UK swimmer Ben Proud does not believe the Enhanced Games undermine clean sport and says doping in clean sports as a “complete no-go”
Olympic silver medallist Ben Proud has become the first British athlete to sign up for the Enhanced Games, a new competition which permits the use of performance-enhancing drugs under medical supervision and is slated to debut in Las Vegas in May 2026.
Speaking to the BBC, Proud said the move does not undermine anti-doping in traditional sport.
“I think [the Enhanced Games] opens up the potential avenue to excel in a very different way… I really respect the sport I’ve been part of, and I would never step back in knowing I’ve done something which isn’t in the rules,” he told BBC Sport.
The switch effectively ends his participation in World Aquatics competitions after the federation introduced a bylaw in June barring athletes, coaches and officials who take part in or endorse competitions that enable doping. World Aquatics said the rule protects the integrity of its events and athlete health.
In a statement on social media, Aquatics GB said: “Aquatics GB is immensely disappointed in Ben Proud’s announcement to sign with the Enhanced Games.
“Aquatics GB, along with our partners, stand firmly behind the values and principles of clean sport and condemns Ben’s decision in the strongest terms.”
Anti-doping bodies have sharply criticised the Enhanced Games. The World Anti-Doping Agency has called the concept “dangerous and irresponsible,” while USADA chief Travis Tygart previously described it as a “dangerous clown show.”
Organisers say only FDA-approved substances will be allowed and that use will be overseen by medical professionals. The inaugural event is scheduled for May 21-24, 2026 at Resorts World Las Vegas, with sprint swimming, track and field, and weightlifting on the programme.
WADA’s latest Anti-Doping Rule Violations report, published in July and covering 2022, recorded 1,376 ADRVs arising from 1,979 adverse analytical findings across 241,143 samples, underscoring the scale of enforcement in sanctioned sport.
“I see doping in clean sports as a complete no-go,” Proud told the BBC. “I don’t have any time for that. “The fact it’s still happening is a problem. It’ll always be a cat and mouse game, there will always be people developing new techniques or people getting away with things.
“That’s one thing that has ruined sport for a lot of people. The anti-doping agencies just don’t have the ability to completely make sure everyone is clean and on a level playing field, and that to me has always been the biggest frustration.
“If you were part of my life for the past 12, 13 years, you’d see how much time you have to allocate to making sure we’re available to be tested on a daily basis, making sure we’re constantly giving our samples.”
Proud is a world and European champion in the 50m freestyle and won silver for Great Britain at Paris 2024. His decision adds a high-profile name to the start-up league as it pushes into 2026 amid mounting regulatory and legal scrutiny of its model.
