{"id":961,"date":"2026-05-27T19:11:36","date_gmt":"2026-05-27T19:11:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/silvybrand.com\/?p=961"},"modified":"2026-05-27T19:11:36","modified_gmt":"2026-05-27T19:11:36","slug":"enhanced-games-performance-enhancing-drugs-science-health-sports","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/silvybrand.com\/?p=961","title":{"rendered":"Roids were all the rage at the Enhanced Games"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"zephr-anchor\">\n<div class=\"duet--article--article-body-component\">\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1ymtmqpi _17nnmdy2 _17nnmdy0 _17nnmdy7 _17nnmdy5 _1xwtict1 _17nnmdyb\">In Las Vegas, the blazing sun beats down on a makeshift Olympic-length pool. Cody Miller stands on the starting block of lane one. His arms are raised in victory. MC Hammer\u2019s \u201cU Can\u2019t Touch This\u201d thumps over the loudspeakers as he rips off his swimming cap, throwing it to the ground. Miller lets out a guttural scream, muscles and veins bulging. He\u2019s just won the men\u2019s 50m breaststroke at the inaugural Enhanced Games. Miller\u2019s wallet is $250,000 fatter than it was 26.55 seconds ago \u2014 a new personal best time for the two-time Olympic medalist.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"duet--article--article-body-component\">\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1ymtmqpi _17nnmdy1 _17nnmdy0 _1xwtict1\">Is Miller\u2019s win thanks to his polyurethane swimsuit, which was <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbsnews.com\/news\/olympics-why-some-types-of-swimsuits-are-banned\/\">banned after the 2008 Olympics<\/a> as a form of technological doping? Or was it his personalized protocol of performance-enhancing drugs, which are verboten in almost every other competition? One thing is certain: Miller isn\u2019t ashamed of his decision to dope. He\u2019s been talking about it for months and has the enthusiastic endorsement of his doctors, coaches, and family.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"duet--article--article-body-component\">\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1ymtmqpi _17nnmdy1 _17nnmdy0 _1xwtict1\">\u201cI just shaved seven-tenths off my best at 34,\u201d he says, when asked how \u201cenhancing\u201d has affected his performance.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"duet--article--article-body-component\">\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1ymtmqpi _17nnmdy1 _17nnmdy0 _1xwtict1\">A Vegas hometown hero, Miller left professional swimming in December 2024 after setting a personal record at his final clean meet. \u201cThe last lap, my body shut down, stopped working,\u201d he said <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/rJjl7CDASM4\">in a vlog<\/a> explaining his retirement. The video ends with Miller plugging his availability for Cameo, local swim meets, speaking engagements, and his YouTube channel.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"duet--article--article-body-component\">\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1ymtmqpi _17nnmdy1 _17nnmdy0 _1xwtict1\">The Enhanced Games are Miller\u2019s chance to show he\u2019s still able to set records and still able to compete. With the support of performance-enhancing drugs, Miller will end the day by winning another $250,000. When he does, he\u2019ll leap out of the pool like it was nothing. He\u2019ll spend the rest of the Games pumping his arms, cheering on his fellow \u201cenhanced\u201d athletes.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"duet--article--article-body-component\">\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1ymtmqpi _17nnmdy1 _17nnmdy0 _1xwtict1\">At no point will he ever look tired.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"duet--article--block-placement _1o279nj3 _1o279nj0 _1o279nj4 duet--article--article-body-component\">\n<div style=\"position:relative\">\n<div class=\"_1ymtmqpj\">\n<div class=\"\">\n<div style=\"background-image:none\" class=\"duet--media--content-warning ucljxw0\">\n<div class=\"duet--article--image-gallery-image kqz8fh0\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1.5\" id=\"dmcyOmltYWdlOjkzNzI5Ng==\"><a class=\"kqz8fh1\" href=\"https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0056.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0,0,100,100\" data-pswp-height=\"1800\" data-pswp-width=\"2700\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer\"><img alt=\"The Enhanced Games at Resorts World Las Vegas.\" data-chromatic=\"ignore\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"fill\" class=\"x271pn0\" style=\"position:absolute;height:100%;width:100%;left:0;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;color:transparent;background-size:cover;background-position:50% 50%;background-repeat:no-repeat;background-image:url(&quot;data:image\/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' %3E%3Cfilter id='b' color-interpolation-filters='sRGB'%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur stdDeviation='20'\/%3E%3CfeColorMatrix values='1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 100 -1' result='s'\/%3E%3CfeFlood x='0' y='0' width='100%25' height='100%25'\/%3E%3CfeComposite operator='out' in='s'\/%3E%3CfeComposite in2='SourceGraphic'\/%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur stdDeviation='20'\/%3E%3C\/filter%3E%3Cimage width='100%25' height='100%25' x='0' y='0' preserveAspectRatio='none' style='filter: url(%23b);' href='data:image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mN8+R8AAtcB6oaHtZcAAAAASUVORK5CYII='\/%3E%3C\/svg%3E&quot;)\" sizes=\"(max-width: 639px) 100vw, (max-width: 1023px) 50vw, 700px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0056.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=256 256w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0056.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=376 376w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0056.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=384 384w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0056.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=415 415w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0056.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=480 480w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0056.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=540 540w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0056.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=640 640w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0056.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=750 750w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0056.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=828 828w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0056.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=1080 1080w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0056.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=1200 1200w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0056.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=1440 1440w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0056.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=1920 1920w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0056.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=2048 2048w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0056.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=2400 2400w\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0056.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=2400\"\/><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><figcaption class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup _1xwtict2 qama0ia\"><em>The Enhanced Games at Resorts World Las Vegas.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"duet--article--article-body-component\">\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1ymtmqpi _17nnmdy1 _17nnmdy0 _17nnmdy6 _17nnmdy5 _1xwtict1\">\u201cSteroid Olympics\u201d is a blunt moniker, but it\u2019s one that\u2019s stuck since the Enhanced Games were first announced by tech entrepreneur Aaron D\u2019Souza in 2023. The venture, which biotech entrepreneur Christian Angermayer also cofounded, counts Peter Thiel and Donald Trump Jr. among its backers. The elevator pitch: a live sporting event where performance-enhancing drugs are not only allowed, but encouraged. These are athletes willing to push their bodies to the absolute limits \u2014 at least, the limits approved by the Food and Drug Administration and administered under close medical supervision.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"duet--article--article-body-component\">\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1ymtmqpi _17nnmdy1 _17nnmdy0 _1xwtict1\">For this inaugural Enhanced Games, 42 athletes in swimming, weightlifting, and track and field were incentivized to break world records with the chance to earn up to $1 million in prize money. For several weeks leading up to the Games, the athletes were sequestered at a facility in Abu Dhabi, undergoing a barrage of medical tests, metabolic panels, MRIs, and CT scans. Athletes who wanted enhancements had to be medically cleared to use them and were then required to work with doctors to develop a personalized protocol based on their sport and individual goals.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"duet--article--article-body-component\">\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1ymtmqpi _17nnmdy1 _17nnmdy0 _1xwtict1\">Enhanced\u2019s CEO, the 29-year old Maximilian Martin, is the type of figure you\u2019d imagine looksmaxxers studying thanks to his chiseled jaw and earnest passion for personal optimization. \u201cTraditional medicine is all about [fixing] what\u2019s wrong with you. It\u2019s about getting you back to your baseline,\u201d Martin says. But with the help of performance enhancers, \u201cyou can get into that space beyond. I think it\u2019s really scientific evolution.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"duet--article--block-placement _1o279nj1 _1o279nj0 duet--article--article-body-component\">\n<div style=\"position:relative\">\n<div class=\"_1ymtmqpj\">\n<div class=\"\">\n<div style=\"background-image:none\" class=\"duet--media--content-warning ucljxw0\">\n<div class=\"duet--article--image-gallery-image kqz8fh0\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1.5\" id=\"dmcyOmltYWdlOjkzNzMwNg==\"><a class=\"kqz8fh1\" href=\"https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0065.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0,0,100,100\" data-pswp-height=\"1800\" data-pswp-width=\"2700\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer\"><img alt=\"Enhanced CEO Maximilian Martin, 29, calls what the company is doing \u201cscientific evolution.\u201d\" data-chromatic=\"ignore\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"fill\" class=\"x271pn0\" style=\"position:absolute;height:100%;width:100%;left:0;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;color:transparent;background-size:cover;background-position:50% 50%;background-repeat:no-repeat;background-image:url(&quot;data:image\/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' %3E%3Cfilter id='b' color-interpolation-filters='sRGB'%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur stdDeviation='20'\/%3E%3CfeColorMatrix values='1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 100 -1' result='s'\/%3E%3CfeFlood x='0' y='0' width='100%25' height='100%25'\/%3E%3CfeComposite operator='out' in='s'\/%3E%3CfeComposite in2='SourceGraphic'\/%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur stdDeviation='20'\/%3E%3C\/filter%3E%3Cimage width='100%25' height='100%25' x='0' y='0' preserveAspectRatio='none' style='filter: url(%23b);' href='data:image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mN8+R8AAtcB6oaHtZcAAAAASUVORK5CYII='\/%3E%3C\/svg%3E&quot;)\" sizes=\"(max-width: 639px) 100vw, (max-width: 1023px) 50vw, 700px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0065.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=256 256w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0065.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=376 376w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0065.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=384 384w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0065.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=415 415w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0065.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=480 480w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0065.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=540 540w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0065.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=640 640w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0065.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=750 750w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0065.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=828 828w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0065.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=1080 1080w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0065.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=1200 1200w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0065.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=1440 1440w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0065.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=1920 1920w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0065.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=2048 2048w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0065.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=2400 2400w\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0065.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=2400\"\/><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><figcaption class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup _1xwtict2 qama0ia\"><em>Enhanced CEO Maximilian Martin, 29, calls what the company is doing \u201cscientific evolution.