Thu, August 28, 2025
Enhanced Games sues World Aquatics, WADA and USA Swimming for $800m
The privately funded 2026 Enhanced Games set to take place in Las Vegas allows athletes to use performance enhancing substances without being subject to drug tests. It is now suing World Aquatics, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and USA Swimming for $800m after accusing them of orchestrating an unlawful effort to discourage athletes from participating.
The President of the Enhanced Games, Aron D’Souza, advocates “superhumanity” and has successfully enticed athletes such as Australian swimmer and three-time Olympic medallist James Magnussen with prize money of up to $500,000 per event, including $1 million bonuses for breaking world records in the 100m sprint or 50m freestyle.
The Enhanced Games is backed financially by 1789 Capital, a company co-founded by Donald Trump Jr, Peter Thiel’s Apeiron Investment Group, and hedge fund Karatage.
Despite being able to entice a few athletes through money, D’Souza stated that World Aquatics, WADA and USA Swimming are significantly reducing the number of athletes signing up by disparaging the Games: “Until this issue is resolved, it’s causing irreparable harm to our ability to sign athletes…
Athletes who are both ‘natural’ and ‘enhanced’ can compete at the games. That’s part of the narrative that makes this interesting. Can a ‘natural’ athlete beat an ‘enhanced’ athlete?”
He also referred to global anti-doping regulations as “outdated and hypocritical.”
In June, World Aquatics announced that it will expel athletes, coaches and officials from elite competition if they choose to involve themselves in the 2026 Enhanced Games because the governing body does not wish to align itself with the promotion of banned performance-enhancing drugs in any way.
The president of World Aquatics, Husain al-Musallam, voiced that anyone who “supports, endorses, or participates in sporting events that embrace the use of scientific advancements or other practices that may include prohibited substances and/or prohibited methods” will be barred from World Aquatics’ competitions. This not only includes athletes, but also coaches, administrators and medical staff.
World Aquatics banned Brett Hawke from participating in any official capacity at World Aquatics-sanctioned events because he accepted a coaching position with the Enhanced Games, for example.
World Aquatics also encouraged associations to “adopt similar policies at the national level to uphold consistent standards across the sport.”
In terms of WADA, the agency previously voiced: “As we have seen through history, performance-enhancing drugs have taken a terrible physical and mental toll on many athletes. Some have died. Clearly this event would jeopardize [athletes’ health and well-being] by promoting the abuse of powerful substances and methods that should only be prescribed, if at all, for specific therapeutic needs.”
It also stated that athletes who participate in the Enhanced Games “would also put their reputations on the line, as they would risk forever being associated with doping.”
USA Swimming has not implemented bans like World Aquatics for those affiliated with the Enhanced Games, but it did release the following statement: “Even if you are not personally engaged in doping, affiliation with the Enhanced Games could significantly affect your ability to participate in future competitions due to U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (“USADA”) and World Anti-Doping Agency (“WADA”) rules and regulations. Therefore, we feel it is important to remind you of the relevant rules and risks surrounding doping activities within the Olympic Movement.”
It also stated: “Please note that any involvement can lead to anti-doping rule violations, as there are rules prohibiting association with certain individuals serving a period of ineligibility for an anti-doping violation.”
The Enhanced Games’ official statement can be found here.
