Australian swimmer James Magnussen, two-time world champion in the 100-meter freestyle (2011 and 2013), as well as an Olympic silver and two bronze medalist (between London 2012 and Rio 2016), has confirmed his participation in the Enhanced Games, a sporting event that has generated considerable controversy for allowing the use of performance-enhancing substances. This event, to be held May 21-24, 2026, in Las Vegas, seeks to position itself as an alternative to traditional competitions, challenging global anti-doping rules… and promising prizes of $500,000 to winners and $1 million to anyone who breaks a world record.
World Aquatics, the organization that regulates swimming worldwide, has responded firmly to this initiative. In a statement, it announced that any athlete, coach, or medical staff who participates in or supports events that promote the use of banned substances will be excluded from its official competitions. Husain al-Musallam, president of World Aquatics, stated that “those who enable doping in sport are not welcome in our organization or at our events.”
Magnussen, one of the few professional athletes who has confirmed his participation, is already on his way out of professional swimming and may not care about not returning to a World Aquatics competition. However, he will not have a healthy and pleasant farewell to swimming if he ultimately participates in a competition that does not align with the ethical and moral values that the organization under which the Australian has achieved so much success has always defended.
What are the Enhanced Games?
The Enhanced Games, founded by Australian entrepreneur Aron D’Souza, are presented as a revolutionary platform that normalizes the use of pharmacological and technological enhancements in sport. According to the organizers, athletes will be able to compete naturally, follow enhancement protocols, or participate in clinical trials with drugs designated as “Investigational Medicinal Products” by the FDA.
The event will feature disciplines such as swimming, sprinting, and weightlifting, and promises prizes of up to $500,000 per competition, as well as bonuses of $1 million for breaking world records in events such as the 100-meter dash or the 50-meter freestyle.
Criticism of the event and its impact on global sports
The Enhanced Games proposal has been heavily criticized by anti-doping agencies and sports federations. Travis Tygart, director of the US Anti-Doping Agency, called the event “a dangerous spectacle, not a real sport.” For its part, the World Anti-Doping Agency warned that such initiatives jeopardize the health and well-being of athletes by promoting the use of powerful substances that should only be prescribed for specific therapeutic needs.
The event has the financial support of figures linked to US President Donald Trump. Among the main investors are 1789 Capital, co-founded by Donald Trump Jr., and Peter Thiel’s Apeiron investment group. Aron D’Souza, founder of the Enhanced Games, has highlighted the importance of this political and cultural support, considering it more valuable than any financial investment.
