More Aussies flag Enhanced Games interest amid backlash

West Australian

23-05-2025

Australian sports decrying the drug-fuelled Enhanced Games feel threatened at losing more athletes, swimmer James Magnussen says.
Fellow Australian swimmers have flagged interest to Magnussen in following him to the sports event without drug testing after the inaugural games in Las Vegas next May.
Australia's top sports crime-fighter, Sport Integrity Australia's chief executive Sarah Benson, has condemned Enhanced Games as dangerous and damaging.
"We work to ensure that sport is safe and fair for all," Benson said.
"The Enhanced Games is promoting the complete opposite.
"(It) poses a significant risk to athletes' health and safety while undermining the fundamental values of sport in Australia.
"Of particular concern is the message this sends to young athletes."
The Australian Olympic Committee and other sports bodies have also railed against the event, but Magnussen said the attitude among cash-strapped athletes differed.
"The most common response I hear from current athletes is, if this all goes ahead the way we believe it will in the first year, then we're very interested to join," Magnussen told AAP in Las Vegas.
"Because the opportunity to set yourself up for life just isn't there at the moment in that swimming world.
"But it's very clear that opportunity is available with the Enhanced Games."
The games launched by Melbourne-born entrepreneur Aron D'Souza have already paid out $US1 million ($A1.5 million) to swimmer Kristian Gkolomeev.
The four-time Greek Olympian bettered the legal 50m freestyle world record while on performance enhancing drugs last February.
The million-dollar bonus is for any athlete breaking the legal record in the 50m free and 100m sprint, with $US250,000 ($A389,000) for besting other world benchmarks.
Each Enhanced event will carry $US500,000 ($A777,000) prizemoney - the winner takes $US250,000, every athlete gets a sliding share, plus appearance fees.
Magnussen said the cash at an event backed by multi-billionaires would change lives - and minds.
"It's a real and present threat for those sporting organisations in Australia," he said.
"It's a big opportunity for any athlete.
"You don't have to be an enhanced athlete to compete at the Games.
"(Australia's Olympic 50m freestyle champion) Cam McEvoy could come from clean sport to the Enhanced Games, put on a supersuit and go very close to that world record without any enhancements.
"He would then be racing for $1 million US, so $1.6 million Australian, in a year's time rather than waiting three years until the LA Olympic Games to race for $30,000.
'They're quite different propositions."
Magnussen wants to rekindle his rivalry with Olympic teammate McEvoy.
"Everyone will have to make their own decision, will have to delve into their own conscience and find out what they think is the better option for them," he said.
"But after this first games, they will realise this is the real deal.
"I'd love to see Cam come and race; that was a rivalry that we had a long time ago.
"They're the storylines that can make these first games really exciting."
Magnussen was the first athlete to sign with Enhanced Games, followed by Gkolomeev.
Ukraine's world record holder in the 50m butterfly, Andrii Govorov, and Bulgarian Olympic butterflyer Josif Miladinov have also joined.
About 100 athletes will compete with organisers to build a four-lane 50m pool, a six-lane athletics track and a weightlifting venue on land currently a car park at Resorts World Las Vegas.
This AAP article was made possible by support from the Enhanced Games