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The Enhanced Games are a Danger to Olympic Sports: Here’s Why


Inside the Controversial Enhanced Games


Created by Australian entrepreneur Aron D’Souza, the Enhanced Games are a new sports enterprise that permits the use of performance enhancing drugs ("PEDs") in swimming, track & field, and weightlifting events.[2] Athletes who break current world records will be paid $25,000, with $1 million in bonuses available to athletes who break either the 50-meter freestyle swimming or 100-meter sprint world records.[3]


Since its inception, athletes who have signed on to the Games have included multiple elite swimmers - Irish Olympian Shane Ryan, British Olympian Ben Proud, and Australian Olympian James Magnussen.[4] Magnussen has confirmed that he has taken PEDs for the purpose of these games.[5] The most recent addition to the roster has been American Olympian Cody Miller, a seven-time Olympic and World Champion medalist.[6] Many of these athletes cited the immense financial backing of the Games, with investors including 1798 Capital and Peter Thiel, CEO of Palantir Technologies and PayPal.[7] The Enhanced Games will take place in Las Vegas on May 24, 2026, showcasing swimming, track & field, and weightlifting events.[8]


The Case Behind the Headlines


In August 2025, the Enhanced Games filed a lawsuit in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York against World Aquatics, USA Swimming, and the World Anti-Doping Agency ("WADA") for violating Sections 1 and 2 of the Sherman Act.[9] The lawsuit alleged that the defendants are running a “blatantly predatory and illegal campaign to force anyone involved in the sport ... to boycott the Enhanced Games...” and that these organizations are colluding to “stop the Enhanced Games from entering the market for international elite swimming.”[10] The suit sought $800 million in total damages as well as injunctive relief.[11] This suit came after a World Aquatics by-law threatening to ban athletes and non-athletes who participate or endorse the Enhanced Games from international competition, including the Olympics (regardless of whether the athletes use PEDs).[12] USA swimming also sent an email to national team athletes in May, cautioning them against engaging with the Games in any way.[13]

On November 17th, 2025, the lawsuit was dismissed. The district court judge ruled that “Enhanced fails to allege that by [World Aquatic’s by-law] contrary to its plain language, automatically applies to every elite, international swimming competition.”[14] The court also dismissed claims against USA Swimming and WADA.[15] In its conclusion, the court noted that Enhanced can file any amended complaint within thirty days of this Opinion and Order.[16] Experts have pointed out that the defendant organizations have a “powerful weapon” in that they ultimately have the “final say” on which athletes get to participate in the Olympic games, a power that affects Olympic swimming as the world looks towards 2028.[17]


How Does the Enhanced Games Endanger Open Sports?


While the Enhanced Games are incredibly controversial amongst athletes and spectators, financial incentives are hard to ignore. It is no secret that Olympic athletes struggle financially, with 58% of elite athletes worldwide unable to reach financial stability.[18] For United States swimmers, 60% of Olympic hopefuls earn than $20,000 in their Olympic preparation year.[19] Only the biggest swimming stars, such as Katie Ledecky, Leon Marchand, and Kate Douglass, make upwards of $100,000 per calendar year.[20] The Enhanced Games give swimmers who are not inherent “stars” financial incentive that is immensely appealing – Ben Proud himself stated that it would take “13 years of winning a World Championship title” for athletes to earn the same amount of prize money offered for winning a single race in the Enhanced Games.[21]


With more prolific athletes signing on to the Enhanced Games, sports such as swimming which are largely successful due to their depth of talent, might suffer. USA Swimming’s Olympic medal percentage dropped from 57% in 2016 to 44% in 2024, the lowest since 1988.[22] There was only one individual Olympic gold medalist among all Team USA male swimmers.[23] With cracks in the system widening, athletes without star potential who contribute to the overall medal count and depth of Olympic sports might seek a living elsewhere, with the Enhanced Games offering that opportunity. This could cause long-lasting consequences for sports that fall flatter than expected, with lower grassroots membership rates, overall lack of participation, and lack of funding for the sport in the future.[24] As the world looks towards 2028, the looming threat of the Enhanced Games will become a key player in the United States’ success in the first home Olympics in 32 years.

 


Nikki Sripathi (staff writer) is a 1L from Phillipsburg, New Jersey. She graduated from Elon University with a B.A. In Psychology in 2025. She's a lifelong Eagles fan, and enjoys hiking, baking, and watching sports. Following graduation, Nikki hopes to pursue a legal career in-house for a sports team or sports governing body.




References:

[2] Geraint Hughes. Explained: What are the ‘Enhanced Games’ and is mainstream sport under threat? (September 16, 2025). https://www.skysports.com/more-sports/swimming/news/29177/13428227/explained-what-are-the-enhanced-games-and-is-mainstream-sport-under-threat[RM1] [NS2]  

[4] Ben Collins. Olympic medalist becomes first Briton to join Enhanced Games. (September 10, 2025). https://www.bbc.com/sport/swimming/articles/c5yevrrv1kwo 

[5] James Sutherland. James Magnussen details impact of taking PEDs leading up to Enhanced Games. (May 21, 2025). https://swimswam.com/james-magnussen-details-impact-of-taking-peds-leading-up-to-enhanced-games/

[6] Enhanced. U.S. Swimmer Cody Miller to Complete in the Enhanced Games. https://www.enhanced.com/newsroom/u-s-swimmer-cody-miller-to-compete-in-the-enhanced-games

[9] Enhanced. Enhanced Games files $800 million antitrust lawsuit against World Aquatics, the World Anti-Doping Agency and USA Swimming.https://www.enhanced.com/newsroom/enhanced-games-files-800-million-antitrust-lawsuit-against-world-aquatics-the-world-anti-doping-agency-and-usa-swimming

[10] Id.

[11] Id.

[12] Id.

[13] Id.

[14] Sport Resolutions. Enhanced Games lawsuit against World Aquatics, WADA and USA Swimming dismissed. https://www.sportresolutions.com/news/enhanced-games-lawsuit-dismissed

[15] Id.

[16] Id.

[17] Enhanced. Enhanced Games files $800 million antitrust lawsuit against World Aquatics, the World Anti-Doping Agency and USA Swimming.https://www.enhanced.com/newsroom/enhanced-games-files-800-million-antitrust-lawsuit-against-world-aquatics-the-world-anti-doping-agency-and-usa-swimming

[18] Ironwise. The Enhanced Games: Revolutionizing sports or freak show? (July 2024). https://ironwise.app/2024/07/enhanced-games/

[19] Emily Salley. Enhanced Games prize money worth 13 world titles. (July 29, 2025). https://www.bbc.com/sport/swimming/articles/cz69pe53q3qo 

[20] Dan D’Addona. World Cup provides huge payday for pros led by Kate Douglass, Leon Marchand. (November 7, 2024). https://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/news/world-cup-provides-huge-payday-for-pros-led-by-kate-douglass-leon-marchand/

[21] Emily Salley. Enhanced Games prize money worth 13 world titles. (July 29, 2025). https://www.bbc.com/sport/swimming/articles/cz69pe53q3qo

[22] Bryan Graham. Michael Phelps is right. USA Swimming’s failure runs deeper than medals. (August 15, 2025). https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2025/aug/15/michael-phelps-usa-swimming-crisis-leadership-safesport

[23] Id.

[24] Id.


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