Latest news with #AronD'Souza
Sydney Morning Herald
an hour ago
- Politics
- Sydney Morning Herald
‘Bullying tactics': Enhanced Games will pay legal fees of clean athletes who compete
The president of the Enhanced Games has launched an extraordinary attack on World Aquatics, accusing the global swimming body of protecting a 'monopoly' and resorting to 'bullying tactics' after it moved to ban athletes, coaches and officials linked to the controversial breakaway event. Earlier this week, World Aquatics passed a bylaw that renders anyone who supports or participates in competitions that embrace doping ineligible from all official roles in swimming or competing in major events, such as the world championships and Olympics. The measure was brought in with immediate effect in an attempt to nullify the Enhanced Games - a controversial event that allows the use of performance-enhancing substances. Enhanced Games president Dr Aron D'Souza has hit back, vowing to fund legal action for any clean athlete who wants to compete at the Enhanced Games and fight their ban, enforced by World Aquatics, in court. 'We will support any natural or enhanced athlete denied the option to make this choice - both by providing them with an opportunity to compete and win - or by providing legal support against World Aquatics in the case of any challenge,' D'Souza said. 'This ban isn't about protecting athletes. It's about protecting a monopoly. World Aquatics hasn't paid its athletes for decades. Now, faced with real competition and real momentum, they've fallen back on threats and bullying tactics. 'Excellence should always be rewarded, and these exceptional athletes deserve exceptional compensation. We'll continue to fight for all athletes to ensure they receive it.' In a separate statement, the Enhanced Games said: 'This isn't the first time World Aquatics (formerly FINA) has tried to block progress. ... At the [Paris] Olympics, even World Athletics offered prize money. World Aquatics and its President, Husain al Musallam, did not.'
The Age
an hour ago
- Politics
- The Age
‘Bullying tactics': Enhanced Games will pay legal fees of clean athletes who compete
The president of the Enhanced Games has launched an extraordinary attack on World Aquatics, accusing the global swimming body of protecting a 'monopoly' and resorting to 'bullying tactics' after it moved to ban athletes, coaches and officials linked to the controversial breakaway event. Earlier this week, World Aquatics passed a bylaw that renders anyone who supports or participates in competitions that embrace doping ineligible from all official roles in swimming or competing in major events, such as the world championships and Olympics. The measure was brought in with immediate effect in an attempt to nullify the Enhanced Games - a controversial event that allows the use of performance-enhancing substances. Enhanced Games president Dr Aron D'Souza has hit back, vowing to fund legal action for any clean athlete who wants to compete at the Enhanced Games and fight their ban, enforced by World Aquatics, in court. 'We will support any natural or enhanced athlete denied the option to make this choice - both by providing them with an opportunity to compete and win - or by providing legal support against World Aquatics in the case of any challenge,' D'Souza said. 'This ban isn't about protecting athletes. It's about protecting a monopoly. World Aquatics hasn't paid its athletes for decades. Now, faced with real competition and real momentum, they've fallen back on threats and bullying tactics. 'Excellence should always be rewarded, and these exceptional athletes deserve exceptional compensation. We'll continue to fight for all athletes to ensure they receive it.' In a separate statement, the Enhanced Games said: 'This isn't the first time World Aquatics (formerly FINA) has tried to block progress. ... At the [Paris] Olympics, even World Athletics offered prize money. World Aquatics and its President, Husain al Musallam, did not.'
