The Enhanced Games is the controversial multi-sport competition founded by Aron D’Souza, which permits athletes to compete freely whilst using performance-enhancing substances.
Unlike at other major professional events, competing athletes are not subject to drug tests, with its creation born on the idea of pushing human capabilities and embracing scientific advancements. Caveats to the enhancements mean athletes can still only take medically prescribable and legally approved substances under clinical supervision.
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The 2026 Enhanced Games program is set to feature athletics (100m sprint and 100/100m hurdles), swimming (50m and 100m freestyle and 50m and 100m butterfly), and weightlifting (snatch and clean & jerk).
World Aquatics has come out in support of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) in condemning the Enhanced Games, citing it as dangerous and irresponsible. World Athletics president Sebastian Coe has also made his position clear, previously claiming that Enhanced Games participants would face lengthy bans.
Facing bans in the traditional sports calendar is likely to be a huge deterrent for many leading athletes with an ambition to compete for further world and Olympic titles.
To date, the Enhanced Games has confirmed the participation of four athletes, all involved in swimming – Josif Miladinov, Kristian Gkolomeev, Andrii Govorov, and James Magnussen – three of which are over the age of 31.
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By GlobalDataOn the same day that the Enhanced Games was announced, Greek swimmer, Gkolomeev, broke the 50m freestyle world record by 0.02 seconds on a performance-enhancing program, immediately showcasing the reality of the results expected from the Enhanced Games.
For most athletes getting involved in the event, it is about the financial reward, with financial gains largely limited for most athletes in these sports beyond the biggest stars. These limited opportunities are highlighted by the claim that 59% of US Olympians make less than $25,000 in an Olympic year.
The Enhanced Games offers lucrative money, with athletes set to receive an appearance fee and rank-based prize money. Athletes who break official world records are also in line to claim $250,000, a figure extended to $1 million for records in the 50m freestyle (swimming) and 100m sprint (athletics) events.
Performance enhancement use in sport is nothing new, athletes in every sport around the world are found guilty of the offence every year. Before the Paris 2024 Olympics, almost 50 cases of doping were found, with five positive tests also returned during the games.
This desire to win at all costs is fueled by a desperation to succeed and the pursuit of glory. Such a narrow focus channels this ambition above all else, not least the potential health ramifications. The Enhanced Games has been largely criticized by the world of sport and medicine for promoting and rewarding ‘cheats’.
But for athletes susceptible to using performance enhancements anyway, it offers them a chance to compete in an open forum. They do not have to fear getting caught or losing prize money. Affiliated athletes are more than likely to lose any held personal sponsorship deals, with most brands opposed to the negative connotations of drug use.
In appealing to athletes outside of the elite/champion level, held personal sponsorship deals are limited. Losing this type of revenue does not outweigh the potential fortunes on offer at the Enhanced Games.
The Enhanced Games can be seen as not only promoting but rewarding drug use, something traditional sport fights hard against. It goes against the ethical values bestowed at events such as the Olympics, offering a platform for fair and honest competition.
Athlete involvement invalidates the belief among audiences that perseverance and personal sacrifice pays off. The biggest danger of the Enhanced Games is its glorification of drugs, particularly among younger and more impressionable audiences. Associated athletes of the games are championing this, which is something that needs to be considered before signing up.
The Enhanced Games currently has no official sponsors. Brands want to get involved in sponsorship for fan access and to piggyback on the positive connections of a sports property. Although global curiosity in the Enhanced Games is expected, the size and demographics of its fans are unknown.
Official broadcasters of the event around the world are also unknown, and most likely will not be covered by mainstream networks, which further limits its audience reach. Furthermore, the event does not champion positive associations that brands want to attach themselves to.
Sponsorship at events such as the Olympics commands a high price tag because of its global reach and positive connections to elite, popular performance. The prospective sponsorship market for the Enhanced Games is niche and much smaller. With a smaller pool of prospective brands to target, sponsorship opportunities for the Enhanced Games are extremely limited and far from a certainty.
Without large sponsorship and media revenue being generated or taxpayer funding (as many sports events receive), the Enhanced Games will rely on its private funding to become a success, unable to rely on taxpayer revenue that so many other sporting events receive.
