After attending the Enhanced Games in Las Vegas, I told its founder the event will fail by 2031. While the organizers are wealthy and intelligent, they do not appear to care deeply about sport. The event, which promotes performance-enhancing drugs, saw only one world record broken and mediocre performances. Despite plans to invite fitness influencers and a legends section next year, the underlying motivation appears to be selling drugs like testosterone cream rather than fostering genuine athletic competition.
A Weekend in Las Vegas
I woke up to an avalanche of messages from elite sport insiders asking about the Enhanced Games. Many wanted to know what it was really like, but most hoped to see its demise. The organizers had promised multiple world records and billed it as the “Super Bowl of athletics, swimming, and weightlifting.” However, the reality fell short. The most farcical moment came before the women’s 100m final, when the announcer suggested Florence Griffith Joyner’s world record might be threatened. The race was won in 11.26 seconds by Tristan Evelyn, a drug-free athlete, a time that would not have advanced past the first round of the 2024 Olympics.
Financial Incentives and Athlete Interest
Despite the poor performances, the event attracted athletes with substantial prize money. Hunter Armstrong, a clean swimmer, earned $250,000—12.5 times the prize for a gold medal at the World Aquatics championships. Christian Angermayer, the chair, revealed plans to invite fitness influencers to compete alongside elite athletes next year. Brett Hawke, an Australian swim coach, noted that elite stars were already expressing interest. While World Athletics offers $150,000 for winners in its Ultimate Championships, Angermayer believes he can lure big track stars with even larger sums.
The Atmosphere and Organizers
Attending the event felt like being a puritan in Babylon. Fitness influencers filmed each other, showing off abs and discussing drug protocols. Predictions of a pill providing all benefits of zone 2 exercise were common. However, the arena itself was impressive, with a 100m track, 50m pool, and weightlifting platform side by side. Athletes were disarmingly honest about being medical subjects and marketing tools, understanding the risks for rewards.
Drug Evangelism
Initially, I viewed the organizers as grifters, but now I see them as evangelicals. They believe performance-enhancing drugs have changed their lives and want others to enjoy them. The event serves as a Trojan horse to sell drugs like testosterone and human growth hormone. Angermayer hailed Megan Romano as the “biggest winner” for beating her personal best at age 35, attributing it to medical enhancements. He also praised Emily Barclay, who earned $375,000 despite a modest swimming career.
Why It Will Fail
I believe the Enhanced Games will fail within five years, not next year. The organizers are rich and smart but do not care deeply about sport. They do not understand its whims, rivalries, narratives, or values. The most important results happen off the pitch: how much testosterone cream is sold, TikTok clip downloads, and share price performance. On Tuesday, the company lost 40% of its value. Without drama, stories, and athletes people care about, the event will remain a marginal vehicle for selling drugs.
A Better Use of Resources
Angermayer mentioned his companies are working on drugs to prevent neurodegenerative diseases and enhance female arousal. These seem like better uses of his time. I bet him that by 2031 the Enhanced Games will no longer exist. He believes it will become the next UFC. I hope I am wrong, but history shows that drugs in sport should never be normalized, from East Germany in the 1970s to EPO-related deaths in cycling.
