Olympic Swimmer Ben Proud Joins Controversial Enhanced Games

Ben Proud, a British Olympic silver medallist and world champion swimmer, has announced his retirement from traditional swimming to compete in the controversial Enhanced Games, which allow athletes to use performance-enhancing drugs without drug testing. His decision has sparked widespread criticism from the sporting community, including Aquatics GB and doping campaigners like Sharon Davies, who expressed concern about the health risks and the integrity of clean sport. Proud defends his choice, highlighting the substantial financial incentives and framing the Enhanced Games as a separate entity from traditional sport, insisting that his participation does not undermine clean sport. World Aquatics has responded by banning athletes who participate in the Enhanced Games from its competitions, though the Enhanced Games have filed an $800 million lawsuit challenging this. The Enhanced Games, backed by a venture capital fund including Donald Trump Jr. and Peter Thiel, aim to push the boundaries of human performance with performance-enhancing substances, a stance strongly opposed by UK Anti-Doping. Proud's move has ignited debate on doping, athlete compensation, and the future direction of competitive sports.