Enhanced Games Sues World Aquatics, Others for $800 million
The Enhanced Games, a performance-enhancing drugs-fueled spectacle, is suing sports governing bodies on antitrust grounds.
The lawsuit was filed Wednesday in federal court in New York. The World Anti-Doping Agency, World Aquatics and USA Swimming are listed as defendants. It is seeking $800 million in damages and injunctive relief, arguing that existing anti-doping regulations by the organizations somehow constitute a monopoly on athletes.
The Enhanced Games is due to debut in 2026. It is premised on allowing and even encouraging athletes – swimming has been at the leading edge – to dope freely in the quest of breaking barriers of human performance. Led by Aron D’Souza, it has attracted few competitors, fewer successes and has roundly been rejected by the sporting establishment. As such, it’s seeking profit via litigative means.
When the Enhanced Games announced its intention to hold an event in 2026, existing bodies including those named as plaintiffs responded by clearly articulating a stance against the competition. Bodies like the United States Anti-Doping Agency also increased their communication to athletes to clearly outline the risks of participation.
World Aquatics adopted a new bylaw aimed at “relevant persons” who serve as “coach, trainer, manager, training partner, doctor or physiotherapist” as well as participant in the Enhanced Games to be ineligible to ever again by accredited for a World Aquatics event or employed by a World Aquatics entity. WADA has decried the event as dangerous and irresponsible and has, “for the sake of athlete health and the purity of sport” endeavored to prevent the event happening. USADA head Travis Tygart characterized the Enhanced Games as, “a dangerous clown show that puts profit over principle.”
Bodies like WADA have essentially viewed participation in the Enhanced Games as a one-way door out of legitimate sport.
D’Souza and his band of provocateurs are positing that as the excuse for only five athletes so far wanting to endanger their health in search of $500,000 in prize money. Three of those athletes are swimmers, including Australian James Magnussen, whose first attempt at the world record in the 50 has been an abject failure. There’s also been one registration in track and field and weightlifting.
