S1: From the newsrooms of the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.
S1: This is the morning edition. I'm Samantha Salinger Morris. It's Thursday,
S1: May 22nd. For decades, global sporting events like the Olympics
S1: and the tour de France have been rocked by doping
S1: scandals that each time elicited a collective gasp. How was
S1: this a fair test of athletic greatness if some people
S1: were using performance enhancing drugs? But there's a new event
S1: that will turn all of that on its head, where
S1: athletes will compete while intentionally on performance enhancing drugs. Announced
S1: this morning, the enhanced games, as they're called, will take
S1: place in Las Vegas next year. The prize money has
S1: already drawn top athletes, including Australian swimmer and Olympic medallist
S1: James Magnussen. Today, sports reporter Tom Dreesen talks through one
S1: of the most provocative and polarizing sporting concepts in recent history.
S1: I said, Tom, these games have just been announced this
S1: morning in the sort of lavish event that you might
S1: expect in Las Vegas. So tell me about this event
S1: and the games themselves. What are they?
S2: Yeah. So the enhanced games has been a concept that's
S2: been on the radar for about 15 months or so.
S2: Aaron DeSouza, who's an Australian entrepreneur and lawyer, um, has
S2: founded these games, which are effectively the steroid Olympics, whereby
S2: athletes can take performance enhancing drugs and compete against each
S2: other for prize money. Now it all seems a little
S2: bit wild and wacky, but we've had a final unveiling and, um, yeah.
S2: The first enhanced games will take place on May 20th
S2: 1 to 24 in Vegas next year.
S3: It is the self-described Olympics of the future.
S4: Listen to this. A drug friendly competition similar to the
S4: Olympics could soon be a reality.
S5: I don't think that athletes want to be the fastest
S5: natural man in the world. They just want to be
S5: the fastest.
S2: But interestingly, clean athletes will be allowed to compete as well,
S2: so there's a whole lot of hurdles to overcome races
S2: in swimming, athletics, Weightlifting, but it's all systems go. And
S2: as you could imagine, there's a lot of. Discussion around
S2: this for obvious reasons.
S1: Okay. So let's get into this because you mentioned that
S1: the founder is an Australian lawyer and entrepreneur. So why
S1: has he launched this? Like what's the goal here?
S2: The goal is to see what the human body can
S2: achieve with medicine. Now, this is not as cowboy as
S2: you might expect. There's a lot of really, um, seasoned
S2: and highly regarded health professionals who are on board with this.
S2: There's a medical board that they have which sits, you know,
S2: aside at basically making sure these athletes aren't taking illegal
S2: substances or substances that they think will seriously harm their
S2: long term health. Now, that's all debatable. As you would imagine.
S2: I'm no health professional, but the idea being is that
S2: the Olympic Games don't pay athletes prize money for their
S2: gold medals and medals. Um, so they would like to
S2: create a bit of a disruptor and just see what, um,
S2: substances can do to the human body and see what
S2: the limit is on athlete performance.
S1: Okay. So let's get into the money side of things,
S1: because so far, the big announcement out of this launch
S1: is that a Greek swimmer, Kristian Golomeev, has broken the
S1: 50 meter freestyle world record while under the influence of
S1: performance enhancing drugs. It was a stunt that was part
S1: of this launch. So tell us about what he earned
S1: by doing this and just how big a deal this is.
S2: So it started probably in February last year when James Magnussen,
S2: a former Australian Olympian, came out and said he would, quote,
S2: juiced to the gills if they gave him a million
S2: bucks to try and break the 50m freestyle world record. Um,
S2: Aaron DeSouza came on board and said, awesome, let's sign
S2: him up. Let's do it. So James has been in
S2: heavy training since October, taking substances to try and get
S2: that world record, which is pretty wild when you consider
S2: he's been out of competition since 2019.
S6: 32 year old Australian swimmer and Olympic silver medallist James
S6: Magnussen is the biggest name to express interest.
S7: As far as my athletic peak. History says that it's
S7: behind me. The enhanced games say it's not. Let's find out.
S2: And the Christian has come along. A Greek swimmer who
S2: competed for Greece in the last Olympics in the 50m freestyle.
S2: He's also been on enhancements. Um, and after some training
S2: he was wearing a suit that he's banned at the Olympics.
