‘Dangerous and irresponsible’: James Magnussen is betting big at this weekend’s Enhanced Games

They say success is a drug and after years of hype and controversy, it’s time for action.

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The inaugural Enhanced Games take place this weekend in Las Vegas, Sin City, and while there are many doubting the legitimacy let alone safety of the concept, the entire sporting world will no doubt be watching.

Dubbed the ‘Steroid Olympics’ the stated vision of the Enhanced Games is:

To create the definitive scientific, cultural and sporting movement that safely evolves mankind into a new superhumanity.

Whatever that actually means, 40 performance-enhanced athletes will indeed compete this weekend across three disciplines with 100m and 50m freestyle and butterfly events in swimming, 100m and 100/110m hurdles events in athletics and snatch and clean & jerk vents in weightlifting.

Some of the highest profile athletes to compete include former 100-metre sprint World Champion Fred Kerley from the USA, British Olympic swimmer Ben Proud and two-time Australian Olympian and three-time World Champion swimmer James Magnusson.

Explaining he has taken performance-enhancing drugs at different stages during the past two years in preparation for this weekend’s event, 35-year-old Magnussen will compete in the men’s 50-metre and 100-metre freestyle races. 

In the 50-metre event he will be chasing a $US1 million bonus if he can beat fellow Aussie Cameron McEvoy’s current World Record of 20.88 seconds set at the China Swimming Open in March.

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What drugs are the athletes actually taking?

While Enhanced Games officials have refused to reveal exactly which performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) individual athletes have been using, they did release some broad data in the lead-up to this weekend’s event to the BBC:

• 91% of athletes used testosterone or testosterone esters
• 79% used human growth hormone
• 62% used stimulants
• 50% used metabolic modulators
• 41% used erythropoietin (EPO)
• 29% used an anabolic steroid agent
• 5% used hormonal support therapies

‘No level of sporting success is worth such a cost’

Last year the World Anti-Doping Agency labelled the Enhanced Games concept ‘dangerous and irresponsible’, releasing a joint statement with the International Olympic Committee condemning the event.

“Promoting performance-enhancing substances and methods sends a dangerous message – especially to current and future generations of athletes,” the statement said. 

“Such substances can lead to serious long-term health consequences – even death – and encouraging athletes to use them is utterly irresponsible and immoral. No level of sporting success is worth such a cost.”

Records or not, none of the results achieved in Las Vegas this weekend across any of the events will be officially recognised.

In surely a massive dose of highly intended irony, the Enhanced Games will conclude with a performance by USA rock band, The Killers.

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