Usain Bolt is the fastest man alive, right? He holds records in the 100 meter, 200 meter, and 4×100 meter, plus he won gold in the 100 meter and 200 meter in three consecutive Olympics. Though he retired in 2017, his dominance still stands, and there’s likely very few people around the world who don’t know his name. But is he actually the fastest man alive? According to promotional material for the newest international competition, the answer is NO.
Australian business man Aaron D’Souza has plans to retell the story of human potential. This time, rather than sticking to a clean international sports competition, he hopes to run a drug-test-free event, allowing athletes to essentially take whatever steroids they want to get an edge in their event.
Goals for the “Enhanced Games” are stated as encouraging enhancements and bodily autonomy, creating an event catered to modern audiences, focusing solely on funding from the private sector, the reuse of existing sports stadiums, fair pay towards athletes, and, of course, the breaking of world records.
The organization’s website calls out International Olympic Committee (IOC) members and directors of drug testing agencies around the world for promoting “anti-science mandates”. They also ask that anyone who anyone who may have incriminating evidence related to the IOC leaks it to the Enhanced games.
“As a direct result of oppressive and discriminatory anti-science activities, human progress has been restricted. These men have vilified enhanced pioneers. Discriminatory malfeasance needs to be brought to the light.” – Enhanced Games
A marketing video for the event claims to show an athlete who’s already broken Usain Bolt’s records, but hasn’t been revealed to the public because “the world isn’t ready for him.” The video asks for the publics help in embracing science and stoping hate towards “enhanced athletes.”
“I can’t show you my face. I am a proud enhanced athlete. The Olympics hate me. I need your help to come out. I need your help to stop hate. I need your help for the world to embrace science.”
According to the National Institutes of Health, anabolic steroids, the most common performance enhancing drugs abused by athletes, can cause severe, irreversible damage to the body. Risk of early heart attacks, strokes, liver tumors, kidney failure, and psychiatric problems is increased when taking the drugs, and attempting to quit often leads to depression and relapses.
“We know next to nothing about this organization but sport needs to be clean and it needs to be safe for all athletes. The Australian Olympic Committee believes the concept of a drug enhanced games is both dangerous and irresponsible.” – Australian Olympic Committee chief executive Matt Carroll according to the Associated Press
Featured Image by Shinnosuke Ando on Unsplash