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Doping Expert Warns Enhanced Games Will Fuel Risky Drug Arms Race in Las Vegas 2026

The event explicitly permits performance-enhancing drugs to lure athletes with big-money prizes.

Overview

  • The inaugural Enhanced Games are planned for May 2026 at Resorts World Las Vegas with selected events in swimming, athletics and weightlifting.
  • Organizers have announced $500,000 prize money per individual event, $1 million bonuses for specific record times and appearance fees.
  • Pharmacologist Fritz Sörgel cautions that competitors will use substances that have not been properly tested as inhibitions fall away.
  • He predicts an escalation where athletes already dosed with mixes like EPO, testosterone or growth hormone seek new, riskier drugs out of desperation.
  • German swimmer Marius Kusch has accepted an invitation to compete, and Sörgel expects the controversial format to draw strong TV interest.