Link: https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2025/oct/30/enhanced-games-are-dangerous-and-must-be-stopped-says-wada-head

The head of the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) has called on the body’s American counterparts to act to stop the Enhanced Games, describing the new event – which allows athletes to take performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) in competition – as “dangerous” and “irresponsible”.

Witold Banka said the world’s anti-doping regimes had to be “very united” in their opposition to the Enhanced Games and said the United States Anti-Doping Agency (Usada) had a responsibility to push against it. Banka went on to criticise the anti-doping regime in the US, at a time when the government there has withheld crucial funding from Wada’s operations.

“Sometimes we don’t know what to say about this ridiculous idea, because from the ethical point of view, from the moral point of view, how is it possible that people come to agree to compete, taking all these prohibited substances?” Banka said. “It’s completely against everything that we are doing. It’s very dangerous. I hope it will not happen, although there are quite important and rich people who are sponsors of this irresponsible event.”

Banka said anti-doping authorities had to be “very strong” in their opposition to the games. “We have to be very united,” he said. “We really want our colleagues from the US to do more to make sure that this event will not happen. There are some legal possibilities they can lobby for. Usada have made general comments, but maybe it’s time to try and convince the people who have financed this that it’s dangerous. That’s [Usada’s] role and responsibility because the event is going to take place in Las Vegas.”

The Enhanced Games is scheduled to take place next year at Resorts World in Nevada, with events in swimming, athletics and weightlifting. Marketing itself as “pioneering a new era in athletic competition that embraces scientific advancements to push the boundaries of human performance”, it is backed by funding from an investment group that includes Donald Trump Jr.

The event has attracted global headlines and opprobrium in equal measure because of its approach towards PEDs and the $250,000 rewards offered to athletes for breaking official world records, with $1m on offer in 50m freestyle swimming and 100m sprint.