Olympic swimmer Ben Proud has become the first British athlete to join the controversial Enhanced Games, marking a historic moment in sport. The 30-year-old world and European champion at 50m freestyle won silver at the 2024 Olympics in Paris.
Proud has committed to an event which allows athletes to take banned performance-enhancing drugs under medical supervision. He never won Olympic gold or broke the 50m freestyle world record, which has stood since 2009, but feels the Enhanced Games "give me a new opportunity to continue this pursuit and see how far I can take things".
The Enhanced Games permit substances approved by the United States' Food and Drug Administration under strict medical supervision. Only FDA-approved substances can be taken, which differs from the list permitted for elite athletes by the World Anti-Doping Agency.
Asked if he thinks the event undermines clean sport, Proud said: "No. I think it opens up the potential avenue to excel in a very different way. Speaking for myself, I think realistically I've achieved everything I can, and now the Enhanced [Games] is giving me a new opportunity."
Career transition decision
Proud sees traditional sport and the Enhanced Games as "two very separate entities". He said: "I really respect the sport I've been part of, and I would never step back in knowing I've done something which isn't in the rules."
The swimmer has previously supported UK Anti-Doping's Clean Sport Week while British team-mates Adam Peaty and Duncan Scott have been outspoken against doping. After winning his first Olympic medal last year and silver at the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore last month, Proud felt "the most content with my career that I've ever been".
Financial incentives and consequences
The Enhanced Games offers significant financial rewards, according to the Independent, with $250,000 prize money per event winner and $1 million for world record breakers. Greek swimmer Kristian Gkolomeev received $1 million for beating a world record time in the US in February, though the time will not be recognised by World Aquatics.
However, the Independent reports that participation means a permanent ban from World Aquatics events, including future Olympics. Proud appears ready for this sacrifice, telling The i in a personal Instagram statement about his 15-year swimming career and readiness to move on.
Enhanced Games format
The inaugural Enhanced Games are planned for Las Vegas from 21-24 May 2026, initially comprising short-distance swimming, sprinting and weightlifting. The i reports that Enhanced Games also allows super-suits banned by Olympics, not just performance-enhancing substances.
The event has faced severe criticism from anti-doping authorities. The World Anti-Doping Agency described it as a "dangerous and irresponsible project", while Travis Tygart, chief executive of the US Anti-Doping Agency, called it a "clown show".
Sources used: "BBC", "The Guardian", "Independent", "The i" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
