WIRED
As Kristian Gkolomeev surged into the final stretch of the 50-meter freestyle at the Enhanced Games, the excitement among spectators reached a fever pitch, the illustrious backdrop of the Las Vegas Strip illuminating the moment.
The 32-year-old Greek swimmer was competing in the climactic event of the Enhanced Games, a highly contentious sporting competition that brought together 42 athletes from various nations. Encouraged to utilize performance-enhancing substances that would lead to disqualification from the Olympics and most other international competitions, these athletes aimed for new world records, personal bests, and substantial monetary rewards: $250,000 for first place and a staggering $1 million for setting a world record.
This event drew significant criticism from leading global sports organizations due to concerns over fairness and the serious health risks associated with performance-enhancing drugs, which can include elevated blood pressure, risk of stroke, liver damage, and mental health issues. Some organizations even vowed to impose bans on participants in the Enhanced Games.
Gkolomeev, who has previously competed in four Olympic Games without reaching the podium, achieved a time of 20.81 seconds, thus surpassing the previous record of 20.88 seconds set by Australian swimmer Cameron McEvoy at the China Open in March. It is important to note, however, that this record was established under the influence of performance-enhancing drugs and while donning a “supersuit” banned by World Aquatics over 15 years ago for providing an unfair competitive edge, rendering the achievement unofficial.
Following his victory, Gkolomeev expressed his enthusiasm, stating, "I had a lot of fun. This is amazing. I'm going to continue next year. Maybe I'll break it again," as reported by Reuters.
The evening had initially been underwhelming, with no new world records set, despite the excitement generated prior to the event, including American sprinter Fred Kerley's bold assertion that he would "destroy" Usain Bolt's longstanding 9.58-second world record in the 100-meter dash. Kerley's time of 9.97 seconds would have placed him last in the 2024 Paris Olympics. The invite-only crowd, which included numerous muscular attendees posing for a jumbotron "flex cam," witnessed galleries that were often partially filled throughout the events.
Nevertheless, the Enhanced Games surprised with unforeseen aspects of credibility. The rationale for allowing athletes to dope under medical supervision presented a harm reduction argument, albeit one met with skepticism from experts. Moreover, the $50 million temporary venue was striking, featuring a four-lane Olympic-sized 50-meter pool and a 100-meter sprint track, along with an elevated podium for weightlifting events.
However, in the aftermath of the event, contradictions regarding its messaging and an almost dystopian feel lingered, reminiscent of health policies driven by MAHA and the biohacking culture prevalent in Silicon Valley.
In an ongoing clinical trial involving 36 of the 42 athletes at the Enhanced Games (of whom only two competed without performance-enhancing drugs), participants reported using testosterone esters, anabolic agents, peptides and growth factors, metabolic modulators, and stimulants.
Prior to the Games, it was disclosed that 91 percent of athletes utilized testosterone or testosterone esters; 79 percent took human growth hormone, and 62 percent used stimulants such as Adderall. The organization claims that all substances administered were FDA-approved, and they additionally sell performance-enhancing drugs.
A paper published in the journal Performance Enhancement & Health by PED researchers last August discussed the "life-altering effects" of androgenic-anabolic steroids on cardiovascular, endocrine, and cognitive function, while stressing that any harm reduction framework necessitates both comprehensive health evaluations before initiating PED use and ongoing clinical support.
The presence of Hafthor "Thor" Björnsson, renowned strongman and actor known for portraying The Mountain in Game of Thrones, conferred additional credibility to the event. Performance-enhancing drugs are largely permissible in strongman competitions; Björnsson has stated he has been using PEDs since he was 19. Interestingly, due to the Enhanced Games' policy of only permitting FDA-approved substances, Björnsson was required to discontinue several drugs that are typically part of his regimen.
Björnsson expressed that an open framework for PED use is preferable to the approach he experienced in his early career, where he admits to lacking knowledge about safe usage. "By doing bloodwork and by being under great supervision like I am today, I'm a lot more aware of my health," he explained. Many athletes voiced similar praise for the level of care provided by the Enhanced Games, citing it as unparalleled in their careers while underscoring the importance of proper oversight in doping situations.
