BBC Sport asked Enhanced’s Australian swimmer James Magnussen, whose remarkably bulked up physique after taking PEDs last year went viral, if he had concerns about the effect on his long-term health.
“I believe that were there to be long-term implications for my health, there surely would have been some short- to medium-term indicators that say ‘hey, this isn’t tracking properly, you are seeing side effects’. To this point we haven’t seen those,” the three-time Olympic medallist said.
“As professional athletes, we take risks with our health innately by what we do. There’s nothing healthy about training at the peak of your physical ability for 30 hours a week.”
Some think the former world champion has a point.
Byron Hyde, an honorary research associate at Bangor University, says, external critics “overlook the fact that the Enhanced Games is making obvious what society has always quietly accepted – that most people are willing to watch athletes risk harm when the entertainment is good enough.
“That’s something that all sporting bodies should spend more time considering.
“If brain trauma is the potential price of boxing entertainment, why the outrage about pharmaceutical enhancement risks?
“Research has documented serious physical and psychological harms in many sports. The Enhanced Games just moves the risk threshold further along a spectrum society has already accepted.”
Such an argument holds little sway with UK Sport director Kate Baker.
“We are committed to winning well,” she tells BBC Sport. “We know that we’ve had some things in the past that we haven’t necessarily been proud of, but we’ve moved so far away from that.
“And so to even acknowledge the Enhanced Games as a real thing feels quite difficult for us. It’s absolutely something that we would stand in total opposition to.
“If you’re high potential in our system, you will be supported to achieve your potential, and you will do it in a way which is healthy and not damaging to you.
“We’ve recently re-communicated with all of our athletes to confirm that you will potentially be in breach of our eligibility policy should you choose to engage with these events. They would not be eligible for any UK Sport funding, but also their ability to access our coaching and medical support.”
