‘Clowns juggling knives': Clean swimmers face bans if they compete at Enhanced Games
The world's best swimmers have been warned they could face bans from future competitions if they take part in the Enhanced Games - even if they compete clean.
World Aquatics, the global governing body for swimming, has likened the proposed event to 'clowns juggling knives' and is threatening to sanction any athlete who takes part, regardless of whether they use performance-enhancing drugs.
Two-time Australian Olympian James Magnussen, one of the public faces of the Enhanced Games, has publicly urged reigning Olympic champion Cam McEvoy to race at the inaugural event in Las Vegas next May.
The Enhanced Games plans to pit drug-enhanced athletes against clean Olympians — and is offering huge financial incentives to lure them in, including $US1 million ($AUD1.55 million) for breaking the men's 50m freestyle world record.
While some athletes may be tempted to race clean under the World Anti-Doping Code, World Aquatics has clarified that doing so may still breach its integrity rules and jeopardise eligibility for sanctioned events such as the world championships or Olympic Games.
A World Aquatics spokesperson said: 'All affiliated athletes and coaches are bound by the World Aquatics Integrity Code, which prohibits conduct that could damage the sport's reputation or undermine public confidence in the integrity of aquatics or the fairness of competition.
'All athletes and coaches affiliated with aquatics clubs are subject to comprehensive anti-doping measures through our partnership with the International Testing Agency (ITA). This includes both in-and out-of-competition testing, robust intelligence gathering and targeted investigations.'
So far, no active swimmer has confirmed their intention to compete at the Enhanced Games, but interest is growing behind the scenes. It comes as recently retired 50m butterfly world record holder Andrii Govorov declared his intention to compete at the Enhanced Games. Govorov has already begun training with Australian coach Brett Hawke in the USA.
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China's Zheng, bidding to emulate compatriot Li Na's 2011 triumph at Roland Garros, crushed a powerful forehand winner to break for a 2-1 lead but Sabalenka moved through the gears to level five games later. The 27-year-old top seed was denied on set point while up 6-5, but shrugged off that disappointment to glide through the tiebreak when errors crept into eighth seed Zheng's game. The two players swapped breaks in a high octane second set. A huge forehand winner put Sabalenka 5-3 up and the triple grand slam champion never looked back as she set up a last-four meeting with either 13th seed Elina Svitolina or four-time champion Iga Swiatek. "It was a true battle and I had no idea how I could break her back and get back into the first set. I didn't start well and I'm glad I found my rhythm and won," said Sabalenka, who took a step closer to her maiden French Open title. "I think we're all here for one reason. Everyone wants that beautiful trophy. I'm glad I have another opportunity, another semi-final to do better than last time. "I really hope that by the end of the claycourt season I'm really proud of myself." Sabalenka will now face four-time champion Swiatek, who won her 26th successive match at Roland Garros when she defeated Elina Svitolina 6-1 7-5. The consecutive wins record on the Parisian red clay is Chris Evert's 29. Swiatek has won five of the six matches she's played on clay against Sabalenka, including a thrilling three-setter in Spain last year. "The Madrid final against her is one of the best and most exciting finals that I have played," said Swiatek, who has not won a title or reached a final since her victory at Roland Garros last year. With AP World number one Aryna Sabalenka recovered from a slow start to systematically dismantle Paris Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen in a 7-6 (7-3) 6-3 victory that sent her into the French Open semi-finals. Sabalenka, who suffered her first loss to Zheng in seven career meetings in the Rome quarter-finals last month, went behind early in the opening set at a half-full Court Philippe Chatrier. China's Zheng, bidding to emulate compatriot Li Na's 2011 triumph at Roland Garros, crushed a powerful forehand winner to break for a 2-1 lead but Sabalenka moved through the gears to level five games later. The 27-year-old top seed was denied on set point while up 6-5, but shrugged off that disappointment to glide through the tiebreak when errors crept into eighth seed Zheng's game. The two players swapped breaks in a high octane second set. A huge forehand winner put Sabalenka 5-3 up and the triple grand slam champion never looked back as she set up a last-four meeting with either 13th seed Elina Svitolina or four-time champion Iga Swiatek. "It was a true battle and I had no idea how I could break her back and get back into the first set. I didn't start well and I'm glad I found my rhythm and won," said Sabalenka, who took a step closer to her maiden French Open title. "I think we're all here for one reason. Everyone wants that beautiful trophy. I'm glad I have another opportunity, another semi-final to do better than last time. "I really hope that by the end of the claycourt season I'm really proud of myself." Sabalenka will now face four-time champion Swiatek, who won her 26th successive match at Roland Garros when she defeated Elina Svitolina 6-1 7-5. The consecutive wins record on the Parisian red clay is Chris Evert's 29. Swiatek has won five of the six matches she's played on clay against Sabalenka, including a thrilling three-setter in Spain last year. "The Madrid final against her is one of the best and most exciting finals that I have played," said Swiatek, who has not won a title or reached a final since her victory at Roland Garros last year. With AP