\u201d<\/em><\/figcaption><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"duet--article--article-body-component\">\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1ymtmqpi _17nnmdy1 _17nnmdy0 _1xwtict1\">Martin calls the practice of self-optimizing through substances \u201cenhancing,\u201d but the concept is more commonly known as biohacking. It revolves around using science and tech to achieve perceived optimal personal health. The trend invites self-experimentation with biological testing, wearable devices, and in extreme cases, dubiously sourced substances. It\u2019s not limited to elite athletes, either. Silicon Valley bros injecting themselves with gray-market peptides, wellness influencers hawking the latest supplements on TikTok, and whatever it is longevity influencer (and Enhanced Games commentator) Bryan Johnson is doing now \u2014 these are all forms of biohacking.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"duet--article--article-body-component\">\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1ymtmqpi _17nnmdy1 _17nnmdy0 _1xwtict1\">Researchers, clean athletes, and sporting organizations are largely unconvinced. The World Anti-Doping Agency, the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), the International Olympic Committee, and several other professional athletic associations have <a href=\"https:\/\/www.olympics.com\/athlete365\/news\/iaf\/ioc-athletes-commission-holds-joint-meetings-with-wada-milano-cortina-2026-and-la28\">heavily criticized Enhanced<\/a> as setting a dangerous precedent. Travis Tygart, the CEO of USADA, has called the Enhanced Games a \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.usada.org\/spirit-of-sport\/need-know-enhanced-games\/\">dangerous clown show that puts profit over principle<\/a>.\u201d Critics have also questioned whether performance-enhancing drugs could ever be used safely, raising concerns over the athletes\u2019 long-term health.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"duet--article--article-body-component\">\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1ymtmqpi _17nnmdy1 _17nnmdy0 _1xwtict1\">But the Games are only one portion of Enhanced\u2019s business. There\u2019s also a direct-to-consumer telehealth service that offers people the option to buy monthly subscriptions to supplements, (legal) peptides, and hormone replacement therapies. In other words, <em>Look at what these athletes can do with transparent, medically supervised enhancement. If that interests you, hop on over to the website and perhaps try enhancing yourself.<\/em> More than a few critics have accused Enhanced of science-washing in a bid to drive sales toward its telehealth services. Oddly enough, some of the enhancements available to consumers were not available for the athletes. For example: prescription GLP-1 agonists and GHK-Cu copper peptides.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"duet--article--article-body-component\">\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1ymtmqpi _17nnmdy1 _17nnmdy0 _1xwtict1\">It\u2019s hard to look at the spectacle of the Enhanced Games and <em>not<\/em> dub it another wellness grift, especially when you look at Enhanced\u2019s bombastic social media channels. Retired Australian swimmer James Magnussen has been particularly vocal, posting <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DXY0G7Yj5aj\/\">explainers<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DXTCtbuD-iM\/\">comparisons<\/a> of his physique when he won three Olympic medals versus shots taken after his enhancement protocol. In his heyday, Magnussen had the typical lithe swimmer\u2019s body. After starting enhancements, his upper body could barely fit into his swimsuit. Magnussen put on so much muscle, Johnson noted in the livestream, that Magnussen <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/jackkk\/status\/2058733988756496886\">started sinking in the pool<\/a> and had to dial back his protocol.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"duet--article--block-placement _1o279nj1 _1o279nj0 duet--article--article-body-component\">\n<div style=\"position:relative\">\n<div class=\"_1ymtmqpj\">\n<div class=\"\">\n<div style=\"background-image:none\" class=\"duet--media--content-warning ucljxw0\">\n<div class=\"duet--article--image-gallery-image kqz8fh0\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1.5\" id=\"dmcyOmltYWdlOjkzNzI2Ng==\"><a class=\"kqz8fh1\" href=\"https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0014.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0,0,100,100\" data-pswp-height=\"1800\" data-pswp-width=\"2700\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer\"><img alt=\"Cofounder and biopharma investor Christian Angermayer says Enhanced wants to be the \u201csteward\u201d of medically supervised biohacking.\" data-chromatic=\"ignore\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"fill\" class=\"x271pn0\" style=\"position:absolute;height:100%;width:100%;left:0;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;color:transparent;background-size:cover;background-position:50% 50%;background-repeat:no-repeat;background-image:url(&quot;data:image\/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' %3E%3Cfilter id='b' color-interpolation-filters='sRGB'%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur stdDeviation='20'\/%3E%3CfeColorMatrix values='1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 100 -1' result='s'\/%3E%3CfeFlood x='0' y='0' width='100%25' height='100%25'\/%3E%3CfeComposite operator='out' in='s'\/%3E%3CfeComposite in2='SourceGraphic'\/%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur stdDeviation='20'\/%3E%3C\/filter%3E%3Cimage width='100%25' height='100%25' x='0' y='0' preserveAspectRatio='none' style='filter: url(%23b);' href='data:image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mN8+R8AAtcB6oaHtZcAAAAASUVORK5CYII='\/%3E%3C\/svg%3E&quot;)\" sizes=\"(max-width: 639px) 100vw, (max-width: 1023px) 50vw, 700px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0014.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=256 256w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0014.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=376 376w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0014.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=384 384w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0014.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=415 415w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0014.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=480 480w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0014.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=540 540w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0014.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=640 640w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0014.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=750 750w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0014.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=828 828w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0014.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=1080 1080w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0014.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=1200 1200w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0014.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=1440 1440w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0014.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=1920 1920w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0014.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=2048 2048w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0014.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=2400 2400w\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0014.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=2400\"\/><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><figcaption class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup _1xwtict2 qama0ia\"><em>Cofounder and biopharma investor Christian Angermayer says Enhanced wants to be the \u201csteward\u201d of medically supervised biohacking.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"duet--article--article-body-component\">\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1ymtmqpi _17nnmdy1 _17nnmdy0 _1xwtict1\">Given the health concerns, Enhanced\u2019s executives, scientists, and athletes are relentless in emphasizing the company\u2019s commitment to science and transparency.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"duet--article--article-body-component\">\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1ymtmqpi _17nnmdy1 _17nnmdy0 _1xwtict1\">\u201cWe\u2019re the protector, not only of the Enhanced brand, but also of the movement. If we\u2019re sloppy, even if a [substance] is legal, I think people would be disappointed. We\u2019d do a lot of harm,\u201d says Angermayer, one of the cofounders. \u201cI want us to be the stewards of enhancement.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"duet--article--article-body-component\">\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1ymtmqpi _17nnmdy1 _17nnmdy0 _1xwtict1\">Asked if he uses enhancements, Angermayer enthusiastically says yes. (Angermayer says he takes Enhanced\u2019s supplements, plus testosterone, tesamorelin, modafinil, and DHEA.) Martin also confirmed that he began \u201cenhancing\u201d two years ago because he would never want to be in a position to speak about an athlete going on enhancements without understanding what it did to his own body. Martin wouldn\u2019t specify his protocol to <em>The Verge<\/em>, but he did tell <a href=\"https:\/\/arc.net\/l\/quote\/zrubhjbk\"><em>GQ<\/em><\/a> that he uses testosterone.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"duet--article--article-body-component\">\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1ymtmqpi _17nnmdy1 _17nnmdy0 _1xwtict1\">\u201cI\u2019m only doing stuff and only selling stuff that I believe in. That means, obviously, I\u2019m my best customer,\u201d says Angermayer. \u201cI\u2019m living what we preach, and I\u2019m preaching what I\u2019m doing.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"duet--article--article-body-component\">\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1ymtmqpi _17nnmdy1 _17nnmdy0 _1xwtict1\">Angermayer and Martin argue that critics discount the intelligence of the average person. The latter has frequently likened the Enhanced Games to Formula One \u2014 cool technological advancements that maximize speed happen at the elite level, and eventually trickle down to the cars the rest of us drive. People, Martin says, have enough common sense that they don\u2019t expect Toyota Camrys and Corollas to perform like a Ferrari. Then again, just because a person knows they\u2019re not an Olympian, doesn\u2019t mean they wouldn\u2019t emulate the behaviors of one. Enhanced\u2019s telehealth business model is counting on that.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"duet--article--article-body-component\">\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1ymtmqpi _17nnmdy1 _17nnmdy0 _17nnmdy6 _17nnmdy5 _1xwtict1\">For a roughly $50 million event, there were a number of technical issues.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"duet--article--article-body-component\">\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1ymtmqpi _17nnmdy1 _17nnmdy0 _1xwtict1\">A pregame conference, for instance, was beset by screeching speakers that left Martin visibly flustered and the press murmuring. Shortly after the Games started, the live feed sat frozen for several minutes. The jumbotron occasionally glitched throughout the night.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"duet--article--article-body-component\">\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1ymtmqpi _17nnmdy1 _17nnmdy0 _1xwtict1\">During a press tour of the venue, we were told that just one month prior, the land the stadium sits on used to be a barren lot. It\u2019s believable \u2014 the venue is somehow bigger and smaller than you\u2019d think. There are roughly 2,500 seats, though the oppressive 94-degree-Fahrenheit heat meant many seats in the grandstands remained empty for the first half of the Games. Speaking of which, you couldn\u2019t buy tickets. The event was invite-only. Some attendees were family and friends of the athletes. According to Enhanced, another 250 were credentialed media spanning 75 publications worldwide. The rest, as far as I can tell, were influencers. (Media were told <em>not<\/em> to interview attendees. Those who were caught were chastised and threatened with ejection.)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"duet--article--block-placement _1o279nj3 _1o279nj0 _1o279nj4 duet--article--article-body-component\">\n<div style=\"position:relative\">\n<div class=\"_1ymtmqpj\">\n<div class=\"\">\n<div style=\"background-image:none\" class=\"duet--media--content-warning ucljxw0\">\n<div class=\"duet--article--image-gallery-image kqz8fh0\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1.5\" id=\"dmcyOmltYWdlOjkzNzMxNw==\"><a class=\"kqz8fh1\" href=\"https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0078.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0,0,100,100\" data-pswp-height=\"1800\" data-pswp-width=\"2700\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer\"><img alt=\"Barbadian runner Tristan Evelyn won the women\u2019s 100-meter sprint at the Enhanced Games with a time of 11.18 seconds. Evelyn was one of four athletes who competed in the games \u201cunenhanced.\u201d\" data-chromatic=\"ignore\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"fill\" class=\"x271pn0\" style=\"position:absolute;height:100%;width:100%;left:0;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;color:transparent;background-size:cover;background-position:50% 50%;background-repeat:no-repeat;background-image:url(&quot;data:image\/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' %3E%3Cfilter id='b' color-interpolation-filters='sRGB'%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur stdDeviation='20'\/%3E%3CfeColorMatrix values='1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 100 -1' result='s'\/%3E%3CfeFlood x='0' y='0' width='100%25' height='100%25'\/%3E%3CfeComposite operator='out' in='s'\/%3E%3CfeComposite in2='SourceGraphic'\/%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur stdDeviation='20'\/%3E%3C\/filter%3E%3Cimage width='100%25' height='100%25' x='0' y='0' preserveAspectRatio='none' style='filter: url(%23b);' href='data:image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mN8+R8AAtcB6oaHtZcAAAAASUVORK5CYII='\/%3E%3C\/svg%3E&quot;)\" sizes=\"(max-width: 639px) 100vw, (max-width: 1023px) 50vw, 700px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0078.