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Enhanced Games: PEDs Allowed, Records Shattered
22 May
Summary
- Athletes use PEDs in the Enhanced Games for performance.
- The event aims to destigmatize PED use with oversight.
- Critics call the games a publicity stunt and marketing tool.
The Enhanced Games have commenced, permitting athletes to openly use performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) under supervised medical programs. Weightlifter Boady Santavy is among the competitors embracing this approach, having begun his first PED cycle to improve his performance. This event aims to destigmatize PED use by bringing it into the open, with significant bonuses offered for breaking existing world records.
Critics, however, label the Enhanced Games a cynical marketing stunt, suggesting the event primarily serves to promote the affiliated company's supplements and prescription PEDs. Supporters counter that the games are re-drawing the boundaries of elite sport by allowing and supervising PED use, rather than banning it entirely.
Athletes participating in the Enhanced Games' doping program are housed in a luxury resort, receiving catered meals, training, and regular medical checkups as part of a clinical trial. All participants receive a salary and five years of follow-up medical monitoring. Notably, while PED use is permitted and encouraged, it is not mandatory, with some high-profile athletes opting to compete drug-free.
The Enhanced Group, the company behind the games, also operates an online pharmacy selling performance and health-enhancing drugs. This has led to questions about the event's true purpose, with some viewing it as an extensive marketing activation for the company's commercial ventures. Traditional sports governing bodies have largely reacted negatively, with some threatening bans for participating athletes.
