enhancing drugs. The product offerings include copper peptides, sermorelin, and testosterone injections, paired with GLP-1s, semaglutide, and tadalafil.

Martin articulately conveyed his mission: to democratize access to these products. He referenced the use of mandatory medical intake forms and regular consultations with certified medical professionals to mitigate the risks associated with misuse or overdose.

However, if the Enhanced mission achieves its goal, and PEDs become an increasingly prevalent and appealing aspect of sports, assuming these products will be strictly utilized in a responsible manner mirrors the naivety of insisting that doping has never occurred in purportedly "clean" events. In fact, athletes confronted with financial disadvantages might find themselves even more inclined to access doping methods.

This perspective shines a light on the darker nuances beneath the surface of the event. There is an unmistakable undercurrent of a MAHA influence, with investors like Peter Thiel and Donald Trump Jr. involved, and founder Aron D'Souza referring to RFK Jr. as "pro–human enhancement."

While organizers refrained from providing specific details regarding how much of Enhanced's future revenue will derive from product sales to sustain prize pools and operations, the likelihood remains that investors with such profiles will demand returns for continued engagement.

Ultimately, one may question whether this endeavor truly aims to dismantle stigmas and transform the sports landscape. The palpable overconfidence exhibited in the lead-up to the events only amplified the perception that this venture serves as an intricate money-making operation more than a pioneering sporting initiative.

Will the Enhanced Games herald a new epoch of athletic performance and capability? Perhaps, but only for those who can afford it.