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=256 256w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0078.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=376 376w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0078.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=384 384w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0078.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=415 415w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0078.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=480 480w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0078.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=540 540w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0078.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=640 640w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0078.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=750 750w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0078.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=828 828w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0078.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=1080 1080w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0078.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=1200 1200w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0078.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=1440 1440w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0078.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=1920 1920w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0078.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=2048 2048w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0078.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=2400 2400w\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0078.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=2400\"\/><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><figcaption class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup _1xwtict2 qama0ia\"><em>Barbadian runner<\/em> <em><em>Tristan Evelyn<\/em> won the women\u2019s 100-meter sprint at the Enhanced Games with a time of 11.18 seconds. Evelyn was one of four athletes who competed in the games \u201cunenhanced.\u201d<\/em><\/figcaption><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"duet--article--article-body-component\">\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1ymtmqpi _17nnmdy1 _17nnmdy0 _1xwtict1\">On the livestream, Bryan Johnson cut a bizarre figure, clad in sunglasses and a special UV umbrella to protect him from the aging effects of direct sunlight. The opening ceremony featured an electronica version of \u201cO Fortuna\u201d while dancers in black leotards gyrated in the sweltering heat. Before each race, each athlete was introduced like a WWE wrestler entering the ring. The crowd was repeatedly encouraged to get loud, and at one point, for some reason, \u201cDragostea din tei\u201d \u2014 aka the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=Cqd1Gvq-RBY&amp;list=RDCqd1Gvq-RBY&amp;start_radio=1\">Numa Numa song<\/a> \u2014 blared before fading into an obscure Eminem remix. Between events, the jumbotron ran slick Olympic-esque sizzle reels showcasing the athletes and the world records they were trying to break. It also peppered in the Games\u2019 talking points about performance-enhancing drugs, medical supervision, and the philosophy of adequately compensating athletes. A QR code periodically flashed, encouraging spectators to send in selfies that were then turned into AI-generated portraits of what they\u2019d look like \u201cenhanced.\u201d At other times, the traditional kiss cam was replaced with a \u201cflex cam.\u201d A disproportionate amount of the audience was, suffice to say, hella jacked.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"duet--article--article-body-component\">\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1ymtmqpi _17nnmdy1 _17nnmdy0 _1xwtict1\">But as the night progressed, the oddities increased. The weightlifting events took place earlier in the day, during peak temperatures, with several athletes unable to finish their events. James Magnussen \u2014 the swimmer who got too big \u2014 finished last in all his events despite wearing a gold custom-made suit. Multiple personal bests were recorded, but nearly every attempt by enhanced athletes to break the world record failed. The men\u2019s 100m sprint was plagued by three false starts. While most of the 42 athletes are using performance-enhancing drugs, four have kept clean. Three of the clean athletes \u2014 Hunter Armstrong, Tristan Evelyn, and Fred Kerley \u2014 won their races with ease. After winning his, Kerley clowned on his competitors, teasing that perhaps they should\u2019ve doped a bit more.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"duet--article--block-placement _1o279nj1 _1o279nj0 duet--article--article-body-component\">\n<div style=\"position:relative\">\n<div class=\"_1ymtmqpj\">\n<div class=\"\">\n<div style=\"background-image:none\" class=\"duet--media--content-warning ucljxw0\">\n<div class=\"duet--article--image-gallery-image kqz8fh0\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1.5\" id=\"dmcyOmltYWdlOjkzNzM0Nw==\"><a class=\"kqz8fh1\" href=\"https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0113.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0,0,100,100\" data-pswp-height=\"1800\" data-pswp-width=\"2700\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer\"><img alt=\"Kristian Gkolomeev was the only \u201cenhanced\u201d athlete to break a world record that night.\" data-chromatic=\"ignore\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"fill\" class=\"x271pn0\" style=\"position:absolute;height:100%;width:100%;left:0;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;color:transparent;background-size:cover;background-position:50% 50%;background-repeat:no-repeat;background-image:url(&quot;data:image\/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' %3E%3Cfilter id='b' color-interpolation-filters='sRGB'%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur stdDeviation='20'\/%3E%3CfeColorMatrix values='1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 100 -1' result='s'\/%3E%3CfeFlood x='0' y='0' width='100%25' height='100%25'\/%3E%3CfeComposite operator='out' in='s'\/%3E%3CfeComposite in2='SourceGraphic'\/%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur stdDeviation='20'\/%3E%3C\/filter%3E%3Cimage width='100%25' height='100%25' x='0' y='0' preserveAspectRatio='none' style='filter: url(%23b);' href='data:image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mN8+R8AAtcB6oaHtZcAAAAASUVORK5CYII='\/%3E%3C\/svg%3E&quot;)\" sizes=\"(max-width: 639px) 100vw, (max-width: 1023px) 50vw, 700px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0113.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=256 256w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0113.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=376 376w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0113.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=384 384w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0113.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=415 415w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0113.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=480 480w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0113.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=540 540w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0113.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=640 640w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0113.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=750 750w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0113.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=828 828w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0113.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=1080 1080w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0113.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=1200 1200w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0113.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=1440 1440w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0113.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=1920 1920w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0113.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=2048 2048w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0113.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=2400 2400w\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0113.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=2400\"\/><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><figcaption class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup _1xwtict2 qama0ia\"><em>Kristian Gkolomeev was the only \u201cenhanced\u201d athlete to break a world record that night. <\/em><\/figcaption><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"duet--article--article-body-component\">\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1ymtmqpi _17nnmdy1 _17nnmdy0 _1xwtict1\">Not a single world record fell until the last event of the evening: the men\u2019s 50m freestyle. Martin ran along the length of the pool, cheering and clapping furiously. So did the other Enhanced athletes. At the last possible second, quite literally, Kristian Gkolomeev touched the wall, and the arena erupted into flashing red light. WORLD RECORD was plastered on the jumbotron. Gkolomeev had broken Cam McEvoy\u2019s record by 0.07 second. Everyone screamed \u2014 probably because, thank god, <em>something<\/em> happened.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"duet--article--article-body-component\">\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1ymtmqpi _17nnmdy1 _17nnmdy0 _17nnmdy6 _17nnmdy5 _1xwtict1\">Enhanced\u2019s definition of \u201coptimization\u201d is more specific than headlines would imply.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"duet--article--article-body-component\">\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1ymtmqpi _17nnmdy1 _17nnmdy0 _1xwtict1\">People generally think of steroids as a path to looking ripped, says Dr. Guido Pieles, a sports cardiologist and chair of Enhanced\u2019s independent medical commission. \u201cThey\u2019re used for visual effects, and this is clearly wrong,\u201d Pieles says. \u201cI think it\u2019s really about finding an optimization, not a maximization of health.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"duet--article--article-body-component\">\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1ymtmqpi _17nnmdy1 _17nnmdy0 _1xwtict1\">Pieles is well known in the elite sports community, having worked for years with Manchester United FC and FIFA. He says his work with the Enhanced Games is about ending research stigma to learn how these drugs affect athletic performance, and what can then be inferred for preventive health.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"duet--article--block-placement _1o279nj1 _1o279nj0 duet--article--article-body-component\">\n<div style=\"position:relative\">\n<div class=\"_1ymtmqpj\">\n<div class=\"\">\n<div style=\"background-image:none\" class=\"duet--media--content-warning ucljxw0\">\n<div class=\"duet--article--image-gallery-image kqz8fh0\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1.5\" id=\"dmcyOmltYWdlOjkzNzI4MQ==\"><a class=\"kqz8fh1\" href=\"https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0038.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0,0,100,100\" data-pswp-height=\"1800\" data-pswp-width=\"2700\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer\"><img alt=\"Dr. Guido Pieles is chair of Enhanced\u2019s independent medical commission.\" data-chromatic=\"ignore\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"fill\" class=\"x271pn0\" style=\"position:absolute;height:100%;width:100%;left:0;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;color:transparent;background-size:cover;background-position:50% 50%;background-repeat:no-repeat;background-image:url(&quot;data:image\/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' %3E%3Cfilter id='b' color-interpolation-filters='sRGB'%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur stdDeviation='20'\/%3E%3CfeColorMatrix values='1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 100 -1' result='s'\/%3E%3CfeFlood x='0' y='0' width='100%25' height='100%25'\/%3E%3CfeComposite operator='out' in='s'\/%3E%3CfeComposite in2='SourceGraphic'\/%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur stdDeviation='20'\/%3E%3C\/filter%3E%3Cimage width='100%25' height='100%25' x='0' y='0' preserveAspectRatio='none' style='filter: url(%23b);' href='data:image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mN8+R8AAtcB6oaHtZcAAAAASUVORK5CYII='\/%3E%3C\/svg%3E&quot;)\" sizes=\"(max-width: 639px) 100vw, (max-width: 1023px) 50vw, 700px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0038.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=256 256w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0038.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=376 376w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0038.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=384 384w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0038.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=415 415w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0038.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=480 480w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0038.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=540 540w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0038.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=640 640w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0038.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=750 750w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0038.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=828 828w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0038.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=1080 1080w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0038.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=1200 1200w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0038.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=1440 1440w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0038.