Athletes are on a perennial mission to improve - by fractions of a second, by inches of ground. They train hard, work diligently on their fitness, and polish their skills in pursuit of excellence - chasing the most coveted title in the world of sports: an Olympic gold. Improvement is the buzzword, the motto, the motivation etched into every drop of sweat in an athlete’s daily grind. But while "improvement" is revered, "enhancement" is an altogether different beast. Improvement demands bodily and mental rigour.

Enhancement, however, is a taboo and banned - for it implies the use of performance-enhancing drugs, granting an unfair advantage to athletes. It violates the very soul of sport: human wellbeing, fair play, and the celebration of natural ability.

And yet, in defiance of everything sport holds sacred, comes the Enhanced Games - a provocative new event that does not bar athletes from doping, which has long been the cardinal sin of elite sport. These Games defy the established order, permitting athletes to chemically raise their performance. Only substances like cocaine and heroin are banned - a caveat that has ignited a firestorm of controversy.

The very idea challenges everything global sport has stood for, but do not mistake it for an underground circus. The Enhanced Games will be held in Las Vegas, USA, from May 21 to 24, 2026, and among its backers is none other than Donald Trump Jr. That alone should be enough to warn us: this is no ordinary event. Part of 1789 Capital, a firm also involving Omeed Malik and Chris Buskirk, Trump Jr.’s involvement has drawn global attention.

Drugs are not banned - and neither are the forbidden tools of modern sport: shoes enhancing speed, outlawed cycles and equipment. Everything prohibited in fair competition finds a warm welcome at the Enhanced Games. Ironically, the Games come just two years before the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles - an event where US President Donald Trump will be one of the top dignitaries in attendance. It is a paradox that cuts deep into the sporting conscience.

Science has long been a driving force behind the evolution of modern sport. A specialised field - sports science - has helped athletes train smarter, eat better, recover faster, and prevent injuries. The use of physiology, biomechanics, and psychology has become commonplace in modern sports, helping athletes push human boundaries while respecting their limits.

Yet, the Enhanced Games twist this very foundation. Their argument is this: if sport is about pushing limits, then why not embrace every scientific tool available - including banned substances to enhance the bodily ability?

Take Usain Bolt, for example. When he clocked a jaw-dropping 9.58 seconds to win the 100m gold at the 2009 World Athletics Championships in Berlin, the world stood in awe. The question lingered: how was that possible? Surely, it was not only bodily power that separated Bolt from the rest. Sports science aided his natural ability, but crucially, he achieved greatness without enhancement. Human ability varies not just in terms of skill, but also in height, weight, bone density, and energy efficiency - all contribute immensly to athletic performance. But the key lies in training to overcome those limits. Not in drugs.

But going against this ethos of sports, in May this year Greek swimmer Kristian Gkolomeev, an Olympian and World Championships silver medallist, competing under the Enhanced Games' permitted conditions, amplified his ability and went 0.02 seconds faster than the longstanding 50m freestyle world record set by César Cielo in 2009. But Gkolomeev's time was not recognised. Cielo’s record remains - earned clean, drug-free.

Although doping is permitted at the Enhanced Games, organisers claim that all use will be under medical supervision. Only substances approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will be allowed - a very different list from what the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) permits for elite athletes.

Australian businessman Aron D’Souza, the man behind the concept, does not think of it as a breakaway - but rather, a bold leap into the future. First launched in 2023, the Enhanced Games were presented as a chance for athletes to break world records for cash prizes of up to $1 million (£746,570).

The organisers have vowed to disrupt global sport, even declaring their event to be the “Olympics of the future”, where enhancement is embraced rather than punished. The prize money is seductive. In Las Vegas, every record-breaker will earn a million-dollar payday. That is a life-changing figure for many athletes. But World Athletics President Sebastian Coe minced no words: “No one within athletics takes the Enhanced Games seriously.” He called the event "moronic" and warned that any athlete who dares to compete will face lengthy bans.

Still, the allure remains. Enough athletes are expected to show up in Vegas, making it a potential spectacle for sports broadcasters, with TV and streaming rights already in the pipeline. Former world champion and Olympic medallist James Magnussen of Australia came out of retirement in 2024 to break world records.

To say the global sports establishment is rattled will not be wrong. The US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), which works in affiliation with WADA, has already issued warnings to athletes who are considering participation. In response, D’Souza lashed out, calling WADA an “anti-science police force for the International Olympic Committee.”

In a world hungry for records, the Enhanced Games promise speed and spectacle. D'Souza insisted that the drugs allowed in the Enhanced Games are safe. But safety is only part of the equation. The real question remains: Can sports exist without fair play, discipline, and respect for human ability?