Enhanced Games Signs First Female Athlete Megan Romano for 2026 Debut

Megan Romano, a four-time world champion swimmer and former NCAA standout, has become the first female athlete and first American to join the Enhanced Games, an Olympic-style event allowing performance-enhancing drugs and no doping tests, set to debut in May 2026 in Las Vegas. Romano will compete in the 50 and 100-meter freestyle events, with substantial financial incentives including up to $1 million bonuses for breaking world records, though such records will not be officially recognized by international federations due to the lack of drug testing. Romano described the Games as a transparent, scientifically-backed platform that values and compensates female athletes fairly and represents the future of sport. The Enhanced Games, which also feature track and weightlifting, have received significant funding and commitments from male swimmers, including Olympic medalists, despite criticism from the International Olympic Committee, which denounced the event as destructive to fair play. Romano's participation underscores the movement's goal to maximize and celebrate athletic potential without traditional anti-doping restrictions, challenging established sports norms. The Games are positioned as a controversial but rapidly growing alternative to conventional international competitions.