CNN
12 hours ago
- Health
- CNN
World Aquatics to ban participants of controversial Enhanced Games
World Aquatics, the governing body for all aquatic sports, has introduced a new rule that will ban those who participate in the controversial Enhanced Games. The Enhanced Games says it is an 'alternative' to the Olympics and will allow athletes to use performance-enhancing drugs. Participants will not be tested and will be under no obligation to declare which substances they have taken in order to compete. The inaugural games will take place in May 2026 and include events from swimming, weightlifting and athletics. On Tuesday, World Aquatics released a statement introducing the new bylaw, which will be in effect immediately. 'Under the new Bylaw, individuals who support, endorse, or participate in sporting events that embrace the use of scientific advancements or other practices that may include prohibited substances and/or prohibited methods will not be eligible to hold positions with World Aquatics or to participate in any World Aquatics competitions, events, or other activities,' the federation said in a statement. 'This ineligibility would apply to roles such as athlete, coach, team official, administrator, medical support staff, or government representative.' World Aquatics added that it would ban people on a case-by-case basis, while also encouraging federations at a national level to adopt a similar stance. 'Those who enable doped sport are not welcome at World Aquatics or our events,' said World Aquatics President Husain Al Musallam. 'This new Bylaw ensures that we can continue to protect the integrity of our competitions, the health and safety of our athletes, and the credibility of the global aquatics community.' In response to the ban, Enhanced Games' president and founder Aron D'Souza said his organization stands with 'athletes and their support teams.' 'At the Enhanced Games, athletes have what traditional federations never gave them: choice, fairness, and real money,' he said in a statement sent to CNN Sports. 'We offer a medically supervised, safety-focused, science-driven arena – where performance is rewarded, not policed by outdated ideology. 'This ban isn't about protecting athletes. It's about protecting a monopoly.' Since the start of the controversial program, Greek swimmer Kristian Gkolomeev swam the men's 50 meters freestyle in 20.89 seconds, shaving 0.02 seconds off the long-standing world record, per Reuters Gkolomeev finished fifth in the same event at the Paris Olympics last year. But the competition has been widely criticized, including by those from a health perspective. Dr. Grigory Rodchenkov, who exposed Russia's state-sponsored doping program – a massive, years-long effort which benefited more than 1,000 athletes between 2011 and 2015 – previously said that the new event is a 'danger to health, to sport.' Similarly, Travis Tygart, the CEO at the United States Anti-Doping Agency, previously told CNN Sports that the concept was 'a dangerous clown show, not real sport.' In the statement sent to CNN Sports Wednesday, the Enhanced Games said: 'Our mission is to protect and improve athlete well-being for those pushing the limits of human performance, and we have extensive safeguards in place to ensure we uphold this value.'
CNN
12 hours ago
- Health
- CNN
World Aquatics to ban participants of controversial Enhanced Games
World Aquatics, the governing body for all aquatic sports, has introduced a new rule that will ban those who participate in the controversial Enhanced Games. The Enhanced Games says it is an 'alternative' to the Olympics and will allow athletes to use performance-enhancing drugs. Participants will not be tested and will be under no obligation to declare which substances they have taken in order to compete. The inaugural games will take place in May 2026 and include events from swimming, weightlifting and athletics. On Tuesday, World Aquatics released a statement introducing the new bylaw, which will be in effect immediately. 'Under the new Bylaw, individuals who support, endorse, or participate in sporting events that embrace the use of scientific advancements or other practices that may include prohibited substances and/or prohibited methods will not be eligible to hold positions with World Aquatics or to participate in any World Aquatics competitions, events, or other activities,' the federation said in a statement. 'This ineligibility would apply to roles such as athlete, coach, team official, administrator, medical support staff, or government representative.' World Aquatics added that it would ban people on a case-by-case basis, while also encouraging federations at a national level to adopt a similar stance. 'Those who enable doped sport are not welcome at World Aquatics or our events,' said World Aquatics President Husain Al Musallam. 'This new Bylaw ensures that we can continue to protect the integrity of our competitions, the health and safety of our athletes, and the credibility of the global aquatics community.' In response to the ban, Enhanced Games' president and founder Aron D'Souza said his organization stands with 'athletes and their support teams.' 'At the Enhanced Games, athletes have what traditional federations never gave them: choice, fairness, and real money,' he said in a statement sent to CNN Sports. 'We offer a medically supervised, safety-focused, science-driven arena – where performance is rewarded, not policed by outdated ideology. 'This ban isn't about protecting athletes. It's about protecting a monopoly.' Since the start of the controversial program, Greek swimmer Kristian Gkolomeev swam the men's 50 meters freestyle in 20.89 seconds, shaving 0.02 seconds off the long-standing world record, per Reuters Gkolomeev finished fifth in the same event at the Paris Olympics last year. But the competition has been widely criticized, including by those from a health perspective. Dr. Grigory Rodchenkov, who exposed Russia's state-sponsored doping program – a massive, years-long effort which benefited more than 1,000 athletes between 2011 and 2015 – previously said that the new event is a 'danger to health, to sport.' Similarly, Travis Tygart, the CEO at the United States Anti-Doping Agency, previously told CNN Sports that the concept was 'a dangerous clown show, not real sport.' In the statement sent to CNN Sports Wednesday, the Enhanced Games said: 'Our mission is to protect and improve athlete well-being for those pushing the limits of human performance, and we have extensive safeguards in place to ensure we uphold this value.'