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=1920 1920w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0038.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=2048 2048w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0038.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=2400 2400w\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0038.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=2400\"\/><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><figcaption class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup _1xwtict2 qama0ia\"><em>Dr. Guido Pieles is chair of Enhanced\u2019s independent medical commission.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"duet--article--article-body-component\">\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1ymtmqpi _17nnmdy1 _17nnmdy0 _1xwtict1\">Several times in our conversation, Pieles was adamant that no person <em>needs<\/em> to enhance. For many people, genetics and taking care of nutrition, sleep, and exercise are more than enough to become one\u2019s \u201coptimal\u201d self. Unlike Martin and Angermayer, Pieles says he\u2019s unenhanced, and primarily sticks to sleep tracking.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"duet--article--article-body-component\">\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1ymtmqpi _17nnmdy1 _17nnmdy0 _1xwtict1\">Pieles is emphatic that the lack of data around performance-enhancing drugs is a major problem. Not only does it encourage gym enthusiasts to self-administer drugs in secret, but it also prevents researchers from understanding what safe dosages are. One objective of this whole experiment, he says, is to change that. The results will be published as part of a five-year, institutional review board-approved<a href=\"https:\/\/clinicaltrials.gov\/study\/NCT07568574?term=ASCEND001&amp;viewType=Card&amp;rank=1\"> clinical study<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"duet--article--block-placement _1o279nj2 _1o279nj0 duet--article--article-body-component\">\n<div class=\"duet--article--highlight _1ymtmqpl kuxlcj0\">\n<div class=\"kuxlcj4\">\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1ymtmqpi _17nnmdy1 _17nnmdy0 _1xwtict1\">Enhanced\u2019s athletes, executives, and medical staff declined to share the performance-enhancing drug protocols of individual athletes. The primary reason given was to prevent and discourage ordinary people, particularly youth, from copying athletes without medical supervision. However, shortly before the inaugural Games, Enhanced provided the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.prnewswire.com\/news-releases\/enhanced-provides-clinical-trial-update--first-of-its-kind-study-continues-with-athletes-healthy--safe-to-compete-302778243.html\">following aggregated list<\/a> of substances used:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"kuxlcj6\">\n<ul class=\"duet--article--unordered-list _1ymtmqpi _11h7yix0 _1xwtict1 kuxlcj7\">\n<li class=\"_11h7yix1\"><span class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup\">91 percent of athletes used testosterone or testosterone esters <\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"_11h7yix1\"><span class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup\">79 percent of athletes used human growth hormone (hGH) <\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"_11h7yix1\"><span class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup\">62 percent of athletes used stimulants (e.g., Adderall)<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"_11h7yix1\"><span class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup\">50 percent of athletes used metabolic modulators, primarily ancillary compounds (e.g., Anastrozole), which was used alongside anabolic agents to support protocols<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"_11h7yix1\"><span class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup\">41 percent of athletes used erythropoietin (EPO)<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"_11h7yix1\"><span class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup\">29 percent of athletes used an anabolic steroid agent (e.g., Deca durabolin)<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"_11h7yix1\"><span class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup\">5 percent of athletes used hormonal support therapies (e.g., hCG)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"duet--article--article-body-component\">\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1ymtmqpi _17nnmdy1 _17nnmdy0 _1xwtict1\">Another goal is to understand how these substances actually affect performance. For instance, he notes that most experts don\u2019t believe erythropoietin has any purpose in swimming shorter distances, as its primary function is regulating red blood cells. Typically, it\u2019s a drug illegally used by cyclists and marathon runners. However, Pieles says they\u2019ve found it may have beneficial effects in promoting shorter recovery times for swimmers. He also emphasized that the athletes were taking minimal doses of each substance and monitored for side effects. If at any point the athlete experienced a \u201csuboptimal\u201d performance, their protocol would be adjusted. If they didn\u2019t pass screening tests, they wouldn\u2019t be allowed to dope. According to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wired.com\/story\/a-swimmer-broke-a-world-record-at-the-enhanced-games\/\"><em>Wired<\/em><\/a>, strongman Thor Bj\u00f6rnsson had to reduce the number of performance-enhancing drugs he had been previously taking to adhere to the Games\u2019 rules.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"duet--article--article-body-component\">\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1ymtmqpi _17nnmdy1 _17nnmdy0 _1xwtict1\">\u201cFor me, as a scientist, it\u2019s actually quite embarrassing that as late as 2026, we need to sit here and do a small, statistically insignificant study with 36 athletes to find out what the right dose, the right medical supervision, the right protocol, the right enhancements do for athletes. It\u2019s crazy,\u201d a heated Pieles says at a pregame press conference after one journalist suggests that Enhanced is treating its athletes as lab rats.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"duet--article--article-body-component\">\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1ymtmqpi _17nnmdy1 _17nnmdy0 _1xwtict1\">\u201cI say with this study, we\u2019re not solving all the problems. It\u2019s a start for our scientists to say, \u2018Let\u2019s break the stigma.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"duet--article--article-body-component\">\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1ymtmqpi _17nnmdy1 _17nnmdy0 _17nnmdy6 _17nnmdy5 _1xwtict1\">Bearing the brunt of the controversy are the athletes. Many have faced ridicule online; critics, peers, and fans alike are primarily concerned with their long-term health and well-being.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"duet--article--article-body-component\">\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1ymtmqpi _17nnmdy1 _17nnmdy0 _1xwtict1\">That said, the Enhanced athletes were more than happy to speak for themselves at a media scrum before the games.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"duet--article--article-body-component\">\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1ymtmqpi _17nnmdy1 _17nnmdy0 _1xwtict1\">\u201cIt\u2019s about the money,\u201d says Ben Proud, who won a silver medal in swimming at the Paris Olympics. Proud\u2019s decision to join the Enhanced Games sent shockwaves through the swimming community.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"duet--article--block-placement _1o279nj1 _1o279nj0 duet--article--article-body-component\">\n<div style=\"position:relative\">\n<div class=\"_1ymtmqpj\">\n<div class=\"\">\n<div style=\"background-image:none\" class=\"duet--media--content-warning ucljxw0\">\n<div class=\"duet--article--image-gallery-image kqz8fh0\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1.5\" id=\"dmcyOmltYWdlOjkzNzMyNw==\"><a class=\"kqz8fh1\" href=\"https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0088.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0,0,100,100\" data-pswp-height=\"1800\" data-pswp-width=\"2700\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer\"><img alt=\"Swimmer Ben Proud of the UK beat his personal best in the 50-meter freestyle race at 20.98 seconds.\" data-chromatic=\"ignore\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"fill\" class=\"x271pn0\" style=\"position:absolute;height:100%;width:100%;left:0;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;color:transparent;background-size:cover;background-position:50% 50%;background-repeat:no-repeat;background-image:url(&quot;data:image\/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' %3E%3Cfilter id='b' color-interpolation-filters='sRGB'%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur stdDeviation='20'\/%3E%3CfeColorMatrix values='1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 100 -1' result='s'\/%3E%3CfeFlood x='0' y='0' width='100%25' height='100%25'\/%3E%3CfeComposite operator='out' in='s'\/%3E%3CfeComposite in2='SourceGraphic'\/%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur stdDeviation='20'\/%3E%3C\/filter%3E%3Cimage width='100%25' height='100%25' x='0' y='0' preserveAspectRatio='none' style='filter: url(%23b);' href='data:image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mN8+R8AAtcB6oaHtZcAAAAASUVORK5CYII='\/%3E%3C\/svg%3E&quot;)\" sizes=\"(max-width: 639px) 100vw, (max-width: 1023px) 50vw, 700px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0088.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=256 256w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0088.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=376 376w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0088.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=384 384w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0088.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=415 415w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0088.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=480 480w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0088.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=540 540w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0088.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=640 640w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0088.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=750 750w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0088.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=828 828w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0088.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=1080 1080w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0088.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=1200 1200w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0088.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=1440 1440w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0088.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=1920 1920w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0088.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=2048 2048w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0088.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=2400 2400w\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0088.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=2400\"\/><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><figcaption class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup _1xwtict2 qama0ia\"><em>Swimmer Ben Proud of the UK beat his personal best in the 50-meter freestyle race at 20.98 seconds. <\/em><\/figcaption><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"duet--article--article-body-component\">\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1ymtmqpi _17nnmdy1 _17nnmdy0 _1xwtict1\">\u201cI don\u2019t think I\u2019ve got anything to prove. The world record itself brings about a huge amount of money. What does it change from my past career? It changes nothing.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"duet--article--article-body-component\">\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1ymtmqpi _17nnmdy1 _17nnmdy0 _1xwtict1\">It\u2019s a sentiment echoed by nearly all of Enhanced\u2019s athletes who spoke with <em>The Verge<\/em> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/6615668\/2025\/09\/10\/ben-proud-enhanced-games-doping-interview\/\">other<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vanityfair.com\/news\/story\/inside-the-enhanced-games\">news<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gq.com\/story\/enhanced-games-olympics-athletes\">outlets<\/a> \u2014 many of them have been retired for years and say they struggled to make a living after dedicating their lives to a sport. Financially, they say they view the Enhanced Games as a second chance at an athletic career, a way to support their families once the spotlight fades. Enhanced is already looking at future clinical trials and recruitment.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"duet--article--article-body-component\">\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1ymtmqpi _17nnmdy1 _17nnmdy0 _1xwtict1\">Each athlete is paid a base salary, as well as appearance fees for promotional opportunities. Their training and medical testing are also covered. And lastly, there\u2019s little financial downside to finishing last in a race. (The reputational downside, however, means enhanced athletes are effectively required to give up their previous careers to participate.) While the top prize is $1 million for breaking world records, athletes can win anywhere from $20,000 to $50,000 for finishing dead last. Comparatively, a US athlete who wins a gold medal at the Olympics gets paid $37,500 and receives no bonus for setting a new world best.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"duet--article--article-body-component\">\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1ymtmqpi _17nnmdy1 _17nnmdy0 _1xwtict1\">\u201cI\u2019ve actually lost faith in sports as a whole. I think there are more people cheating than I used to think. Before I turned a blind eye because it was too painful to think about, and I just hoped that everyone was racing clean,\u201d says Proud. \u201cI think now, there\u2019s more of a drive to say, \u2018Look, there are people who fully believe that everyone runs clean, and those are the ones who should be protected.