The Enhanced Games

[AndyRM]

The first Brit, a swimmer, has decided to join The Enhanced Games and take part in their (potential) inaugural event next year.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/swimming/articles/c5yevrrv1kwo

Since this was launched as a concept a couple of years ago I haven't followed it closely, but it throws up a lot of questions, ethically and physically.

I'm on the fence currently, erring towards the "Nah, this is a bad idea", but it's something that I think WADA could potentially learn from, but I believe their current stance is a hard "No".

Thoughts?

 

[Vapin' Joe]

Anyone under the impression that all the dopers will transfer to "Enhanced" sports leaving the rest of it to only clean athletes has little understanding of human nature.

 

[raleighnut]

If he's 30 now he is probably considering that he will be too old to compete in the next Olympics so what's next.

 

[steveindenmark]

Its a way those past their sell by date will be able to continue. I cannot imagine any competitor enhancing their name.

 

[sevenfourate]

This article is (long) and interesting:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211266925000568

And this statement from the article mostly sums it up for me.

“Building superhumanity is not a sport. A subsequent quote from one of the investors, founder of the 1789 Capital, Omeed Malik, reads: “The Enhanced Games aren’t just another sports league – they are a declaration of freedom.” A declaration of freedom is not a sport either. Notably, Malik claims what the Enhanced Games are not, leaving the ones who want to learn what they are frustrated”…….

 

[Dogtrousers]

Given that I've never found swimming worth watching anyway, I doubt he's going to do anything that will interest me.

I do like watching World's Strongest Man though. And I somehow doubt that they are all on pan y agua.

 

[fossyant]

Wonder if Pharmstrong has organised it. Hateful excuse for a human.

 

[AndyRM]

Wonder if Pharmstrong has organised it. Hateful excuse for a human.

No involvement as far as I'm aware.

Donald Trump Jr. is investing via his venture capital fund though, because he views it as peak MAGA, but that's not for here.

 

[N0bodyOfTheGoat]

The whole concept of pushing a load of drugs for the hope of performance benefits, without the risk of DQ from the event, but risking your future health/life seems absolutely nuts to me.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

My chance to win the track cycling has arrived.

 

[AndyRM]

The whole concept of pushing a load of drugs for the hope of performance benefits, without the risk of DQ from the event, but risking your future health/life seems absolutely nuts to me.

As I understand it there are certain controls in place, but how rigorously those will be enforced remains to be seen.

A few years ago I listened to a programme about Eastern European athletes who'd been doped to the gills so they could win at the Olympics and they suffered some devastating effects later in life. They were basically children at the time so had no idea what was going on, and I'd have a massive problem with that in the context of these games.

If it's adults who fancy a crack at it and they're fully aware of the side effects I've not got much of an issue with that, provided they're allowed nowhere near "clean" sport afterwards.

 

[Alex321]

The main reason performance enhancing drugs are generally banned stems not from the performance enhancement as such, but from the danger to health posed by them.

While nowadays it is just as much about no artificial enhancements regardless of danger, if there had been no danger in them initially, they probably would not have started to be banned.

 

[laurentian]

I am intrigued as to what "performance enhancing drugs" are legal to buy/use as I was under the impression that they were, by and large, illegal.

If (big if) my impression is right, then isn't participation in the enhanced games tantamount to admission of criminal activity?

 

[teeonethousand]

I have been listening and reading a lot about Creatine recently and I did wonder why, if it works, is it allowed. (Btw. I am not going to try it)

 

[Dogtrousers]

I am intrigued as to what "performance enhancing drugs" are legal to buy/use as I was under the impression that they were, by and large, illegal.

If (big if) my impression is right, then isn't participation in the enhanced games tantamount to admission of criminal activity?

This very question crossed my mind. Maybe you can get certain drugs legally under medical supervision?