The Enhanced Games, a doping-friendly event, has rejected a media credential request from the Guardian, citing high application volume and limited capacity. The rejection followed a pre-screening call where a PR representative noted the Guardian's previous critical coverage, including terms like 'grotesque' and 'wrongness of the age'. Despite this, the journalist sought to report on the event, including interviews with athletes, backers, and scientists.
The event offers substantial financial incentives, including six-figure salaries, $250,000 for winning a race, and $1 million for breaking a world record. However, many in sport dismiss it outright. The journalist aimed to investigate the organisation's trustworthiness, given its violation of traditional sports values.
Key questions include: Are the tracks legal and timing devices reputable? Are officials qualified? The journalist referenced a 2016 incident where Justin Gatlin ran 9.45 seconds aided by a giant fan, questioning potential funny business.
On safety, experts from the University of Birmingham, Prof Ian Broadley and Martin Chandler, stated that claims of safe steroid use under medical supervision are 'incorrect and misleading', citing serious long-term effects like reproductive issues and loss of libido.
Legal liability is another concern. In 2005, 190 former East German athletes sued a pharmaceutical company over steroid-induced health problems. The journalist asks what prevents similar lawsuits against the Enhanced Games in the future.
Further questions address athletes' side effects, influence on children, and the decisions of participants like Ben Proud and commentator Sam Quek. Drug testing is also questioned: only FDA-approved substances are permitted, but what happens to those who cheat?
