Imagine a sports competition where doping isn’t just tolerated—it’s encouraged.
That’s exactly what the first-ever Enhanced Games is promising when it kicks off in Las Vegas in May 2026.
This controversial event has already been labeled the “doping Olympics” because it openly allows athletes to use performance-enhancing drugs.
What’s on the Schedule?
The Enhanced Games will feature three main sports: athletics, swimming, and weightlifting.
All the action will take place in a brand-new facility inside the Resorts World hotel.
Backing the event is a venture capital fund led by Donald Trump Jr., adding a high-profile twist to this unconventional competition.
Big Prizes for Superhuman Feats
Athletes at the Enhanced Games won’t just be competing for medals.
Winners will take home a hefty $250,000, but the stakes get even higher: anyone who breaks the world record in the 100-meter sprint or the 50-meter freestyle swimming event will score a whopping $1 million bonus.
Embracing Science and Technology in Sports
Aron D’Souza, the Australian entrepreneur behind the Games, calls this event a reinvention of the traditional Olympic model for the modern age.
According to him, it’s about embracing rapid scientific advances and medical breakthroughs that are changing what human beings can do.
“We’re not just about competition,” Aron says.
“We’re unlocking human potential and leading the way to superhuman abilities.”
Record-Breaking Already?
One of the event’s biggest talking points is Greek swimmer Kristian Gkolomeev.
He reportedly shattered the 50m freestyle world record after following a doping program, swimming 20.89 seconds in a US time trial—just a fraction faster than the official record from 2009.
Gkolomeev, who finished fifth in the 50m freestyle at last year’s Paris Olympics, also wore a special full-body polyurethane “supersuit” that was actually banned from competition shortly after the previous record was set.
Even when swimming in approved “jammer” shorts, he managed a time that narrowly beats the best non-supersuit performance of the American star Caeleb Dressel.
The Reaction from the Sports World
While Gkolomeev has been rewarded $1 million by the Enhanced Games organizers and featured in their new documentary, official bodies like World Aquatics refuse to recognize his record-breaking swim.
Kristian said the program gave him the tools and support to reach a new level of performance and show the world what’s possible with enhancement.
Challenging the Status Quo
Aron D’Souza points out that Gkolomeev should have been retired by now, yet he’s swimming faster than anyone ever has—all thanks to technology and science.
Aron predicts that once people see what’s possible, many will want to access these performance enhancers, from former athletes to everyday people struggling with physical pain.
What to Expect Next Year
The plan is for the Enhanced Games to become an annual event.
Next year, around 100 athletes are expected to compete in various sprint events (100m sprint, hurdles), swimming races (50m and 100m freestyle, butterfly), and weightlifting disciplines (snatch and clean and jerk).
Strong Opposition from Anti-Doping Advocates
The idea has drawn harsh criticism from many corners of the sporting community.
Lord Sebastian Coe, head of World Athletics, called it “b******s” outright. Travis Tygart, CEO of the US Anti-Doping Agency, described it as a “dangerous clown show.”
Olivier Rabin, science director at the World Anti-Doping Agency, went further, comparing the Games to a “Roman circus” that sacrifices athletes’ health purely for entertainment.
Jane Rumble, CEO of UK Anti-Doping, expressed deep concerns, saying the event goes against everything their organization stands for. She highlighted the dangers to athlete health and the violation of fair play principles.
So, What’s Next?
With such mixed reactions and a radically different approach to sports, the Enhanced Games are guaranteed to stir debate about the future of athletic competition, doping regulations, and the limits of human performance.
Will this be the start of a new era in sports, or a controversial dead end? Only time will tell.