India Today
23-05-2025
- Sport
- India Today
Doping-Enhanced Games to launch in 2026, bucking global anti-doping norms
The Enhanced Games have set their inaugural competition for May 2026 in Las Vegas, with swimming, athletics and weightlifting on the agenda for athletes using substances banned in official competition to the consternation of anti-doping in Las Vegas' neon glow at the launch, founder Aron D'Souza on Wednesday urged athletes to take a gamble on the novel competition that he believes can transform sports science but critics deride as a freak touted what they believe to be their biggest success story so far: Kristian Gkolomeev, a Greek swimmer who never made the podium in four Olympics but surpassed one of his sport's great achievements under the Enhanced Games program. Gkolomeev swam two hundredths of a second faster than the 50m freestyle official world record that has stood for more than 15 years, clocking 20.89 in February with an inline full-body open water suit that falls outside World Aquatics standards."I'm kind of like the driver in the car, but I need the team behind me," Gkolomeev, who finished fifth in the event at the Paris Games, said ahead of the Las Vegas Games have held the 31-year-old up as an example of what can be possible under their regime while declining to disclose which "performance enhancements" he used, citing medical should be retired, but in fact, he's swimming faster than any human being has ever done so. Why? Because he used technology and science to enhance his performance," said D'Souza."Once the world realizes that, I think everyone is going to want it. Every middle-aged guy who once played competitive sport and is now suffering from back pain is going to say, 'What is he on and how do I get it?'"The Enhanced Games operate under the principle that banning performance-enhancing drugs in major competition does not protect athletes but rather stifles their performance."Our project is a lot like Formula One because the research that happens to make Formula One cars drive faster eventually percolates out onto the road," the Australian entrepreneur told Reuters."And in the same way, the science and medicine that is used to make athletes achieve world record performances at increasingly older ages will allow all humans, all of our society to age more healthily and gracefully."'ROMAN CIRCUS'?Participants could earn prize money totalling up to $500,000 per event plus bonuses for surpassing a world record swimming, the 50m freestyle, 100m freestyle, 50m butterfly and 100m butterfly are on the agenda. Athletics has the 100m sprint along with the 110m and 100m hurdles, while weightlifting will feature the snatch and clean and World Anti-Doping Agency staunchly opposes the project, warning athletes that they risk bans and their International Federation of Sports Medicine said the project could lead to exploitation of young athletes."Thinking that because you do medical checks on the spot is going to give you a good idea of the health risks of abuse of doping substances, again, is medical and scientific nonsense," said World Anti-Doping Agency science director Olivier Rabin."It's like the Roman circus, you know, you sacrifice the lives of people purely for entertainment. What's the value of this? I don't think any responsible society should move in that direction."D'Souza argues that doping in professional and amateur sport is rampant despite efforts to eliminate the use of banned substances, leading to it being done secretly and unsafely."Instead, at Enhanced Games, we're reversing that, making it a fair, level, transparent field so that innovation can be illustrated in a very public way to support technological progress," he said.D'Souza announced last year that he had attracted big-name investors in Paypal co-founder Peter Thiel, tech investor Christian Angermayer and former Coinbase Chief Technology Officer Balaji year he also signed the first Enhanced Games athlete, retired Australian world champion swimmer James Magnussen, who agreed to take banned performance-enhancing drugs in an attempt to surpass Cesar Cielo's 50m freestyle Govorov, the Ukrainian 50m butterfly world record holder and world bronze medallist, and 21-year-old Bulgarian swimmer Josif Miladinov, a European silver medallist, joined the Enhanced Games program last who had retired from competition in 2019, told reporters that training with Enhanced Games reignited his passion for the sport and that the response from his fellow athletes had been "overwhelmingly positive"."I was waking up each day with an enthusiasm to train, to compete. I felt so healthy, so motivated," he said. "It's honestly the happiest I've been in seven years," he said."As athletes we have a greater risk appetite than the general population and see an event like the Enhanced Games as an opportunity."The 2026 Enhanced Games are set for Las Vegas from May 21-24.
