A needle in the backside. Then one in the stomach — that one hurt less. Andriy Govorov, the 50m butterfly world record-holder, describes his first experience with performance-enhancing drugs with striking candor. “I was anxious,” the 34-year-old Ukrainian admits. “Because there’s no way back.” This is the reality behind the most controversial sporting event of the 21st century : the Enhanced Games in Las Vegas, scheduled for this Sunday at Resorts World.
Las Vegas hosts sport’s most explosive taboo
Forty-two athletes. Swimming, athletics, weightlifting. Roughly half of them are Olympians. The Enhanced Games doesn’t hide what it is — anabolic steroids, testosterone and human growth hormone are not just tolerated here, they’re expected. Critics have dubbed it the “Steroid Olympics,” and the label sticks.
Britain’s Ben Proud, who took silver in the 50m freestyle at the Paris Games, is competing. So is Fred Kerley, the 2022 world 100m champion and Paris 2024 bronze medallist. These aren’t fringe athletes chasing a last payday — they’re among the best in the world, and they’ve made a calculated bet.
The financial stakes are staggering. Proud earns a mid-six-figure annual salary just for being part of the Enhanced roster. Win both the 50m and 100m freestyle while breaking world records ? That’s an additional $2.5 million. For someone who was scraping by on UK lottery funding during his Paris preparation, that’s not a footnote — it’s a life-changing number.
Govorov’s situation is equally telling. When he broke his 50m butterfly world record at age 26, his only supplements were creatine and espresso. Now, aided by drugs and a swimsuit that would be banned in standard competition, he believes he can go faster. A sub-record swim would earn him $500,000 for roughly 20 seconds of work, on top of his existing salary. His verdict on the side effects so far ? “Oily skin, more pimples, some anxiety.” And, he adds pointedly : “I now have 10 times more financial benefit than I used to.”
| Athlete | Sport | Olympic achievement | Potential Enhanced Games earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ben Proud | Swimming | Paris 2024 silver (50m freestyle) | Up to $2.5M (+ base salary) |
| Fred Kerley | Athletics | Paris 2024 bronze (100m) | Undisclosed |
| Andriy Govorov | Swimming | 50m butterfly world record holder | Up to $1M+ |
The man betting billions on human enhancement
Christian Angermayer, 48, is the German billionaire co-founder behind the Enhanced Games. His track record : early stakes in bitcoin, biotech, and psychedelic medicine. He doesn’t drink. He’s gay. He owns the world’s largest triceratops skull, which he plans to display in his London apartment. He is, by any measure, not a conventional figure.
His pitch for the Enhanced Games goes beyond sport. Angermayer sees it as a launchpad for a consumer biotech revolution. His website already sells testosterone cream, peptides, and human growth hormone — all FDA-approved, he’s quick to note. His argument is direct : “Products that slow or reverse ageing, tap into human vanity, and measurably improve health, performance and happiness have a 100% total addressable market.”
The business model is transparent to the point of being blunt. When asked whether the whole thing is ultimately about selling products, Angermayer simply says : “Yes.” He wants hundreds of millions of viewers — not watching four-hour broadcasts, but consuming viral clips on social media, then clicking through to his store.
On the political front, early backers included Donald Trump Jr. and Peter Thiel, which led to accusations that the Enhanced Games is a MAGA-adjacent project. Angermayer rejects that framing entirely. “Science is not political. Sport is not political.” Whether that claim holds under scrutiny is another matter.
Health risks that traditional sport refuses to ignore
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has been unequivocal in its opposition, calling the Enhanced Games “a dangerous and irresponsible concept.” Its position isn’t ideological posturing — it points to a documented history of serious long-term harm, including athlete deaths linked to prohibited substances.
Testosterone alone — the most widely used banned substance in sport — carries a well-documented risk profile :
- Increased risk of hypertension, heart attack, and blood clots
- Infertility and testicular shrinkage
- Elevated aggression, anxiety, and depression
Angermayer’s counterargument ? Alcohol and sugary drinks cause comparable or worse damage, yet society accepts them freely. “I’m a conservative libertarian,” he says. “Freedom only makes sense with knowledge.” He argues that medical supervision transforms these substances from dangers into tools — and provocatively suggests that even a Coke should require a doctor’s sign-off.
WADA fires back : FDA approval doesn’t equal safety. The agency’s point is precise — regulatory clearance for a substance in a clinical context is not the same as endorsing its use by elite athletes pushing physiological limits under competition pressure.
Govorov, who holds a master’s degree in political science, frames his choice as informed and autonomous. “It’s not a blind overuse of enhancements,” he insists. He underwent health checks, received a full briefing on risks and benefits, and made his decision. Whether that consent framework is sufficient protection — or merely a legal shield for the organizers — is the question regulators are still asking as the starting gun approaches.
