The inaugural Enhanced Games took place in Las Vegas on Sunday, bringing together dozens of elite athletes who have openly used performance-enhancing substances in pursuit of world records and millions of dollars in prize money. The event, described by its organisers as "Olympics on steroids" — literally — features competitions in swimming, sprinting, and weightlifting, with a total prize pool of $25 million and a $1 million bonus for any athlete who breaks a world record.
The games were conceived in 2023 by entrepreneurs Aron D'Souza and Maximilian Martin, and have attracted investment from billionaire Peter Thiel and Donald Trump Jr.'s venture fund. Substances such as testosterone, human growth hormone, and stimulants like Adderall — all banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency — are not only permitted but actively encouraged. Organisers say all substances used are approved by the US Food and Drug Administration and administered under medical supervision. In the months before the event, around 40 athletes underwent 12 to 16 weeks of medically supervised doping protocols in Abu Dhabi. Among the headline competitors are British swimmer Ben Proud, who won silver at the 2024 Paris Olympics, American sprinter Fred Kerley, and Icelandic strongman Hafthor Bjornsson, best known for playing the Mountain in Game of Thrones, who is attempting to surpass his own world deadlift record of 501 kilograms. Not every competitor is doping, however — American swimmer Hunter Armstrong has stated he intends to compete clean while leaving open the possibility of qualifying for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
The reaction from the established sporting world has been swift and damning. UK Athletics and GB Aquatics have warned that British athletes who compete will face national team exclusion. The US Anti-Doping Agency's chief executive Travis Tygart argued that failures in anti-doping enforcement should be addressed through reform, not abandoned entirely, cautioning that young athletes should not feel compelled to inject themselves with potentially dangerous drugs to remain competitive. Medical experts have flagged serious long-term risks including cardiovascular damage and stroke, while noting that the effects of sustained, supervised doping programmes remain poorly understood.
Organisers and participating athletes push back on this framing. CEO Maximilian Martin has said the Enhanced Games are not attempting to replace or undermine traditional sport, but to create something new. Athletes like American sprinter Shania Collins argue that open acknowledgement of drug use gives the event more integrity than a system where doping happens covertly. James Magnussen, an Australian swimmer and multiple Olympic medallist who is among the event's most prominent faces, has documented his physical transformation during the doping programme on social media, describing testosterone as "the meat and potatoes" of the protocol.
Beyond the competition itself, the Enhanced Games reflects and amplifies a broader cultural moment. The company behind the event recently listed on the New York Stock Exchange and is positioning itself within the fast-growing "longevity" and human optimisation industry, with performance-enhancing substances available for purchase online. Health analysts warn that normalising such products — at a time when body dysmorphia among young men is already at record levels — carries cultural consequences that extend well beyond elite sport. Whether the Enhanced Games remain a niche spectacle or mark the opening of what critics call a Pandora's box for competitive sport and public health may take years to determine.