Science or dangerous clown show? Controversial Enhanced Games gain pace

Two years after the controversial concept of the doping-encouraged Enhanced Games entered the public eye, Games founder and president Dr. Aron D’Souza announced the host city and dates for its inaugural edition: Las Vegas, 22-24 May 2026.

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The first edition of the Enhanced Games will be held at Resorts World Las Vegas on the Strip, with all events taking place in a custom-built competition complex inside the hotel and casino.

Unlike the Olympic Games, which feature 32 sports, the Enhanced Games will limit its program to just three: swimming, athletics, and weightlifting.

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The complex will include a four-lane, 50-metre pool, a six-lane sprint track, and a weightlifting stage. All events will be streamed globally in what D’Souza describes as an “immersive digital format” meant to reshape the way fans experience sport.

“We live in a world transformed by science—from vaccines to AI,” said D’Souza in a press release. “But sport has stood still. Today, we’re not updating the rulebook—we’re rewriting it. And we’re doing it safely, ethically, and boldly.”

What are the Enhanced Games?

The Enhanced Games purport to promote the use of science and focus on core sports, aiming to break world records and ensure fair compensation for athletes.

They argue that performance-enhancing drugs, when used responsibly, can significantly enhance training outcomes and allow athletes to reach their full potential.

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D’Souza said his motive behind creating the Enhanced Games goes beyond just athletes using drugs. He wants to design a modernized science-driven event for social media and broadcast television, which he hopes will appeal to the public’s short attention spans.

According to D’Souza, four of the 10 fastest 100m sprinters in history have approached him, and he hopes to have a roster of 100 athletes across the nine disciplines come next year.

The Enhanced Games have faced widespread criticism from senior figures in anti-doping and sports, including World Athletics president Sebastian Coe. The athletics head didn’t mince words, calling the doping-encouraged competition “bollocks” and “a dangerous clown show.”

At the 2024 World Indoor Championships in Glasgow, Coe warned that any athlete participating in the Enhanced Games would face a lengthy ban from athletics. World Aquatics (formerly FINA) also condemned the event, stating that if any of its athletes took part, they would be banned from competition.