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"duet--article--block-placement _1o279nj3 _1o279nj0 _1o279nj4 duet--article--article-body-component\">\n<div style=\"position:relative\">\n<div class=\"_1ymtmqpj\">\n<div class=\"\">\n<div style=\"background-image:none\" class=\"duet--media--content-warning ucljxw0\">\n<div class=\"duet--article--image-gallery-image kqz8fh0\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1.5\" id=\"dmcyOmltYWdlOjkzNzMxMA==\"><a class=\"kqz8fh1\" href=\"https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0072.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0,0,100,100\" data-pswp-height=\"1800\" data-pswp-width=\"2700\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer\"><img alt=\"American swimmer Hunter Armstrong, one of four athletes who competed \u201cunenhanced\u2019 at the games.\" data-chromatic=\"ignore\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"fill\" class=\"x271pn0\" style=\"position:absolute;height:100%;width:100%;left:0;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;color:transparent;background-size:cover;background-position:50% 50%;background-repeat:no-repeat;background-image:url(&quot;data:image\/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' %3E%3Cfilter id='b' color-interpolation-filters='sRGB'%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur stdDeviation='20'\/%3E%3CfeColorMatrix values='1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 100 -1' result='s'\/%3E%3CfeFlood x='0' y='0' width='100%25' height='100%25'\/%3E%3CfeComposite operator='out' in='s'\/%3E%3CfeComposite in2='SourceGraphic'\/%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur stdDeviation='20'\/%3E%3C\/filter%3E%3Cimage width='100%25' height='100%25' x='0' y='0' preserveAspectRatio='none' style='filter: url(%23b);' href='data:image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mN8+R8AAtcB6oaHtZcAAAAASUVORK5CYII='\/%3E%3C\/svg%3E&quot;)\" sizes=\"(max-width: 639px) 100vw, (max-width: 1023px) 50vw, 700px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0072.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=256 256w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0072.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=376 376w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0072.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=384 384w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0072.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=415 415w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0072.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=480 480w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0072.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=540 540w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0072.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=640 640w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0072.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=750 750w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0072.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=828 828w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0072.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=1080 1080w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0072.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=1200 1200w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0072.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=1440 1440w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0072.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=1920 1920w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0072.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=2048 2048w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0072.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=2400 2400w\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0072.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=2400\"\/><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><figcaption class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup _1xwtict2 qama0ia\"><em>American swimmer Hunter Armstrong, one of four athletes who competed \u201cunenhanced\u2019 at the games.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"duet--article--article-body-component\">\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1ymtmqpi _17nnmdy1 _17nnmdy0 _1xwtict1\">Not all of Enhanced\u2019s athletes feel that doping is necessary. The four clean athletes chose to participate unenhanced and are counted in the study as a control group. (Though two of them, Armstrong and Sohib Khaled, did wear polyurethane swimsuits.) During a pre-event press conference, Enhanced also claimed it supported USADA officials who arrived to ensure unenhanced athletes remained clean.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"duet--article--article-body-component\">\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1ymtmqpi _17nnmdy1 _17nnmdy0 _1xwtict1\">\u201cIt\u2019s nothing against the protocol,\u201d Armstrong tells <em>The Verge<\/em>, saying he wants to remain eligible for the 2028 Olympics. \u201cI don\u2019t know what the study has come up with, but I personally have always taken pride in getting as far as I can on natural, god-given talent. So I don\u2019t care if whatever product [Enhanced] is selling is going to make me live until I\u2019m 200 years old. That could be for some people, but it\u2019s not for me.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"duet--article--article-body-component\">\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1ymtmqpi _17nnmdy1 _17nnmdy0 _1xwtict1\">Every enhanced athlete <em>The Verge<\/em> spoke with said they felt no side effects to their health from the drug protocol. Most said doping primarily helped with recovery, enabling them to take on harder workouts more often. Every single one was also emphatic that Enhanced had treated them well.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"duet--article--article-body-component\">\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1ymtmqpi _17nnmdy1 _17nnmdy0 _1xwtict1\">\u201cI was one of the most elite athletes in the world, but I had no idea where my health was actually at,\u201d says Magnussen. \u201cHaving gone through the process, myself and everyone on the blocks next to me, we are the healthiest athletes in the world because we\u2019ve gone through a process that does not exist for Olympic athletes.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"duet--article--block-placement _1o279nj1 _1o279nj0 duet--article--article-body-component\">\n<div style=\"position:relative\">\n<div class=\"_1ymtmqpj\">\n<div class=\"\">\n<div style=\"background-image:none\" class=\"duet--media--content-warning ucljxw0\">\n<div class=\"duet--article--image-gallery-image kqz8fh0\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1.5\" id=\"dmcyOmltYWdlOjkzNzI3OQ==\"><a class=\"kqz8fh1\" href=\"https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0034.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0,0,100,100\" data-pswp-height=\"1800\" data-pswp-width=\"2700\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer\"><img alt=\"James Magnussen promised to \u201cjuice to the gills\u201d for the Enhanced Games, but finished last in each of his races.\" data-chromatic=\"ignore\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"fill\" class=\"x271pn0\" style=\"position:absolute;height:100%;width:100%;left:0;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;color:transparent;background-size:cover;background-position:50% 50%;background-repeat:no-repeat;background-image:url(&quot;data:image\/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' %3E%3Cfilter id='b' color-interpolation-filters='sRGB'%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur stdDeviation='20'\/%3E%3CfeColorMatrix values='1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 100 -1' result='s'\/%3E%3CfeFlood x='0' y='0' width='100%25' height='100%25'\/%3E%3CfeComposite operator='out' in='s'\/%3E%3CfeComposite in2='SourceGraphic'\/%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur stdDeviation='20'\/%3E%3C\/filter%3E%3Cimage width='100%25' height='100%25' x='0' y='0' preserveAspectRatio='none' style='filter: url(%23b);' href='data:image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mN8+R8AAtcB6oaHtZcAAAAASUVORK5CYII='\/%3E%3C\/svg%3E&quot;)\" sizes=\"(max-width: 639px) 100vw, (max-width: 1023px) 50vw, 700px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0034.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=256 256w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0034.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=376 376w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0034.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=384 384w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0034.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=415 415w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0034.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=480 480w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0034.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=540 540w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0034.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=640 640w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0034.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=750 750w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0034.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=828 828w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0034.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=1080 1080w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0034.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=1200 1200w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0034.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=1440 1440w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0034.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=1920 1920w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0034.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=2048 2048w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0034.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=2400 2400w\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0034.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=2400\"\/><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><figcaption class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup _1xwtict2 qama0ia\"><em>James Magnussen promised to \u201cjuice to the gills\u201d for the Enhanced Games, but finished last in each of his races.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"duet--article--article-body-component\">\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1ymtmqpi _17nnmdy1 _17nnmdy0 _1xwtict1\">As the first athlete to sign up for the Enhanced Games, Magnussen is one of the more controversial figures associated with the venture. In addition to being featured prominently in Enhanced\u2019s marketing, he claimed prior to the Games that he would <a href=\"https:\/\/www.abc.net.au\/news\/2026-05-25\/-steroid-olympics-gets-underway-in-las-vegas\/106717166\">\u201cjuice to the gills.\u201d<\/a> During the scrum, he was also particularly defensive of Enhanced\u2019s mission, going so far as to call the Olympics the \u201cmost unfair event [he] has ever been a part of.\u201d (Despite the perceived unfairness, he <em>has<\/em> won three Olympic medals.) Magnussen also challenged the press\u2019s scrutiny of Enhanced, asking why no journalist was questioning the long-term effects of the covid-19 vaccine. (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.science.org\/content\/article\/rare-dangerous-side-effects-some-covid-19-vaccines-explained\">Research is<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/med.stanford.edu\/news\/all-news\/2025\/12\/myocarditis-vaccine-covid.html\">still ongoing<\/a>, but the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mayoclinic.org\/diseases-conditions\/coronavirus\/in-depth\/coronavirus-vaccine\/art-20484859\">existing evidence<\/a> shows serious, long-term side effects are rare.)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"duet--article--article-body-component\">\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1ymtmqpi _17nnmdy1 _17nnmdy0 _1xwtict1\">\u201cI have to convince my friends back in Australia to dial down the amount of peptides or enhancements they\u2019re taking. In Australia, if you are a man aged between 20 and 50, and you don\u2019t know someone who\u2019s using peptides, has used peptides, or is currently on peptides, then you\u2019re lying,\u201d says Magnussen. \u201cI think all of us want to wake up, feel younger, sharper, and do better at whatever it is that we\u2019ve chosen with our lives.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"duet--article--article-body-component\">\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1ymtmqpi _17nnmdy1 _17nnmdy0 _17nnmdy6 _17nnmdy5 _1xwtict1\">The spectacle of the Enhanced Games is distracting. But, in the quiet moments, everyone is asking the same question: Is this a grift?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"duet--article--article-body-component\">\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1ymtmqpi _17nnmdy1 _17nnmdy0 _1xwtict1\">Sure enough, the Games are barely over before internet sleuths begin questioning the validity of Gkolomeev\u2019s record. In the livestream, it appeared that the record was declared broken before Gkolomeev ever touched the wall. Enhanced\u2019s spokespeople call the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/sport\/2026\/may\/25\/enhanced-games-world-record-drugs-in-sport-kristian-gkolomeev\">assertion \u201cinternet drivel.\u201d<\/a> Multiple times during the event, Enhanced\u2019s executives and spokespeople told skeptical press that all timekeeping tech was certified and verified by the same entities used by the Olympics and other international sporting organizations. (One of Enhanced\u2019s staffers held up an official regulation tape measure during the venue tour, challenging the press to verify the lengths of the track and pool for themselves.) <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/sport\/2026\/may\/25\/enhanced-games-world-record-drugs-in-sport-kristian-gkolomeev\"><em>The Guardian<\/em><\/a> suggested the clock on the jumbotron was not synced properly, which is believable given how often it glitched during the event.