S2: So there's a little bit of a caveat there. Like
S2: it's not a like for like comparison. But that was
S2: the agreement. And he broke the world record by a
S2: couple of hundredths of a second and pocketed a million
S2: US for his troubles. So the fact that that will
S2: be seen around the world shows that this is a
S2: real thing.
S1: Okay. So this is making headlines, but it's led me
S1: to have to ask, you know, are these games just
S1: one massive advertisement for performance enhancing drugs? Like, is this
S1: just an attempt to rid them of a taboo that
S1: has long been associated with them?
S2: Yeah. Their argument is that so many athletes already take
S2: performance enhancing drugs and aren't caught that they believe. Why not?
S2: We just open the floodgates now, you could debate that
S2: as well. And I would imagine that the world Anti-Doping
S2: agency and the International Olympic Committee would come out and
S2: absolutely distance themselves from an event like this. They already have.
S2: But I think it poses a very interesting, interesting and
S2: morally divisive question around which athletes will compete. What is
S2: the limit and pushing it too far as well. Important
S2: to note, the enhanced games have said that they want
S2: to know what drugs people are taking, and there are
S2: some banned substances that they won't permit in order to
S2: make sure it is quite as healthy as possible. But, um,
S2: I struggle to see how that can be the case.
S1: And so what sort of performance enhancing drugs are we
S1: talking about here that the athletes are likely to be taking?
S2: Yeah. So the enhanced games say that their athletes aren't
S2: obliged to outline what drugs they're taking. Um, but Magnuson
S2: has said that he's taking peptides and testosterone where his
S2: main two amongst a number of other things that were
S2: topped up. So it will vary, as I said. And, um, yeah,
S2: illegal substances won't be allowed. So like your hard stuff
S2: like cocaine, heroin, all that stuff is not going to
S2: be allowed. But that is um, it's on a, on
S2: a case by case basis. Enhanced games have said we
S2: can either do your supplements if you want, or you
S2: can get an independent doctor to do them. And um,
S2: but obviously transparency in terms of letting them know what
S2: you're taking is paramount.
S1: And so are we hearing from any voices out there
S1: who are concerned about, you know, the inherent health risks
S1: or any risks really associated with doing this.
S2: For sure. There's been medical professionals in the last year,
S2: 15 months who've outlined concerns about that as well. And
S2: I think now that it is confirmed that it is
S2: going to happen will trigger more as well. I reckon
S2: there'll be athletes as well who are clean, who would
S2: be absolutely, um, reluctant to go anywhere near that kind
S2: of thing, you know, fearing what could happen to their
S2: bodies long term. But yeah, like, it'll, it'll, it'll kick
S2: up a stink, that's for sure. And understandably, there'll be
S2: a lot of criticism. But Aaron De Sousa and his
S2: team are pretty confident they can handle those questions and
S2: believe that it is going to be safe.
S1: And so I've got to ask, I mean, where is
S1: the money actually coming to fund these games? Like do
S1: companies that produce performance enhancing drugs profit like are they
S1: investors here?
S2: A lot of investors. Yeah. So there's like gold silver
S2: bronze tier investors. You've got Peter Thiel who's the co-founder
S2: of PayPal, Donald Trump Junior. The list goes on. In
S2: terms of people who have signed up from 15 months
S2: ago and said, we believe in this project. We believe
S2: that there will be enough eyeballs and interest on this
S2: once a year for the enhanced games to to draw
S2: crowds draw broadcast revenue. And realistically, if you could get
S2: a pool of athletes who are clean and doping into
S2: the one event, you actually could have, um, you know,
S2: super athletes versus clean athletes competing against each other, which
S2: also adds another layer of complexity and fascination.
S1: But are there companies that actually produce performance enhancing drugs
S1: that are investing in this? Do we know?
S2: It's a great question. We need to probably check with
S2: them on that. Um, but yeah, there are certainly, um,
S2: big pharmaceutical companies that have been giving athletes substances already.
S2: I know James was involved with one of them. Um,
S2: but a lot of these drugs as well aren't you
S2: can't use them if you want to compete in the Olympics.
S2: But they're not actually illegal substances, so they're prescription from doctors.
S2: A lot of them.
