Breaking Rules or Records?

By Dylan Xie December 10, 2025

The gun goes off. Runners explode out of the blocks for the 100 meter dash, their legs churning as they push into the ground. The crowd roars, but this is not the Olympics. It is the Enhanced Games: a sporting competition where athletes are openly permitted to use performance enhancing drugs (PEDs) in an attempt to break world records and push the limits of the human body. 

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This idea was conceived in 2023 by Australian businessman Aron D’Souza, whose main ambition is to create superhumans. He argues that previous bans against PEDs hindered athletic success, and proposes that the Enhanced Games will offer athletes an opportunity to increase the longevity of their careers.  

 Boasting eight different events across swimming, track and weightlifting, the Games provides a similar layout to the Olympics and are set to take place in the Resorts World Casino in Las Vegas in May 2026. While only a select few will have all medical expenses paid for by the Enhanced Games, others can apply to compete as independently “enhanced” athletes or as “natural” athletes. To fund the operation, the Enhanced Games has received extensive private funding from several high-end individuals, including Paypal founder Peter Thiel and 1789 Capital, an investment firm run partly by Donald Trump Jr.  

Whereas the Olympics and many other sporting competitions often enforce strict drug testing, athletes are permitted to use PEDs in the Games.  In addition, the organizers of the event aim to remove the stigma that surrounds PEDs and promote safer ways to implement them by providing mandatory medical screenings and regular checkups. Athletes are also required to report their training programs and the substances they are using.  

For any other sport or competition, getting caught doping could lead to severe sporting sanctions, ranging from a four-year suspension to a lifetime ban with anyone else involved receiving punishment too. In order to attract more athletes who worry about disqualification from other competitions, the Enhanced Games offer cash prizes for appearances, including a $250,000 check for placing first in an event and a $1 million bonus for breaking a world record. For instance, former four-time Olympian Kristian Gkolomeev broke a world record in December 2024, in the 50 meter freestyle with a time of 20.89 seconds, edging out the

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previous record of 20.91 seconds held by Brazil’s Cesar Cielo.  After hearing of the Enhanced Games, he told ESPN in an interview that he sees the competition to make more money, as he could make more with the Enhanced Games in one year than with 13 years of winning a world title in Olympic competitions. 

Although the Enhanced Games presents itself as an institution dedicated to science and technology, the Games have drawn criticism from the press and other health organizations. United States Anti-Doping Agency’s (USADA) Chief Science Officer, Matt Fedoruk felt that the abuse of drugs could put the athlete’s health in jeopardy and set a bad example for the younger generation, which may influence them to do the same. Travis Trygart, the chief executive officer for the USADA.S. The Anti-Doping Agency has stated that the people behind the Enhanced Games may be trying to make a quick buck at the expense of the children who watch these events and that this investment should be directed toward the athletes who are role models and achieve tangible success from their own efforts. 

“It is okay for athletes to use PEDs as long as the event is put in a separate category where they are permitted. If everyone is using them,  using these substances becomes a part of staying competitive,” Junho Song ‘29 said. 

However, others feel that the Enhanced Games are taking away the spotlight from natural athletes who have not used PEDs. 

“Glorifying these substances ruin the sporting scene as people who work hard naturally will never reach the performance of a lazy person who abuses drugs. They just are not the same,” Arjun Menon ‘28 said.

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has also expressed their concerns about the event by condemning it and urging governments and law enforcement to assess whether people using PEDs are breaching criminal law or professional rules. They have made it clear that athletes who wish to compete in sports that are under WADA regulations are at risk of tarnishing their reputation and committing anti-doping rule violations.  

Ultimately, the emergence of the Enhanced Games represents a crossroads in sports competitions. Whether or not the Games are a short-lived experiment or turn out to become a major event in the sporting industry will depend on the reception from fans and critics alike.  

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About the Contributor

Dylan Xie

Staff Writer

Dylan Xie is a sophomore at Leland High School and a staff writer for The Charger Account. In his spare time, he likes to play soccer, work out, and hang out with friends.

Eleanor Wang

Artist

Eleanor Wang is a Junior at Leland High School and is an artist for The Charger Account. When not working on school work or studying for a test, you can often find her playing video games, singing, or going out with friends.

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