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"duet--article--block-placement _1o279nj3 _1o279nj0 _1o279nj4 duet--article--article-body-component\">\n<div style=\"position:relative\">\n<div class=\"_1ymtmqpj\">\n<div class=\"\">\n<div style=\"background-image:none\" class=\"duet--media--content-warning ucljxw0\">\n<div class=\"duet--article--image-gallery-image kqz8fh0\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1.5\" id=\"dmcyOmltYWdlOjkzNzMzNA==\"><a class=\"kqz8fh1\" href=\"https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0097.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0,0,100,100\" data-pswp-height=\"1800\" data-pswp-width=\"2700\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer\"><img alt=\"The polyurethane suits worn by swimmers competing in the Enhanced Games are banned in Olympic competition.\" data-chromatic=\"ignore\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"fill\" class=\"x271pn0\" style=\"position:absolute;height:100%;width:100%;left:0;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;color:transparent;background-size:cover;background-position:50% 50%;background-repeat:no-repeat;background-image:url(&quot;data:image\/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' %3E%3Cfilter id='b' color-interpolation-filters='sRGB'%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur stdDeviation='20'\/%3E%3CfeColorMatrix values='1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 100 -1' result='s'\/%3E%3CfeFlood x='0' y='0' width='100%25' height='100%25'\/%3E%3CfeComposite operator='out' in='s'\/%3E%3CfeComposite in2='SourceGraphic'\/%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur stdDeviation='20'\/%3E%3C\/filter%3E%3Cimage width='100%25' height='100%25' x='0' y='0' preserveAspectRatio='none' style='filter: url(%23b);' href='data:image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mN8+R8AAtcB6oaHtZcAAAAASUVORK5CYII='\/%3E%3C\/svg%3E&quot;)\" sizes=\"(max-width: 639px) 100vw, (max-width: 1023px) 50vw, 700px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0097.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=256 256w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0097.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=376 376w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0097.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=384 384w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0097.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=415 415w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0097.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=480 480w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0097.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=540 540w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0097.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=640 640w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0097.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=750 750w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0097.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=828 828w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0097.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=1080 1080w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0097.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=1200 1200w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0097.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=1440 1440w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0097.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=1920 1920w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0097.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=2048 2048w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0097.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=2400 2400w\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0097.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=2400\"\/><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><figcaption class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup _1xwtict2 qama0ia\"><em>The polyurethane suits worn by swimmers competing in the Enhanced Games are banned in Olympic competition.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"duet--article--article-body-component\">\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1ymtmqpi _17nnmdy1 _17nnmdy0 _1xwtict1\">In many respects, it hardly matters whether Gkolomeev broke the record. His effort won\u2019t be acknowledged in the official record books recognized by other sporting organizations. What this underscores is the dissonance between Enhanced\u2019s official line and how it\u2019s perceived by the public. Some experts argue that Enhanced\u2019s narratives around science, harm reduction, and the future of medicine don\u2019t hold up under closer scrutiny.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"duet--article--article-body-component\">\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1ymtmqpi _17nnmdy1 _17nnmdy0 _1xwtict1\">\u201cFor a clinical trial, you want everyone in your control group or experimental group to be doing the same thing,\u201d explains Martin Chandler, a research fellow at the University of Birmingham\u2019s School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences, specializing in image and performance-enhancing drugs. \u201cIt clearly says that every athlete will be using a different protocol. That\u2019s not a clinical study. That\u2019s a collection of case studies.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"duet--article--block-placement _1o279nj2 _1o279nj0 duet--article--article-body-component\">\n<div class=\"duet--article--article-pullquote qnnwq0\">\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup qnnwq2 _1xwtict9\">\u201cIt clearly says that every athlete will be using a different protocol. That\u2019s not a clinical study. That\u2019s a collection of case studies.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"duet--article--article-body-component\">\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1ymtmqpi _17nnmdy1 _17nnmdy0 _1xwtict1\">\u201cYou can\u2019t generalize any of those findings,\u201d says Ian Boardley, a professor at the University of Birmingham\u2019s School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences. \u201cWe also can\u2019t separate any of the effects from possible placebo effects because obviously there\u2019s a lot of [athletes] who know what they\u2019re taking.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"duet--article--article-body-component\">\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1ymtmqpi _17nnmdy1 _17nnmdy0 _1xwtict1\">Boardley and Chandler, who coauthored <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S2211266925000246\">a paper about potential harm reduction<\/a> at the Enhanced Games, also said it\u2019ll be difficult for third-party researchers to isolate what \u2014 if any \u2014 substances are responsible for certain improvements or adverse effects because each athlete is mixing drugs with performance-enhancing equipment (e.g., the polyurethane swimsuits). Both also raised concerns about long-term health effects for the athletes involved.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"duet--article--article-body-component\">\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1ymtmqpi _17nnmdy1 _17nnmdy0 _1xwtict1\">\u201cIf we look at exercise populations, they don\u2019t just take substances for 25 weeks and then stop. A five-year follow-up would be fine if it is just the 25 weeks, but what\u2019s the likelihood that all of these athletes are going to stop using enhancement products after that [time period]?\u201d says Boardley.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"duet--article--article-body-component\">\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1ymtmqpi _17nnmdy1 _17nnmdy0 _1xwtict1\">At a press conference, Enhanced\u2019s Pieles addressed and acknowledged that the clinical trial had received criticism, while emphasizing it was developed with institutional review board approval. He also noted he was confident that scientific peers would have some concerns assuaged now that the clinical trial is available for peer review.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"duet--article--block-placement _1o279nj1 _1o279nj0 duet--article--article-body-component\">\n<div style=\"position:relative\">\n<div class=\"_1ymtmqpj\">\n<div class=\"\">\n<div style=\"background-image:none\" class=\"duet--media--content-warning ucljxw0\">\n<div class=\"duet--article--image-gallery-image kqz8fh0\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1.5\" id=\"dmcyOmltYWdlOjkzODAxNQ==\"><a class=\"kqz8fh1\" href=\"https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ACorbray_0174.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0,0,100,100\" data-pswp-height=\"1800\" data-pswp-width=\"2700\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer\"><img alt=\"Icelandic weightlifter and actor Thor Bj\u00f6rnsson competed in the men\u2019s deadlift competition.\" data-chromatic=\"ignore\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"fill\" class=\"x271pn0\" style=\"position:absolute;height:100%;width:100%;left:0;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;color:transparent;background-size:cover;background-position:50% 50%;background-repeat:no-repeat;background-image:url(&quot;data:image\/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' %3E%3Cfilter id='b' color-interpolation-filters='sRGB'%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur stdDeviation='20'\/%3E%3CfeColorMatrix values='1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 100 -1' result='s'\/%3E%3CfeFlood x='0' y='0' width='100%25' height='100%25'\/%3E%3CfeComposite operator='out' in='s'\/%3E%3CfeComposite in2='SourceGraphic'\/%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur stdDeviation='20'\/%3E%3C\/filter%3E%3Cimage width='100%25' height='100%25' x='0' y='0' preserveAspectRatio='none' style='filter: url(%23b);' href='data:image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mN8+R8AAtcB6oaHtZcAAAAASUVORK5CYII='\/%3E%3C\/svg%3E&quot;)\" sizes=\"(max-width: 639px) 100vw, (max-width: 1023px) 50vw, 700px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ACorbray_0174.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=256 256w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ACorbray_0174.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=376 376w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ACorbray_0174.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=384 384w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ACorbray_0174.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=415 415w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ACorbray_0174.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=480 480w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ACorbray_0174.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=540 540w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ACorbray_0174.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=640 640w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ACorbray_0174.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=750 750w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ACorbray_0174.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=828 828w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ACorbray_0174.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=1080 1080w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ACorbray_0174.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=1200 1200w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ACorbray_0174.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=1440 1440w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ACorbray_0174.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=1920 1920w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ACorbray_0174.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=2048 2048w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ACorbray_0174.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=2400 2400w\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ACorbray_0174.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=2400\"\/><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><figcaption class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup _1xwtict2 qama0ia\"><em>Icelandic weightlifter and actor Thor Bj\u00f6rnsson competed in the men\u2019s deadlift competition. <\/em><\/figcaption><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"duet--article--article-body-component\">\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1ymtmqpi _17nnmdy1 _17nnmdy0 _1xwtict1\">\u201cI really meet a lot of fantastic people who work legally in enhancement medicine \u2014 though really, on the fringes of what medicine is. These guys tell me our study is very boring,\u201d Pieles tells <em>The Verge<\/em>. He went on to reiterate that the independent medical commission deliberately chose to only use FDA-approved substances because they were well studied and the side effects were known \u2014 even when used off-label. Experimental peptides, he says, were disallowed from the events precisely because there wasn\u2019t robust evidence regarding their efficacy. He also says Enhanced has refused to publish individual athlete protocols to prevent copycats.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"duet--article--article-body-component\">\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1ymtmqpi _17nnmdy1 _17nnmdy0 _1xwtict1\">\u201cFor me, the whole enhancement thing is that in 10 years, we can move away from steroids. Yes, steroids have side effects. Yes, they make you look good. But I say there are many more drugs coming \u2014 particularly if we do the research with the aim of preventing disease, increasing activity span and longevity. We will also shift our drug research profile more this way. For me, it\u2019s really a paradigm shift in medicine.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"duet--article--article-body-component\">\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1ymtmqpi _17nnmdy1 _17nnmdy0 _17nnmdy6 _17nnmdy5 _1xwtict1\">As the Games came to a close, Martin fell to his knees, kowtowing to Gkolomeev during the awards ceremony before the other athletes hoisted him up into the air. Streamers exploded over the pool. The Killers were introduced for a 30-minute concert to close out the event. They opened with \u201cMr. Brightside\u201d as the athletes bopped around in the front row.