We want to enable a world in which everyone has the opportunity to live enhanced. And so I would estimate today that only 0.1% of people identify as being an enhanced human. And there will be an iconic representation of are you a human 2.0 or are you a human 1.0?
– Dr. Aron D’Souza, CEO of Enhanced Games
Lance Armstrong, an American road-racing cyclist, was instrumental in popularizing cycling worldwide. He became one of the most iconic and revered athletes in the world, having won seven consecutive Tour de France victories from 1999 to 2005, and having also survived cancer.
Despite his accomplishments, he was consistently accused of doping throughout his career, especially after his cancer recovery and subsequent Tour de France wins.
It wasn’t until his seventh and final Tour de France victory that news outlets began releasing information about his blood tests. Reported that Armstrong was positive for a “cocktail” of performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) and methods, including erythropoietin (EPO), blood transfusions, testosterone, human growth hormone (HGH), and corticosteroids.
Although he repeatedly denied the allegations, he eventually admitted to them in a 2013 interview with Oprah Winfrey.
The pervasive narrative surrounding athletes, exemplified by figures like Armstrong, warns against PEDs. Athletes accused of or caught doping face not only severe criticism but also the loss of medals and the potential for expulsion from their sport.
But that might be about to change.
Professional and Olympic-level athletes will now have the opportunity to compete in the Enhanced Games. This privately funded sports competition operates outside the rules of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), allowing athletes to use performance-enhancing substances and methods.
In an interview with HealthTech Remedy, CEO Dr. Aron D’Souza shared that his mission is not only to disrupt the traditional sports industry but also to create a paradigm shift in medicine, arguing that performance enhancements allow athletes who are past their prime to be “the greatest ever.”
The Enhanced Games have been met with widespread condemnation from the sports and scientific communities.
“This event is being done purely for the entertainment and shock value, with no bearing on the long-term health of the athlete,” shared the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency’s (USADA) Dr. Matt Fedoruk, Chief Science Officer. “If you’re an athlete looking for a payout, the promises may be appealing, but it’s forcing you to put your body and health—and probably your longevity–at risk.”
Anti-doping agencies and medical professionals criticize the games for promoting dangerous health practices and undermining fairness and integrity in sports.
“The Enhanced games are real, controversial, and challenge ethics and medicine,” said Dr. Jessica Beal-Stahl, PharmD. , PharmD, Clinical Sports Pharmacist. “We as pharmacists are aware of both the science and morality, and sit at the crossroads of science, ethics, and performance.”
Critics point out that the long-term health effects of PEDs can be severe and may not be immediately apparent, questioning the games’ claims of prioritizing athlete safety.
In a statement, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) condemned the Enhanced Games as a dangerous and irresponsible concept. Stating:
“The health and well-being of athletes is WADA’s number-one priority. Clearly, this event would jeopardize that as it seeks to promote the use of powerful substances and methods by athletes for the purposes of entertainment and marketing. Over the years, there have been many examples of athletes suffering serious long-term side effects from their use of prohibited substances and methods. Some have died.”
To illustrate the concerns regarding athlete safety, some of the most commonly used PEDs include anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS), HGH, and EPO.
AAS are synthetic derivatives of testosterone that can cause significant long-term damage, particularly with high-dose use. Chronic AAS use has been linked to harmful effects on heart structure and function and mood disturbances such as depression, mania, or psychotic features. In more severe cases, oxidative stress, apoptosis, inflammation, and alterations in endocrine homeostasis contribute to damage across multiple organs.
Moreover, many AAS products are not approved medications. They are often produced on the black market from unregulated or questionable sources, increasing the risk of contamination, incorrect dosing, and adverse reactions.
A study from BMC Public Health found approximately 36% of AAS seized from the black market were counterfeit (95% CI 29-43), and an additional 37% were of sub-standard quality (95% CI 17-63); for example, containing no active ingredient, the wrong active ingredient, or a different concentration than labelled.
HGH is a peptide (a chain of amino acids) like the proteins that make our hair, nails, muscles, and skin. HGH stimulates the liver and other tissues to produce Insulin-like Growth Factor 1 (IGF-1), which plays a crucial role in muscle growth. IGF-1 promotes muscle growth and development and supports muscle repair after exercise.
HGH has muscle-sparing effects, meaning it can help preserve muscle mass by reducing protein breakdown, particularly in individuals with chronic illness or growth hormone deficiency. It’s important to note that HGH has legitimate medical uses, such as treating growth hormone deficiency, Turner Syndrome, or chronic kidney disease. Outside of these prescribed indications, non-medical use of HGH can pose significant health risks.
According to USADA, abuse of HGH, or IGF-1, can produce irreversible acromegaly, but even small doses can lead to complications such as heart disease, diabetes, and an increased risk of cancer. And because these hormones must be administered by injection, there are additional risks, such as blood infection or dose error.
People often assume that HGH can enhance athletic performance, but research indicates that its effects on athletic performance are uncertain. One review found that while the hormone increases muscle mass, it may not improve strength and can worsen exercise capacity.
Blood doping, which may include the use of EPO, is a peptide hormone with a long history of use among endurance athletes.
Blood dopingis the practice of misusing specific techniques and substances to increase the number of circulating red blood cells (and hemoglobin mass) in the body. Since hemoglobin in red blood cells carries oxygen to muscles, this allows the body to transport more oxygen to working muscles, increasing their aerobic capacity and endurance, as well as improving recovery.
WADA explains that EPO thickens the blood, which “leads to an increased risk of several deadly diseases, such as heart disease, stroke, and cerebral or pulmonary embolism.” Athletes who misuse recombinant human EPO are also at risk of serious autoimmune diseases.
Though these substances can temporarily enhance specific physical attributes, their use undermines the integrity of sport and poses long-term health consequences that far outweigh any short-term gains.
The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) argues the Enhanced Games send a dangerous message to young athletes that they must dope to achieve their dreams. When professional or elite athletes use performance-enhancing drugs, it can distort how youth perceive success in sports, creating the impression that talent and hard work alone are not enough. Because young athletes often view professionals as role models, the normalization of doping can encourage imitation, increase health risks, and undermine the values of integrity, fairness, and respect in competition.
Major athletic organizations, such as World Athletics and World Aquatics, have even threatened to impose lengthy bans on athletes who participate in such activities. In June, World Aquatics released a statement introducing the new bylaw, which will be in effect immediately, stating:
“Under the new Bylaw, individuals who support, endorse, or participate in sporting events that embrace the use of scientific advancements or other practices that may include prohibited substances and/or prohibited methods will not be eligible to hold positions with World Aquatics or to participate in any World Aquatics competitions, events, or other activities.”
The “1.0 version” of athletes has already demonstrated that remarkable achievements can be accomplished without the use of PEDs. But the significant impact of this event is how young athletes will perceive the idea that they can be “better” with PEDs.
“In academia, if I told my students they could use AI to take their exams but only in my class, my permission doesn’t make it fair,” said Dr. Kristal Potter , PharmD, Assistant Professor, Larkin University College of Pharmacy. “It would just redefine cheating as acceptable in certain settings. The same is true in sport. Calling enhancement a choice doesn’t make it ethical or align with the principles of clean sport. Fairness isn’t something you can rebrand; it’s either preserved or it isn’t.”
Written by Jessie Tobin
Marketing and Communications Manager. Reviewed and approved by the SPN team.
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