Former Team GB swimmer Ben Proud has rejected claims that his participation in the Enhanced Games will encourage young people to take performance-enhancing drugs. The 31-year-old, who won silver in the 50m freestyle at Paris 2024, is on a mid six-figure salary and could earn an additional $1.25m if he breaks the world record on Sunday night.
Proud pushed back against the World Anti-Doping Agency's concerns, saying: 'There is a blurry line. I can't argue against it. But to me, if you understand the stories of the people who are here, you'll understand that we've done our career clean and we're doing this for a very good reason. And more importantly, under the safest environment possible.' He added that he was not worried about his reputation, noting that his decade-long clean career is in the past.
The swimmer acknowledged that using banned substances and polyurethane skinsuits could improve performance by one to two per cent each, potentially allowing him and Greek rival Kristian Gkolomeev to go under the official world record. Meanwhile, British sprinter Reece Prescod also defended his decision to come out of retirement for the event, stating he has never failed a drugs test or missed a test.
Enhanced Games CEO Max Martin compared the event to the Super Bowl, describing it as a one-night, internet-first spectacle. He argued that the use of performance-enhancing substances is already widespread and that the Games offer a safe, medically supervised environment. However, WADA has condemned the concept as 'dangerous and irresponsible', citing examples of athletes who have suffered serious long-term side-effects or died from using prohibited substances.