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"duet--article--article-body-component\">\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1ymtmqpi _17nnmdy1 _17nnmdy0 _1xwtict1\">\u201cWe have arrived at mainstream culture!\u201d Martin yelled into a mic. \u201cWe are here to stay!\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"duet--article--block-placement _1o279nj3 _1o279nj0 _1o279nj4 duet--article--article-body-component\">\n<div id=\":Rsobcprar96:\" class=\"duet--article--image-gallery-two-up _1ymtmqpj\">\n<div class=\"kqz8fh5\">\n<div class=\"kqz8fh8 kqz8fh7\">\n<div class=\"\">\n<div class=\"\">\n<div style=\"background-image:none\" class=\"duet--media--content-warning ucljxw0\">\n<div class=\"duet--article--image-gallery-image kqz8fh0 _1ymtmqpx\"><a class=\"kqz8fh1\" href=\"https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0123.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0,0,100,100\" data-pswp-height=\"1800\" data-pswp-width=\"2700\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer\"><img alt=\"\" data-chromatic=\"ignore\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"fill\" class=\"x271pn0\" style=\"position:absolute;height:100%;width:100%;left:0;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;color:transparent;background-size:cover;background-position:50% 50%;background-repeat:no-repeat;background-image:url(&quot;data:image\/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' %3E%3Cfilter id='b' color-interpolation-filters='sRGB'%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur stdDeviation='20'\/%3E%3CfeColorMatrix values='1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 100 -1' result='s'\/%3E%3CfeFlood x='0' y='0' width='100%25' height='100%25'\/%3E%3CfeComposite operator='out' in='s'\/%3E%3CfeComposite in2='SourceGraphic'\/%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur stdDeviation='20'\/%3E%3C\/filter%3E%3Cimage width='100%25' height='100%25' x='0' y='0' preserveAspectRatio='none' style='filter: url(%23b);' href='data:image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mN8+R8AAtcB6oaHtZcAAAAASUVORK5CYII='\/%3E%3C\/svg%3E&quot;)\" sizes=\"(max-width: 639px) 100vw, (max-width: 1023px) 50vw, 700px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0123.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=256 256w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0123.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=376 376w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0123.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=384 384w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0123.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=415 415w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0123.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=480 480w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0123.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=540 540w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0123.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=640 640w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0123.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=750 750w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0123.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=828 828w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0123.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=1080 1080w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0123.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=1200 1200w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0123.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=1440 1440w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0123.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=1920 1920w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0123.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=2048 2048w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0123.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=2400 2400w\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0123.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=2400\"\/><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><figcaption class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup _1xwtict2 qama0ia\"><em>Enhanced CEO Maximilian Martin bowing to swimmer Kristian Gkolomeev\u2026<\/em><\/figcaption><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"kqz8fha kqz8fh9\">\n<div class=\"\">\n<div class=\"\">\n<div style=\"background-image:none\" class=\"duet--media--content-warning ucljxw0\">\n<div class=\"duet--article--image-gallery-image kqz8fh0 _1ymtmqpx\"><a class=\"kqz8fh1\" href=\"https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0146.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0,0,100,100\" data-pswp-height=\"1800\" data-pswp-width=\"2700\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer\"><img alt=\"\" data-chromatic=\"ignore\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"fill\" class=\"x271pn0\" style=\"position:absolute;height:100%;width:100%;left:0;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;color:transparent;background-size:cover;background-position:50% 50%;background-repeat:no-repeat;background-image:url(&quot;data:image\/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' %3E%3Cfilter id='b' color-interpolation-filters='sRGB'%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur stdDeviation='20'\/%3E%3CfeColorMatrix values='1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 100 -1' result='s'\/%3E%3CfeFlood x='0' y='0' width='100%25' height='100%25'\/%3E%3CfeComposite operator='out' in='s'\/%3E%3CfeComposite in2='SourceGraphic'\/%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur stdDeviation='20'\/%3E%3C\/filter%3E%3Cimage width='100%25' height='100%25' x='0' y='0' preserveAspectRatio='none' style='filter: url(%23b);' href='data:image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mN8+R8AAtcB6oaHtZcAAAAASUVORK5CYII='\/%3E%3C\/svg%3E&quot;)\" sizes=\"(max-width: 639px) 100vw, (max-width: 1023px) 50vw, 700px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0146.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=256 256w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0146.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=376 376w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0146.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=384 384w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0146.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=415 415w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0146.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=480 480w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0146.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=540 540w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0146.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=640 640w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0146.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=750 750w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0146.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=828 828w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0146.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=1080 1080w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0146.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=1200 1200w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0146.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=1440 1440w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0146.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=1920 1920w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0146.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=2048 2048w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0146.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=2400 2400w\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/268551_Enhanced_Games_ALoius_0146.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=2400\"\/><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><figcaption class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup _1xwtict2 qama0ia\"><em>\u2026before getting hoisted into the air.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"duet--article--article-body-component\">\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1ymtmqpi _17nnmdy1 _17nnmdy0 _1xwtict1\">Now that the inaugural Enhanced Games are done, there\u2019s the question of whether this is a one-time stunt or a genuine biohacking movement. Martin says Enhanced doesn\u2019t expect to turn a profit in year one. Haters are gleefully characterizing the fact that only one world record was broken \u2014 and that the few unenhanced athletes triumphed over their doped-up peers \u2014 as proof that the event was an unmitigated disaster. Martin says the real victory is that 12 athletes were able to set 14 personal bests. (That night, I set a personal best for most instances of \u201cWhat just happened?\u201d uttered.)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"duet--article--article-body-component\">\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1ymtmqpi _17nnmdy1 _17nnmdy0 _1xwtict1\">But will anyone tune in to another Enhanced Games? I checked the YouTube stream throughout the night. At its peak, the Games hit 57,000 concurrent viewers. Many athletes say they will return to do it again. Enhanced says the current plan is to hold the Games once a year going forward, and to eventually explore other sports, like cycling. In future Enhanced clinical trials, Pieles says he hopes to introduce genetic testing to better consider whether an athlete may be prone to side effects or other adverse effects.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"duet--article--article-body-component\">\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1ymtmqpi _17nnmdy1 _17nnmdy0 _17nnmdya _1xwtict1\">Outside of these Games, biohacking isn\u2019t going anywhere, either. For the most devoted self-optimizers, the quest to reach their personal \u201cbest\u201d by any means possible is just getting started.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tly2fw0\"><span class=\"tly2fw2\"><strong>Follow topics and authors<\/strong> from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul class=\"tly2fw3\">\n<li id=\"follow-author-article_footer-dmcyOmF1dGhvclByb2ZpbGU6NjI1\"><span aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-haspopup=\"true\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\"><span class=\"gnx4pm0 _4hoiss4 _1xwtict5 _1618ekm0\"><span class=\"_1ajq89kj _1ajq89k1 _1ajq89k0\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"_1ajq89kt _1ajq89k4 _1ajq89k3 _1lp96da0\" width=\"9\" height=\"9\" viewbox=\"0 0 9 9\" fill=\"none\" aria-label=\"Follow\"><path d=\"M5 0H4V4H0V5H4V9H5V5H9V4H5V0Z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><span class=\"_1618ekm9\">Victoria Song<\/span><\/span><\/span><br \/>\n<aside id=\"popover-dmcyOmF1dGhvclByb2ZpbGU6NjI1-article_footer\" style=\"position:absolute;left:0;top:0;visibility:hidden\" class=\"_1wu3rm0 _6ytxv90\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n<div class=\"_1wu3rm1\"><button class=\"_1wu3rm3\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"_1wu3rm4\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\" viewbox=\"0 0 20 19\" fill=\"none\"><title>Close<\/title><line x1=\"1.70711\" y1=\"0.831956\" x2=\"18.6483\" y2=\"17.7731\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\"\/><line x1=\"1.35149\" y1=\"17.7734\" x2=\"18.2927\" y2=\"0.832185\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\"\/><\/svg><\/button><\/p>\n<div class=\"_1bw37384\"><img alt=\"Victoria Song\" data-chromatic=\"ignore\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"fill\" class=\"_1bw37385 x271pn0\" style=\"position:absolute;height:100%;width:100%;left:0;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;color:transparent;background-size:cover;background-position:50% 50%;background-repeat:no-repeat;background-image:url(&quot;data:image\/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' %3E%3Cfilter id='b' color-interpolation-filters='sRGB'%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur stdDeviation='20'\/%3E%3CfeColorMatrix values='1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 100 -1' result='s'\/%3E%3CfeFlood x='0' y='0' width='100%25' height='100%25'\/%3E%3CfeComposite operator='out' in='s'\/%3E%3CfeComposite in2='SourceGraphic'\/%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur stdDeviation='20'\/%3E%3C\/filter%3E%3Cimage width='100%25' height='100%25' x='0' y='0' preserveAspectRatio='none' style='filter: url(%23b);' href='data:image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mN8+R8AAtcB6oaHtZcAAAAASUVORK5CYII='\/%3E%3C\/svg%3E&quot;)\" sizes=\"125px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/chorus\/author_profile_images\/195849\/VICTORIA_SONG.0.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=16 16w, 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https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/chorus\/author_profile_images\/195849\/VICTORIA_SONG.0.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=540 540w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/chorus\/author_profile_images\/195849\/VICTORIA_SONG.0.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=640 640w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/chorus\/author_profile_images\/195849\/VICTORIA_SONG.0.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=750 750w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/chorus\/author_profile_images\/195849\/VICTORIA_SONG.0.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=828 828w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/chorus\/author_profile_images\/195849\/VICTORIA_SONG.0.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=1080 1080w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/chorus\/author_profile_images\/195849\/VICTORIA_SONG.0.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=1200 1200w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/chorus\/author_profile_images\/195849\/VICTORIA_SONG.0.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=1440 1440w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/chorus\/author_profile_images\/195849\/VICTORIA_SONG.0.