The performance director of UK Sport has described the decision of British athletes to sign up for the controversial Enhanced Games as "incredibly sad", issuing a stark warning that it could permanently block their path to representing Team GB at future Olympic events.
A Direct Opposition to Olympic Values
Dr Kate Baker, UK Sport's Director of Performance and People, stated that the Enhanced Games "stands in direct opposition" to the principles of both her organisation and the wider Olympic and Paralympic movement. The event, which is scheduled to hold its inaugural competition in Las Vegas this May, permits athletes to use performance-enhancing substances banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada).
Speaking at a British Olympic Association press conference, Baker expressed her dismay. "It's incredibly sad that those athletes have chosen to take that path," she said. "I hope it goes without saying that the Enhanced Games stands in direct opposition to everything that we stand for... It is not aligned to anything that we are supportive of or encouraging."
The Athletes and the Backlash
The criticism follows announcements from two high-profile British athletes. Former world champion and Olympic silver medallist swimmer Ben Proud was the first Briton to join the much-criticised venture. He was followed earlier this month by former Team GB sprinter Reece Prescod, a 2022 world championship bronze medallist in the 4x100m relay.
Their decisions prompted immediate backlash from their sports' national governing bodies, Aquatics GB and UK Athletics. Dr Baker, while firm in her condemnation, acknowledged the difficult position athletes may find themselves in. "I also recognise that there's a human being in the middle of this who's making a really difficult decision," she noted, specifically referencing Prescod, whose career was derailed by injury and who retired last year citing a lack of sponsorship.
"I think we can understand why a human being makes that decision. It doesn't mean we support it... but I can understand it," Baker added, revealing "some degree of compassion and understanding."
Future Eligibility and Financial Temptations
When questioned whether Prescod or Proud could ever compete for Team GB again, for instance at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, Baker indicated significant hurdles. She explained that an independent eligibility panel would review such cases to determine if athletes could receive UK Sport's World Class Programme support, which is separate from the right to compete.
Baker also addressed the powerful financial incentives offered by the Enhanced Games, which are set to award $250,000 to each event winner and a $1 million bonus for breaking the world record in the 100m sprint or 50m freestyle. "The current economic climate makes it incredibly difficult for everybody, and that includes athletes," she conceded.
However, she defended the UK Sport model, highlighting that funded athletes receive a significant tax-free grant and millions in holistic support. Wada has condemned the Enhanced Games as a "dangerous and irresponsible project" that risks athlete safety and undermines sport's core values. Despite Prescod's assertion to the BBC that he has not and does not intend to take banned substances, Baker warned that participation alone could affect funding eligibility.
"It's a difficult world to survive in," Baker concluded. "I have some degree of compassion and understanding for why athletes might make that choice, but it's not a choice which is welcome within the Olympic system and UK Sport funding."
