 "Say yes to doping? What are drug-friendly Enhanced Games that have health experts worried?")
“The race for superhumanity is on,” reads the website of the Enhanced Games. This sporting event, claiming to be “the Olympics of the future”, is powering its ambition with drugs. Performance-enhancing drugs, that is.
Promising a more thrilling sports-watching experience, the Enhanced Games touts phrases like “elevating humanity to its full potential” and “time to safely celebrate science” are etched on the Enhanced Games’ homepage.
The problem for them, however, is that scientists disagree with the concept.
From addiction to cardiac issues and even death, researchers have sounded the alarm on the risks of doping. The corollary is that the Enhanced Games, which will allow use of performance-enhancing drugs (they intentionally drop out the word “drugs”, referring to these substances simply as “performance enhancements”) will be harmful to athletes.
What exactly are the Enhanced Games? What are they promising at their event? Why are experts concerned? We explain.
What are the Enhanced Games?
Set to debut next year, the Enhanced Games stand out by openly allowing doping. Unlike traditional competitions, the Games will not test for drugs but will instead encourage athletes to use medical advancements to achieve unprecedented feats.
By “medical enhancements,” the organisers refer to drugs and technological aids.
“Our commitment is to create a transparent and scientifically guided environment where athletes can achieve their best performances under safe conditions, using select performance enhancements under clinical supervision,” reads the website’s ostensible “Event Plan” page.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsTo mitigate health risks, all athletes will undergo continuous supervision, including health checks, psychological screening, and monitoring with advanced technology like real-time portable echocardiograms, as per a spokesman for the Enhanced Games.
By liberating athletes from anti-doping agencies’ restrictions and embracing technology, the Enhanced Games aim “to safely evolve mankind into a new superhumanity.”
Initially, the competition will feature five key sports: track and field, swimming, weightlifting, combat, and gymnastics. Aron D’Souza, the mastermind behind the Enhanced Games, envisions it not just as a sporting event but as a “scientific journey,” with a $1 million reward for athletes who break records.
Why are experts concerned?
Many scientists and researchers are not on board with the Enhanced Games’ plan to reinvent sports. There are several reasons, from obvious ones like health risks, to more nuanced ones about spillover into the society and the impact on youth.
Health risks: Researchers who have studied performance-enhancing drugs warn that the Games will push athletes to extreme doping, risking heart attacks, strokes, or even death. Anabolic steroids, likely the most common drug at the Games, can cause liver and kidney damage, high blood pressure, infertility, mental health issues, and cancer.
Deadly mix-and-match: Astrid Kristine Bjornebekk, a researcher at Oslo University Hospital, told AFP that combining steroids with combat sports significantly escalates the risk of death during competition. Dominic Sagoe of the University of Bergen highlights the likelihood of athletes using a dangerous cocktail of drugs, including growth hormones, blood doping agents, insulin, and more, to maximise performance.
Tool for coercion: John William Devine, a sports ethics expert at Swansea University, warns that the Games could coerce athletes into taking dangerous risks. Without limits on performance-enhancing drugs, athletes might be pressured by coaches, teammates, sponsors, or governments.
Spillover into society: Bjornebekk fears the Games could encourage unregulated drug use in society. Sagoe cautions that children might seek out steroids inspired by their athletic idols, potentially leading to increased steroid rage and violence.
The Enhanced Games spokesman counters that “side effects and adverse events” from drugs could be avoided with proper clinical supervision. A medical commission and scientific advisory board are still finalising how to monitor athlete safety.
Will the Enhanced Games happen?
Momentum is building, with retired Australian Olympic swimmer James Magnussen signing up and millions in funding from investors, including libertarian billionaire Peter Thiel. A Netflix documentary is also in the works.
However, it’s uncertain if the Enhanced Games will materialise. World Athletics president Sebastian Coe has dismissed the idea, and resistance persists from athletes and organisations like the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).
While the organisers aim for a 2025 launch, with dates and locations to be announced this summer, there’s no guarantee. “We are in the process of negotiating with host cities and will announce the dates and location this summer. Building the future of sport takes time, and we want to make sure we get it right,” the website says.
For now, the future of the Enhanced Games— and its potential impact— remains in flux.
With inputs from AFP
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