[A swimmer practices in an Olympic-sized swimming pool. Photo Credit: Pexels]

The Enhanced Games, an event similar to the Olympics that allows participants to take Performance-Enhancing Drugs (PEDs), announced in June 2025 that it will host its inaugural  competition in Las Vegas in May of next year.

Athletes will be allowed to  use  substances such as  testosterone and steroids,  provided that  they are legal, prescribed by a doctor, and administered in safe quantities.

These substances are typically banned in standard competitions, making the Enhanced Games the first of their kind. 

The inaugural Enhanced Games will feature three main sports: swimming (50m and 100m freestyle, and 50m and 100m butterfly), track (100m sprint, 110m/100m hurdles, and 60m dash), and weightlifting (snatch, clean and jerk). 

Classic events such as swimming, track, and weightlifting will be the events in which athletes will compete, with events like the 100m dash and 50m freestyle causing a lot of excitement in the industry. 

In addition, instead of categorizing athletes by gender, participants will compete according to chromosomal division: XX and XY divisions.

Each event will offer up to $500,000 in prizes, with the winner taking $250,000 and up to $1 million for anyone who can break major world records; the 100m sprint and 50m freestyle. 

At a press conference, officials announced that  the Greek-Bulgarian swimmer Kristian Gkolomeev shattered two world records using the enhancement program supported by the Games.

Gkolomeev broke a 16-year-old 50m freestyle record by 0.02 seconds and also broke a 2019 textile (achieved without a speed suit) world record by 0.01 seconds.

He began his enhancement training in February and trained with the help of the Enhanced Games team.

Gkolomeev stated that  the Games allowed him to “break limits” and reach a greater level of sporting performance.

The Games were founded by investor and lawyer Aron D'Souza with the support of big names like Peter Thiel and the law firm of Donald Trump Jr.

Although there are many supporters of the events, agencies like the IOC, World Anti-Doping Agency and other critics have raised concerns about safety and fairness.

Some experts have cautioned that the events could be dangerous for the athletes that take part, therefore, setting a bad example for those that watch. 

In response to  these  agencies, D’Souza argues that current sporting frameworks are unequal and not fairly compensating players even though these players bring in huge profits. 

He went on to explain that the Enhanced Games are meant to revolutionize the practice of sports and explore the science of enhancement drugs.

Beyond pushing athletes to their limits of performance, D’Souza hopes that the games will open up research opportunities for banned substances, especially those that were associated with state-sponsored doping regimes in the 1980s and 1990s. 

Alongside the Games, organizers have also launched an emerging business related to the event called Enhanced Performance Products,  which will sell supplements and training devices to the general public.

The new company claims to deliver the same science-backed procedures that top athletes employ in the Games.

It is not yet clear how the public and mainstream sport organizations will respond to the Enhanced Games once they have welcomed an inaugural event.

Although it will be exciting to watch for the sports-enthusiasts who have been waiting for an event of this kind.