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=1920 1920w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/chorus\/author_profile_images\/195849\/VICTORIA_SONG.0.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=2048 2048w, https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/chorus\/author_profile_images\/195849\/VICTORIA_SONG.0.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=2400 2400w\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/chorus\/author_profile_images\/195849\/VICTORIA_SONG.0.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&amp;w=2400\"\/><\/div>\n<p>Victoria Song<\/p>\n<div class=\"_1bw37381\">\n<p>Senior Reviewer, Wearable Tech<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"fv263x1\">Posts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.<\/p>\n<p><button class=\"duet--cta--button _1f7jm891 _1f7jm890 fv263x2 _1f7jm89g\"><span><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" viewbox=\"0 0 21 20\" fill=\"none\" class=\"\" aria-label=\"Follow\"><title>Follow<\/title><path d=\"M11.5 3H9.5V8.99999H3.5V11L9.5 11V17H11.5V11L17.5 11V9H11.5V3Z\" fill=\"currentColor\"\/><\/svg><\/span><span>Follow<\/span><\/button><\/p>\n<p class=\"fv263x4\"><a class=\"fv263x5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.theverge.com\/authors\/victoria-song\">See All by <!-- -->Victoria Song<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<div id=\"follow-category-article_footer-dmcyOmNhdGVnb3J5OjU2\"><button aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-haspopup=\"true\"><span class=\"gnx4pm0 _4hoiss4 _1xwtict5 _1618ekm0\"><span class=\"_1ajq89kj _1ajq89k1 _1ajq89k0\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"_1ajq89kt _1ajq89k4 _1ajq89k3 _1lp96da0\" width=\"9\" height=\"9\" viewbox=\"0 0 9 9\" fill=\"none\" aria-label=\"Follow\"><path d=\"M5 0H4V4H0V5H4V9H5V5H9V4H5V0Z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><span class=\"_1618ekm9\">Entertainment<\/span><\/span><\/button><\/p>\n<aside id=\"popover-dmcyOmNhdGVnb3J5OjU2-article_footer\" style=\"position:absolute;left:0;top:0;visibility:hidden\" class=\"_1wu3rm0 _6ytxv90\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n<div class=\"_1wu3rm1\"><button class=\"_1wu3rm3\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"_1wu3rm4\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\" viewbox=\"0 0 20 19\" fill=\"none\"><title>Close<\/title><line x1=\"1.70711\" y1=\"0.831956\" x2=\"18.6483\" 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aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-haspopup=\"true\"><span class=\"gnx4pm0 _4hoiss4 _1xwtict5 _1618ekm0\"><span class=\"_1ajq89kj _1ajq89k1 _1ajq89k0\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"_1ajq89kt _1ajq89k4 _1ajq89k3 _1lp96da0\" width=\"9\" height=\"9\" viewbox=\"0 0 9 9\" fill=\"none\" aria-label=\"Follow\"><path d=\"M5 0H4V4H0V5H4V9H5V5H9V4H5V0Z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><span class=\"_1618ekm9\">Features<\/span><\/span><\/button><\/p>\n<aside id=\"popover-dmcyOmNhdGVnb3J5OjExNjI=-article_footer\" style=\"position:absolute;left:0;top:0;visibility:hidden\" class=\"_1wu3rm0 _6ytxv90\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n<div class=\"_1wu3rm1\"><button class=\"_1wu3rm3\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"_1wu3rm4\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\" viewbox=\"0 0 20 19\" fill=\"none\"><title>Close<\/title><line x1=\"1.70711\" y1=\"0.831956\" x2=\"18.6483\" y2=\"17.7731\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\"\/><line x1=\"1.35149\" y1=\"17.7734\" x2=\"18.2927\" y2=\"0.832185\" 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xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"_1ajq89kt _1ajq89k4 _1ajq89k3 _1lp96da0\" width=\"9\" height=\"9\" viewbox=\"0 0 9 9\" fill=\"none\" aria-label=\"Follow\"><path d=\"M5 0H4V4H0V5H4V9H5V5H9V4H5V0Z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><span class=\"_1618ekm9\">Fitness<\/span><\/span><\/button><\/p>\n<aside id=\"popover-dmcyOmNhdGVnb3J5OjM3Ng==-article_footer\" style=\"position:absolute;left:0;top:0;visibility:hidden\" class=\"_1wu3rm0 _6ytxv90\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n<div class=\"_1wu3rm1\"><button class=\"_1wu3rm3\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"_1wu3rm4\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\" viewbox=\"0 0 20 19\" fill=\"none\"><title>Close<\/title><line x1=\"1.70711\" y1=\"0.831956\" x2=\"18.6483\" y2=\"17.7731\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\"\/><line x1=\"1.35149\" y1=\"17.7734\" x2=\"18.2927\" y2=\"0.832185\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\"\/><\/svg><\/button><\/p>\n<p>Fitness<\/p>\n<p class=\"fv263x1\">Posts from this topic will be added to your 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aria-label=\"Follow\"><path d=\"M5 0H4V4H0V5H4V9H5V5H9V4H5V0Z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><span class=\"_1618ekm9\">Gadgets<\/span><\/span><\/button><\/p>\n<aside id=\"popover-dmcyOmNhdGVnb3J5Ojk2-article_footer\" style=\"position:absolute;left:0;top:0;visibility:hidden\" class=\"_1wu3rm0 _6ytxv90\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n<div class=\"_1wu3rm1\"><button class=\"_1wu3rm3\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"_1wu3rm4\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\" viewbox=\"0 0 20 19\" fill=\"none\"><title>Close<\/title><line x1=\"1.70711\" y1=\"0.831956\" x2=\"18.6483\" y2=\"17.7731\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\"\/><line x1=\"1.35149\" y1=\"17.7734\" x2=\"18.2927\" y2=\"0.832185\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\"\/><\/svg><\/button><\/p>\n<p>Gadgets<\/p>\n<p class=\"fv263x1\">Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.<\/p>\n<p><button class=\"duet--cta--button _1f7jm891 _1f7jm890 fv263x2 _1f7jm89g\"><span><svg 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class=\"_1618ekm9\">Health<\/span><\/span><\/button><\/p>\n<aside id=\"popover-dmcyOmNhdGVnb3J5OjE3NA==-article_footer\" style=\"position:absolute;left:0;top:0;visibility:hidden\" class=\"_1wu3rm0 _6ytxv90\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n<div class=\"_1wu3rm1\"><button class=\"_1wu3rm3\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"_1wu3rm4\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\" viewbox=\"0 0 20 19\" fill=\"none\"><title>Close<\/title><line x1=\"1.70711\" y1=\"0.831956\" x2=\"18.6483\" y2=\"17.7731\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\"\/><line x1=\"1.35149\" y1=\"17.7734\" x2=\"18.2927\" y2=\"0.832185\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\"\/><\/svg><\/button><\/p>\n<p>Health<\/p>\n<p class=\"fv263x1\">Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.<\/p>\n<p><button class=\"duet--cta--button _1f7jm891 _1f7jm890 fv263x2 _1f7jm89g\"><span><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" viewbox=\"0 0 21 20\" fill=\"none\" class=\"\" aria-label=\"Follow\"><title>Follow<\/title><path d=\"M11.5 3H9.5V8.99999H3.5V11L9.5 11V17H11.5V11L17.5 11V9H11.5V3Z\" fill=\"currentColor\"\/><\/svg><\/span><span>Follow<\/span><\/button><\/p>\n<p class=\"fv263x4\"><a class=\"fv263x5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.theverge.com\/health\">See All <!-- -->Health<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<div id=\"follow-category-article_footer-dmcyOmNhdGVnb3J5OjE3MA==\"><button aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-haspopup=\"true\"><span class=\"gnx4pm0 _4hoiss4 _1xwtict5 _1618ekm0\"><span class=\"_1ajq89kj _1ajq89k1 _1ajq89k0\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"_1ajq89kt _1ajq89k4 _1ajq89k3 _1lp96da0\" width=\"9\" height=\"9\" viewbox=\"0 0 9 9\" fill=\"none\" aria-label=\"Follow\"><path d=\"M5 0H4V4H0V5H4V9H5V5H9V4H5V0Z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><span class=\"_1618ekm9\">Science<\/span><\/span><\/button><\/p>\n<aside id=\"popover-dmcyOmNhdGVnb3J5OjE3MA==-article_footer\" style=\"position:absolute;left:0;top:0;visibility:hidden\" class=\"_1wu3rm0 _6ytxv90\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n<div class=\"_1wu3rm1\"><button class=\"_1wu3rm3\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"_1wu3rm4\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\" viewbox=\"0 0 20 19\" fill=\"none\"><title>Close<\/title><line x1=\"1.70711\" y1=\"0.831956\" x2=\"18.6483\" y2=\"17.7731\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\"\/><line x1=\"1.35149\" y1=\"17.7734\" x2=\"18.2927\" y2=\"0.832185\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\"\/><\/svg><\/button><\/p>\n<p>Science<\/p>\n<p class=\"fv263x1\">Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.<\/p>\n<p><button class=\"duet--cta--button _1f7jm891 _1f7jm890 fv263x2 _1f7jm89g\"><span><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" viewbox=\"0 0 21 20\" fill=\"none\" class=\"\" aria-label=\"Follow\"><title>Follow<\/title><path d=\"M11.5 3H9.5V8.99999H3.5V11L9.5 11V17H11.5V11L17.5 11V9H11.5V3Z\" fill=\"currentColor\"\/><\/svg><\/span><span>Follow<\/span><\/button><\/p>\n<p class=\"fv263x4\"><a class=\"fv263x5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.theverge.com\/science\">See All <!-- -->Science<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<div id=\"follow-category-article_footer-dmcyOmNhdGVnb3J5OjY5\"><button aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-haspopup=\"true\"><span class=\"gnx4pm0 _4hoiss4 _1xwtict5 _1618ekm0\"><span class=\"_1ajq89kj _1ajq89k1 _1ajq89k0\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"_1ajq89kt _1ajq89k4 _1ajq89k3 _1lp96da0\" width=\"9\" height=\"9\" viewbox=\"0 0 9 9\" fill=\"none\" aria-label=\"Follow\"><path d=\"M5 0H4V4H0V5H4V9H5V5H9V4H5V0Z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><span class=\"_1618ekm9\">Sports<\/span><\/span><\/button><\/p>\n<aside id=\"popover-dmcyOmNhdGVnb3J5OjY5-article_footer\" style=\"position:absolute;left:0;top:0;visibility:hidden\" class=\"_1wu3rm0 _6ytxv90\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n<div class=\"_1wu3rm1\"><button class=\"_1wu3rm3\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"_1wu3rm4\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\" viewbox=\"0 0 20 19\" fill=\"none\"><title>Close<\/title><line x1=\"1.70711\" y1=\"0.831956\" x2=\"18.6483\" y2=\"17.7731\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\"\/><line x1=\"1.35149\" y1=\"17.7734\" x2=\"18.2927\" y2=\"0.832185\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\"\/><\/svg><\/button><\/p>\n<p>Sports<\/p>\n<p class=\"fv263x1\">Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.<\/p>\n<p><button class=\"duet--cta--button _1f7jm891 _1f7jm890 fv263x2 _1f7jm89g\"><span><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" viewbox=\"0 0 21 20\" fill=\"none\" class=\"\" aria-label=\"Follow\"><title>Follow<\/title><path d=\"M11.5 3H9.5V8.99999H3.5V11L9.5 11V17H11.5V11L17.5 11V9H11.5V3Z\" fill=\"currentColor\"\/><\/svg><\/span><span>Follow<\/span><\/button><\/p>\n<p class=\"fv263x4\"><a class=\"fv263x5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.theverge.com\/sport\">See All <!-- -->Sports<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<div id=\"follow-category-article_footer-dmcyOmNhdGVnb3J5OjM3NQ==\"><button aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-haspopup=\"true\"><span class=\"gnx4pm0 _4hoiss4 _1xwtict5 _1618ekm0\"><span class=\"_1ajq89kj _1ajq89k1 _1ajq89k0\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"_1ajq89kt _1ajq89k4 _1ajq89k3 _1lp96da0\" width=\"9\" height=\"9\" viewbox=\"0 0 9 9\" fill=\"none\" aria-label=\"Follow\"><path d=\"M5 0H4V4H0V5H4V9H5V5H9V4H5V0Z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><span class=\"_1618ekm9\">Wearable<\/span><\/span><\/button><\/p>\n<aside id=\"popover-dmcyOmNhdGVnb3J5OjM3NQ==-article_footer\" style=\"position:absolute;left:0;top:0;visibility:hidden\" class=\"_1wu3rm0 _6ytxv90\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n<div class=\"_1wu3rm1\"><button class=\"_1wu3rm3\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"_1wu3rm4\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\" viewbox=\"0 0 20 19\" fill=\"none\"><title>Close<\/title><line x1=\"1.70711\" y1=\"0.831956\" x2=\"18.6483\" y2=\"17.7731\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\"\/><line x1=\"1.35149\" y1=\"17.7734\" x2=\"18.2927\" y2=\"0.832185\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\"\/><\/svg><\/button><\/p>\n<p>Wearable<\/p>\n<p class=\"fv263x1\">Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.<\/p>\n<p><button class=\"duet--cta--button _1f7jm891 _1f7jm890 fv263x2 _1f7jm89g\"><span><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" viewbox=\"0 0 21 20\" fill=\"none\" class=\"\" aria-label=\"Follow\"><title>Follow<\/title><path d=\"M11.5 3H9.5V8.99999H3.5V11L9.5 11V17H11.5V11L17.5 11V9H11.5V3Z\" fill=\"currentColor\"\/><\/svg><\/span><span>Follow<\/span><\/button><\/p>\n<p class=\"fv263x4\"><a class=\"fv263x5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.theverge.com\/wearables\">See All <!-- -->Wearable<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theverge.com\/features\/937620\/enhanced-games-performance-enhancing-drugs-science-health-sports\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In Las Vegas, the blazing sun beats down on a makeshift Olympic-length pool. Cody Miller stands on the starting block of lane one. His arms are raised in victory. MC Hammer\u2019s \u201cU Can\u2019t Touch This\u201d thumps over the loudspeakers as he rips off his swimming cap, throwing it to the ground. Miller lets out a [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":962,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[64,410,140,57,141,169,357,109],"class_list":["post-961","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-gadgets","tag-entertainment","tag-features","tag-fitness","tag-gadgets","tag-health","tag-science","tag-sports","tag-wearable"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.7 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Roids were all the rage at the Enhanced Games - Silvybrand Lifestyle Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The Verge was on the ground at the inagural Enhanced Games, also known as the \u201cSteroid Olympics.\u201d\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/silvybrand.com\/?p=961\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Roids were all the rage at the Enhanced Games - 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