S1: Yeah. I guess I'm just wondering, like, you know, is
S1: this just a brazen cash grab? Because the the the
S1: automatic question you ask if you step back is okay, well,
S1: who's profiting from this? Like, it sounds like a bit
S1: of an advertisement for performance enhancing drugs, right. So that's
S1: why I'm just like, hmm, who's making money off this?
S2: I think it would be fascinating to dive into all
S2: the investors for sure, and some of them are keeping, um,
S2: private and out of the limelight. So yeah, it'd be
S2: fascinating to once all the the noise dies down that
S2: this is actually going to happen, dive into what is
S2: the vested interests of those investors.
S1: It's a lot to ask you because to be clear
S1: to the listeners, we're actually recording this the day before
S1: this even launches. So we don't know that just yet.
S1: But I have to ask, what do Australian athletes think
S1: about this? Like, what are you hearing from them already?
S2: Spoken to a few and they're very curious. Obviously the
S2: enhanced games concept has been on the radar for 15 months.
S2: So they've, as I said, skepticism about whether it would happen. Um,
S2: Australian athletes have a proud history of not doping, of course,
S2: and taking performance enhancing drugs is banned at the Olympics
S2: and other major competitions. But a lot of them are wondering, well, um,
S2: if I'm clean, why can't I go and compete? What
S2: would stop me doing that? To try and earn prize money. Hence,
S2: games have said that if, for example, Cameron McEvoy, who
S2: is the fastest man through water in the 50m freestyle event,
S2: won a gold medal in Paris if he was to
S2: come in wearing a super suit as well, um, Clean
S2: and break that world record, he'd be $1 million richer.
S2: So I wonder what cam McEvoy would think about it all.
S1: We'll be right back. Another interesting thing about this is
S1: that Australians are sort of at the heart of this
S1: controversial sporting event. It isn't just the game's founder who
S1: you already mentioned, but we know that Australian Olympian James Magnussen, swimmer,
S1: he has come on board. There's also a swimming coach,
S1: I believe his name is Brett Hawke. He's also come
S1: on board, but let's get into Magnussen. Why is he participating?
S2: I think Maggie, throughout his career doesn't really care what
S2: people think of him. Uh, before the 2012 London Olympic Games, he, um,
S2: basically was really brazen about his attempt to win a
S2: gold medal and was very confident about it. And he
S2: fell short by the smallest of margins. So I don't
S2: think he really cares about what people think. I think
S2: he said it quite flippantly on a podcast as a
S2: joke to begin with, that he would juiced to the
S2: gills for a million bucks, and then Aaron D'Souza's ears
S2: pricked up and said, cool, let's come on, James. And
S2: he had to be convinced by them that it was
S2: going to be safe. And he to stress, I've interviewed
S2: James about this. He's had, um, weekly checkups with doctors,
S2: health screenings, uh, still getting that in Australia at the moment.
S2: So he's like very, very on top of what he's
S2: putting into his body and doesn't believe that it's going
S2: to have long term effects. But yeah, he's he's front
S2: and centre. But obviously now that Christian has come on
S2: and broken the world record, he'll be the face of it.
S2: But James will compete in the next games as well.
S2: And Brett Hawke, an Australian based over there in the
S2: US as well, who's looking after those two. As a coach.
S1: We know that Magnussen gave you an exclusive interview and
S1: it's a great feature. I encourage all the listeners to
S1: read it. And, you know, he says he doesn't worry
S1: about what other people think, but I have to quote
S1: him in your piece. He said, I never thought I'd
S1: be sticking a needle with testosterone into my bum at
S1: any point in my life. And it has to be
S1: said that Magnussen throughout his entire swimming career, I've learned
S1: this from your writing. He fought for a clean sport.
S1: So why this one? 80 from him?
S2: It's a great question. His view is that it's a
S2: completely separate event and entity and it's something different. And
S2: obviously money talks, right? So James was never found guilty
S2: of taking any performance enhancing substance when he was a
S2: swimmer and a very decorated swimmer and absolutely a champion
S2: of clean sport. But I guess his argument is that
S2: in a world where anti-aging space is rising, and there
S2: are ways where people are trying to see what effects
S2: substances can have on the body in terms of performance
S2: and just general well-being. He was really intrigued by it
S2: as well. And yeah, to stress as well, it is
S2: a very, very, um, sincere and like, well thought out project.
S2: These guys are big dogs who haven't just done this
S2: on a whim where, um, they're just trying to get
S2: people to take steroids from the local guy down the street.
