The Enhanced Games in Las Vegas awarded large bonuses for swimming times that surpassed existing world records. Greek swimmer Kristian Gkolomeev won a $1 million bonus for a 50-meter freestyle time of 20.81 seconds, faster than the official world record. The event permits athletes to use performance-enhancing substances banned in mainstream competitions, including testosterone and other steroids, under medical supervision. World Aquatics condemned the competition as a “circus, built on short-cuts” and said any new records would not be officially recognized. Organizers reported that most participants used banned substances during the lead-up period, while predictions of multiple record-breaking swims did not fully materialize.
"The global swimming body has condemned the event as a "circus, built on short-cuts." World sporting authorities have denounced the event as dangerous and say any new records will not be officially recognized. The global swimming body World Aquatics has described it as a "circus, built on short-cuts.""
"Greek swimmer Kristian Gkolomeev got a $1 million (860,000) bonus at the inaugural Enhanced Games in Las Vegas on Sunday for going faster than the official 50 meters freestyle world record with a time of 20.81 seconds. The 32-year-old, who failed to win a medal in four Olympics, set a faster time than Australian Cameron McEvoy's real world record of 20.88 seconds at the Chinese Swimming Open in March."
"The Enhanced Games, as its name suggests, allows athletes to take performance-enhancing substances that are banned in mainstream competitions. "Great race. I had a lot of fun. This is amazing," said Gkolomeev, who also wore a synthetic "supersuit" long banned at the Olympics. "I'm going to say it's not bad at all," he added of the prize money. "This is going to change my life to the good, for sure.""
"According to organizers, 38 of the 42 participants doped under medical supervision over a period of eight weeks, taking banned substances such as testosterone and other steroids. Organizers had also predicted that multiple world records would be broken something that failed to materialize by the end of Sunday night. British silver Olympic medalist Ben Proud, who took multiple substances, won the men's 50-meter butterfly in 22.32, just 0.05 over the record time."
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