Highlights: 

  • The Enhanced Games is similar to the Olympic Games but allows performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) like anabolic steroids. 
  • The ethos of the Enhanced Games revolves around the idea that banning PEDs is anti-science. 

The Enhanced Games are like the Olympic Games but without the drug testing. Yet, the differences don’t stop there. Unlike Olympic athletes, Enhanced athletes will be paid for competing. On top of that, they will win prizes “larger than any other comparable event in history.” This includes receiving prize money for breaking world records. 

To set the stage for lone record-breaking, team and ball sports will be excluded. In all, the five peerless sports categories will be aquatics, athletics, gymnastics, combat, and strength. The highlight here may be the inclusion of mixed martial arts (MMA), something the Olympic Games has never officially had. 

Additionally, instead of host countries financing new infrastructure, the Enhanced Games will utilize existing university stadiums. Initial funds will come from venture capitalists. So far, capital investors include PayPal co-founder Peter Theil and former Coinbase chief technology officer Balaji Srinivasan. 

From Anabolic Steroids to Gene Transfers

What does “enhanced” actually entail? According to the Enhanced Games website, performance enhancements include the following: 

  • Anabolic Steroids: synthetic hormones that mimic testosterone and replicate its effects in the body, such as muscle development. 
  • Prohormones: molecules, usually peptides, that are converted to hormones like testosterone in the body. 
  • Stimulants and Nootropics: substances such as caffeine, creatine, and amphetamines that increase mental and physical alertness while counteracting fatigue. 
  • Gene Transfers: in the future gene therapy may be used to enhance performance and longevity through genetic manipulation.

To address safety concerns, Enhanced athletes will receive free medical screenings. Along with bloodwork, the screening will assess heart health via electrocardiogram. The screening will also uncover predispositions to adverse medical conditions through genetic analysis. Moreover, as part of the screening process, brain health will be evaluated via magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

It should be pointed out that Enhanced athletes will be under strict medical supervision. As competitors, these athletes have likely weighed out the pros and cons of taking performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs). Many of them would say that taking steroids is not worth the risk, especially if not competing for monetary gain. For instance, one risk of taking anabolic steroids is becoming more susceptible to premature mortality.    

The Bizarre Ethos of the Enhanced Games

Interestingly, according to the Enhanced Games website, the Olympic Games carry an anti-science stigma because they require drug testing. In contrast, using PEDs means “science is real.” This argument does not seem fully formed. While the development of PEDs is a result of scientific discoveries, banning the use of these drugs does not mean science is not real. 

Additionally, according to science, steroids and other PEDs can cause long-lasting, sometimes irreversible bodily damage, including

  • early heart attacks,
  • strokes,
  • liver tumors,
  • kidney failure, and 
  • psychiatric problems. 

Some of these scientific findings are called myths on the Enhanced Games website.

The website also lists phrases and words considered to be harmful language that should either not be uttered or replaced with alternative words or phrases. For example, the word doping is considered a slur and should never be said. Additionally, the word cheating should be replaced with the phrase ‘demonstration of science.’

Can They Pull It Off?

Ethos aside, the Enhanced games could be quite entertaining. However, the date of the Games’ commencement remains an open question. With the capital in hand and a plan in place, one key ingredient is the athletes. Applications for the Enhanced Games are said to begin in the summer of 2024. Furthermore, according to the Guardian, the president of the Enhanced Games, Aron D’Souza said the event will go ahead in 2025. 

Others, like Australian Sports Commission chief executive Kieren Perkins, believe the games will not start at all. He warned prospective athletes, saying, “The reason why drugs in sport were banned is because a cyclist fell off his bike and died.” He was referring to Knud Jensen, who died at the 1960 Olympic Games, prompting modern drug testing.

Still, considering the medical supervision and screenings that will be provided to Ehannced athletes, such tragedy can hopefully be avoided. If all goes well and safety is not an overarching concern, spectators can be thrilled to see athletes pushing human biology to the limits.