Less than a year before their debut, the Enhanced Games have already sparked major controversy. The Athletes’ Council of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) recently published a statement condemning the event, labeling it “a dangerous and irresponsible concept” that threatens the values of clean sport. The statement follows the confirmation of the venue and date for the competition, which will be held on May 21, 2026, in Las Vegas, featuring athletes who will use banned substances under medical supervision.
The Athletes’ Council had previously chosen not to comment publicly to avoid legitimizing the event, but decided to act given the growing visibility of the project. WADA also issued several statements questioning the arguments made by organizers about the alleged “safety” of supervised medical doping. In its words, the Enhanced Games “ignore decades of medical evidence” and could send a dangerous message, particularly to young people.
Medical and ethical concerns about the enhanced games
Experts in the biomedical field have joined the criticism. Scientists Ian Broadley and Martin Chandler warned in The Guardian that the substances to be used in the Enhanced Games — such as BPC-157 and ipamorelin — are not approved by the FDA and carry both known and unknown risks. Chandler explained that the long-term effects of steroid use include changes in reproductive function and hormonal problems that are still not fully understood. He also warned of serious cardiovascular risks associated with testosterone use, such as heart attacks, arrhythmias, and cardiomyopathies.
Despite these warnings, several athletes have chosen to join the competition. Greek swimmer Kristian Gkolomeev announced his retirement from the traditional circuit to take part in the Enhanced Games, where he already broke a world record just two weeks after beginning substance use to boost performance. The event, founded by Aron D’Souza and backed by Donald Trump Jr., offers major financial prizes and features media personalities such as James Magnussen, which has further heightened alarms at WADA. The organization has urged sports and legal authorities to act, reiterating that athletes are role models and that such initiatives threaten the integrity of sport.