Nonetheless, Björnsson’s perspective reveals some inconsistencies in the underlying premise of the Enhanced Games. He was notably the only athlete out of dozens I interviewed willing to disclose the specifics of his substance use. The majority of others cited personal privacy or concerns about potential imitators as reasons for withholding such information. Last year, Gkolomeev acknowledged beating the 50-meter freestyle world record while filming a documentary for the Enhanced Games, revealing that he had "microdosed" PEDs at the time.
The question of athletes not sharing their substance regimens stemmed from the belief that transparency is irrelevant. Enhanced Games CEO and cofounder Max Martin commented, "What matters is that it's a protocol personalized to [each athlete]."
However, this narrative regarding the necessity of support in doping disregards a significant reality: for many individuals, access to resources for creating a tailored and safe drug protocol is limited. The normalization of doping via initiatives like Enhanced could lead to increased pressure on those who feel compelled to enhance their performance.
Martin envisions that Enhanced will expand, incorporating annual significant events alongside various one-off competitions across different sports. The financial incentives are substantial; athletes often receive minimal compensation at traditional Olympic events, while the prize allocations at the Enhanced Games were more lucrative than many have encountered in their careers.
Irish three-time Olympic swimmer Shane Ryan remarked that monetary incentives motivated him to join the Enhanced Games, critiquing the financial limitations athletes face in conventional international competitions. Ryan, 32, noted that many in his swimming circle were resorting to unregulated peptides and other risky alternatives to maintain competitiveness as they aged, methods he was contemplating before the Enhanced Games reached out.
Martin referenced a pivotal 2011 study indicating that 43 percent of athletes in an international sample admitted to doping, challenging the prevailing assumption within traditional sports that performance-enhancing practices are rare. Although contested, this figure clearly indicates a non-negligible presence of doping within athletics.
"Now I'm being taught how to do it the right way," Ryan remarked. "And I'm being paid to do it."
Ryan expressed hope that the Enhanced Games could carve out a clear distinction between genuinely "clean" events and those where transparent doping practices are acceptable. He has even advocated for the Olympics to implement stricter testing protocols.
"What we're doing is completely separate," Ryan articulated during a media session on Friday. "It's marketing, it's show business. And it should be separate."
The financial motivations, alongside the potential to aid aging athletes in extending their careers, represent the most convincing arguments in favor of the Enhanced Games, at least from the athletes' perspectives. However, entrenched conflicts of interest surface when examining the organization's business operations more closely.
Exploring the products page of the Enhanced website reveals what appears to be a spinoff of the telehealth company Hims, tailored for performance-enhancing drugs. Products such as copper peptides, sermorelin, and testosterone injections are marketed alongside GLP-1s, semaglutide, and tadalafil.
Martin is candid regarding the organization's objective: to popularize these products. He emphasizes the importance of mandatory medical intake forms and regular consultations with certified medical professionals to mitigate risks associated with misuse or overuse.
Nonetheless, should the Enhanced Games' ambitions succeed and performance-enhancing drugs gain wider acceptance within the sporting realm, presuming that these products will only be utilized responsibly ignores the complexities of human nature. Athletes in economically disadvantaged positions may find themselves more inclined to pursue doping in search of competitive advantage.
Ultimately, an unsettling vibe permeates beneath the surface, echoing a MAHA influence characterized by associations with investors like Peter Thiel and Donald Trump Jr., alongside Enhanced Games founder Aron D'Souza’s remarks about Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as "pro–human enhancement."
Organizers refrained from disclosing details regarding how much of the Enhanced Games’ future funding would derive from product sales to support prize pools and operations, but it would not be unreasonable to assume that investors expect to see a return on their involvement.
Given these dynamics, skepticism arises regarding the authenticity of efforts to destigmatize and transform sports. The high levels of certainty expressed prior to the events underscored an impression that the initiative serves more as a facade for profit than a genuine reformation of competitive athletics.
Will the Enhanced Games herald a new chapter in athletic performance and achievement? Perhaps—assuming one possesses the financial means to participate.
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