On 10/9, Ben Proud, an Olympic silver medalist from the Paris 2024 games and the 50m freestyle world champion, confirmed his participation in the controversial Enhanced Games. This competition permits athletes to use banned substances to "explore new limits of the human body."

Ben Proud wins silver in the 50m freestyle at the Paris 2024 Olympics. Photo: Sun

UK Sport, the governing body responsible for distributing public funds to British sports, released a statement strongly condemning "everything that the Enhanced Games represents" and announced a review of Proud's eligibility for government funding. "Any breach of anti-doping regulations is contrary to our funding policy," the statement read.

Aquatics GB also expressed "immense disappointment" with Proud's decision, emphasizing their commitment to clean sport. Proud previously participated in "Clean Sport Week," organized by the UK Anti-Doping Agency (UKAD). His teammates, Adam Peaty and Duncan Scott, have also been vocal advocates against doping.

Facing criticism, Proud explained to the BBC, "I've achieved everything I wanted in traditional sports. The Enhanced Games offers a different path. I don't see it as a betrayal of clean sport. I've always respected swimming and would never return after going against the rules."

Proud is the first British athlete to publicly join the Enhanced Games. This almost certainly disqualifies him from mainstream international competitions like the Olympics, World Championships, and European Championships. Experts believe Proud's choice could spark a significant debate about the boundaries of "clean sport" versus "no-limits competition" in the modern era.

Proud excels in short-distance swimming. He is a 50m freestyle world champion, a 2022 European champion, and a multiple gold medalist at the Commonwealth Games. At the Paris 2024 Olympics, he won silver in the 50m freestyle, his first Olympic medal. He also holds the British national record in the 50m freestyle at 21.11 seconds.

Ben Proud competes in the men's 50m freestyle final at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Photo: Olympics

The Enhanced Games was founded in 2023 by Australian entrepreneur Aron D’Souza. His goal is to "disrupt the dominance of the traditional Olympic movement" and allow athletes to legally use banned substances to test human biological limits.

The inaugural event is scheduled for May 2026 in Las Vegas, USA, featuring swimming, track and field, and weightlifting. Organizers offer a $500,000 prize for each event, plus a $250,000 bonus for breaking world records. The competition is funded by 1789 Equity, with financial backing from Donald Trump Jr. D’Souza claims to have raised tens of millions of USD for the first season.

However, the concept faces intense criticism from the sports world. The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) warns that it is a dangerous and irresponsible event. US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) director Travis Tygart called it a "clown show." World Aquatics has become the first international organization to ban athletes competing in the Enhanced Games.

By continuing with the Enhanced Games, Proud likely ends his career in traditional competitions but becomes a symbol of a controversial new trend in global sports.

Compiled by Hong Duy