S2: This is like, all pretty above board, um, in their opinion.
S2: And there are lots of things you can read on
S2: the website, which I would encourage you to do before making,
S2: like just a straight opinion. I'm not heavily opinionated on
S2: it each way, I'm just barracking for the yarn because
S2: I think it'll be so interesting when it happens.
S1: Oh it is. It's absolutely fascinating. And you mentioned Australian
S1: swimming Olympic champion cam McEvoy just before. And we know
S1: that James Magnussen, he's told you that he is urging
S1: athletes like McAvoy clean athletes to join him next year
S1: at these enhanced games. So surely clean athletes would totally
S1: avoid an event like this. Like, wouldn't they? Or would
S1: this be something of a challenge? I don't know.
S2: I think prize money is the significant factor. Like these
S2: swimmers and athletic stars aren't paid the same money that
S2: footy players are, or soccer players around the world. Tennis, golf,
S2: you name it. So prize money is an issue in
S2: some of these sports. Like for example, if you win
S2: an Olympic gold medal, you don't earn any money from
S2: the International Olympic Committee. If you win a World Championship
S2: gold medal, you make about $15,000 for that. Now, if
S2: you were offering incentives for people to win prize money
S2: at these enhanced games, and as well, the enhanced games
S2: are saying that they will pay appearance fees as well.
S2: So everyone who goes gets paid. So I think money talks,
S2: you could argue that it is in, in some respects
S2: a little bit like Liv golf in terms of the
S2: disruptor that that was in terms of prying away some
S2: of the sport's best talent. It'll be interesting to see
S2: who goes. I think that there will be roadblocks for
S2: them competing in it, but I can categorically say that
S2: they are interested, but they're just waiting to see what
S2: comes of this announcement that's happening today.
S1: And, you know, James Magnussen told you he thinks a
S1: flood of athletes are going to be coming over to
S1: the enhanced games in year two. So do you think
S1: he's right? Because surely this would represent a breaking of
S1: a major taboo, I think, over using performance enhancing drugs.
S2: I think someone in Christian's case, he competed at four
S2: Olympic Games, was at the end of his career, never
S2: won an Olympic medal, was a very good swimmer. Made
S2: the final in Paris in the 50m freestyle. I think
S2: it could entice athletes through at the end of their
S2: career and as a bit of a free hit at
S2: the end, rather than your like 17, 18 year old
S2: up and coming stars. Um, but yeah, it'll be fascinating.
S2: I don't think, James. I mean, look, he's obviously the
S2: figurehead and selling it and wants people to come very,
S2: very quickly. But I do think that if it is
S2: sustainable and goes to three, four, five years and they
S2: can build the build a profile up a bit. I
S2: think that's more when we might see athletes come across
S2: rather than this first one in in Las Vegas next May.
S1: And finally, Tom, just to wrap up, I have to
S1: ask you, you know, whether an event like this is
S1: a sign that, you know, rules around the use of
S1: drugs in major sporting events like the Olympics could be relaxed?
S1: Or is this, do you think, just destined to be
S1: an isolated phenomenon?
S2: I think it could be its own little freak show
S2: on the side that, um, people will watch and, you know,
S2: people at the pub and I've got mates who have said, oh,
S2: it would be so interesting to see what would happen
S2: if you gave performance enhancing drugs to the fastest men
S2: in the world and women and swimmers as well. So
S2: this is what the Enhanced Games wants to do. They're
S2: not trying to go toe to toe with the Olympics,
S2: and they believe that that has a right and a
S2: place in in society. And for what? It's all it's
S2: worth and it's history, but I think it's going to
S2: be absorbing to watch if it gets up off the ground.
S2: They're hoping for about 100 athletes in about three different
S2: sports in Vegas. So but yeah, like it will cause
S2: ripples across the sporting world. Well.
S1: Well, it's an absolutely fascinating story to keep watch on.
S1: So thank you so much, Tom, for your time.
S2: No worries.
S1: Today's episode of The Morning Edition was produced by Tammy Mills,
S1: with technical assistance by Josh towers. Tom McKendrick is our
S1: head of audio. To listen to our episodes as soon
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S1: Links are in the show. Notes. I'm Samantha Selinger. Morris.
S1: Thanks for listening.