Overview
- Saying backers will be “scrupulous,” pharmacologist Fritz Sörgel warns competitors may turn to substances not properly tested with unpredictable health risks.
- Sörgel predicts a doping arms race at a “higher chemical level” as athletes seek new compounds when conventional mixes fail to secure victory.
- The event is promoted for May 2026 at Resorts World Las Vegas with swimming, athletics and weightlifting on the program and $500,000 purses plus $1 million record bonuses.
- Organizers state that performance enhancers will be explicitly permitted under medical supervision and that record attempts are a core attraction.
- German swimmer Marius Kusch has agreed to take part, intensifying debate over athlete welfare and the ethics of a pay‑driven, drug‑permissive format.