Perhaps one day we will look back on 10th September 2025 as the day that everything changed in the Olympic movement. Paris Olympic medallist Ben Proud has announced that he is joining the Enhanced Games, thereby forfeiting the opportunity to compete in a third Olympics in LA 2028.
This announcement feels markedly different to previous Enhanced Games signings. Proud is the current Olympic and World silver medallist in the 50m freestyle, and holder of two British records. He is not retired like first signing James Magnussen, nor is he someone who has spent a career seeking podium moments but largely fallen short on the global stage like Kristian Gkolomeev, the previous biggest name announced by the Enhanced Games. Proud is a huge name in swimming, and risks trading his reputation as a top international swimmer for the huge cash offerings of the Enhanced Games.
When the Enhanced Games were first announced, they were met with mockery from the wider sporting establishment. US Anti-Doping Agency chief Travis Tygart called it a “dangerous clown show”, whilst World Athletics CEO Seb Coe claimed “no one in athletics takes the Games seriously”. That approach will no longer be acceptable. We must take it seriously, so that organisations that support clean, fair and safe sport can regain control of the narrative and prevent the Enhanced Games from dominating the sporting landscape. Dismissing it as ridiculous or illegal will allow those in charge of the Enhanced Games to position themselves as innovators and disrupters, when in reality they risk irrevocably damaging the global sporting movement.
So why do I believe the Enhanced Games is so bad? In my opinion, such a big part of professional and competitive sport is about inspiration. It’s about watching someone do something incredible (but possible!) and using that inspiration to go on your own sporting journey, whether it’s aiming to break records or just get that little bit fitter and healthier. The Enhanced Games is the antithesis of this. No child will watch Ben Proud break a world record whilst ‘enhanced’ and be inspired to follow in his footsteps. If they are inspired by him, the situation is even worse, because the so-called ‘enhancement’ of athletes through performance-enhancing drugs can be dangerous. The Enhanced Games may claim that they have scientific advisers carefully monitoring the substances and doses used by competitors, but what about those sub-elite and amateur athletes who watch the Games and believe that these substances are safe for them too, without appropriate medical advice?
The Ben Proud announcement is a significant turning point in the development of the Enhanced Games, from a fringe “clown show” to something that has increasing numbers of people interested and actively engaged, whether they support it or not. Major organisations must wake up and stop dismissing the Games without argument, and instead defeat them on their merits, showing the value that competitive but clean sport can offer us all.
I was delighted to be invited on to LBC News to discuss this story. The clip of my discussion with presenter David Domb is below:
Gold Medals & Grey Areas 