The Enhanced Games are scheduled to debut in Las Vegas on May 24, 2026, introducing one of the most controversial formats in modern sports by allowing athletes to use performance-enhancing drugs under medical supervision.
The event will include swimming, sprinting and bodybuilding competitions, but unlike traditional international sport, there will be no ban on substances such as testosterone, EPO or stimulants.
Organizers say the aim is to bring “transparency” to improving sporting performance.
The concept has drawn strong criticism from anti-doping bodies. The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has warned the event could normalize drug use in sport and encourage young athletes to use performance-enhancing substances.
Medical experts have also expressed concerns about long-term health risks, including cardiovascular strain and organ damage.
Organizers say, however, that elite sport is already affected by doping and that the enhanced Games simply remove the hypocrisy by making the enhancement open and regulated rather than hidden.
Around 40 athletes are expected, including former Olympians and competitors previously excluded from sanctioned events. The organizers say that participants will be medically monitored throughout the competition.
The event is also supported by significant prize money, intended to attract top athletes, although the performances will not be recognized as official world records.
Its supporters describe it as a new era of sport built around individual choices and scientific progress. Critics say this creates pressure to improve performance at all costs and risks turning athletic competition into a controlled pharmaceutical experiment.
The Enhanced Games are set to be streamed around the world when they launch in Las Vegas, marking a sharp break from the rules and structure of traditional Olympic sport.
