McEvoy slams Enhanced Games after Gkolomeev breaks ‘unofficial’ 50m record

22

A Performance Under Scrutiny

The Enhanced Games, a competition that allows athletes to utilize performance-enhancing drugs without anti-doping restrictions, concluded its inaugural event in Las Vegas with a focus on a single record-breaking swim. Greek swimmer Kristian Gkolomeev finished the 50m freestyle in 20.81 seconds, eclipsing the official world record of 20.88 seconds set by Australian world champion Cameron McEvoy in March. McEvoy, who won gold in the 50m freestyle at the 2024 Paris Olympics, responded to the result on social media with a post featuring an image of Gordon Ramsay captioned, “Seriously?! That’s all you got!” The reaction underscored the tension between mainstream swimming authorities and the organizers of the Enhanced Games, which have been widely denounced by organizations including the International Olympic Committee and the World Anti-Doping Agency. According to The Guardian, Gkolomeev’s time will not be recognized as an official world record. Beyond the use of banned substances, the swimmer competed while wearing a race suit that has been prohibited by swimming authorities since 2009. Despite the controversy, Gkolomeev expressed enthusiasm regarding the event’s prize structure, which awarded him a US$1 million bonus for the record-breaking performance.

Financial Stakes and Athletic Results

For James “The Missile” Magnussen, the Enhanced Games’ first high-profile signee, the Las Vegas event proved difficult. The 35-year-old Australian, who retired from competitive swimming in 2018 before joining the Enhanced project in February 2024, finished last in both the 50m and 100m freestyle races. The Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported that Magnussen’s 100m time of 49.44 seconds was more than two seconds slower than his personal best. Despite the lack of competitive success, the financial incentives remained a central pillar of the event. Magnussen, who competed in a gold-colored suit, was guaranteed a payout of US$50,000 for his participation. Meanwhile, Gkolomeev’s total earnings for the meet included a US$250,000 prize for winning the race on top of his US$1 million world-record bonus. “I’m going to say it’s not bad at all. This is going to change my life to the good, for sure. ⁠And yeah, I’m going to continue next year. Maybe I’ll break it again.”Kristian Gkolomeev, via The Guardian

The Role of Clean Athletes

While the Games promoted a pro-doping ethos, the event also featured athletes who chose to compete without performance-enhancing drugs. The Guardian noted that three clean athletes secured victories, including American Hunter Armstrong, who won the 50m backstroke, and sprinter Fred Kerley, who won the 100m. Kerley, a silver medalist in Paris, was notably vocal following his win. News.com.au reported that Kerley challenged his opponents to improve their preparation, telling them to “work a little bit harder, get on that shit a little bit more.” Similarly, Tristan Evelyn, who won the women’s 100m while competing clean, stated that her victory proved “winning takes more than chemistry.”

Corporate Mission and Future Outlook

Enhanced Games CEO Max Martin framed the event as a success, declaring to a crowd of investors and influencers that the organization had arrived in mainstream culture. The event, which has reportedly cost organizers upwards of US$50 million, is backed by an ownership conglomerate recently valued at US$1.2 billion. According to WIRED, the organization’s long-term business model includes a telehealth-style platform selling performance-enhancing substances, such as testosterone injections and human growth hormone. During the event, screens displayed the specific substances being utilized by the athletes, a move organizers described as part of their mission to bring such products to the masses. Whether the Enhanced Games will succeed in establishing a permanent niche in the sporting world remains uncertain. While the event offered significant prize money, the disparity between the promotional claims and the actual athletic outcomes at the inaugural meet left questions regarding the organization’s ability to sustain its growth. For now, the Games organizers have signaled their intent to return next year, aiming to build on the performance benchmarks established in Las Vegas.