The lure of profit is a powerful driving force, even forcing some athletes to do anything. Former Australian swimming champion James Magnussen said he was ready, in a newspaper column on Saturday 10 February. AustralianTaking doping substances to attempt to break the world record in the 50m freestyle and thus pocketing the one million dollar (1.08 million euro) prize promised as part of the Enhanced Games.
The competition project announced in 2023 by Australian businessman Aaron D’Souza is supported by venture capital investors. No date or location has been announced at this time. The Games, where participants will be authorized to use banned substances to achieve unprecedented performance, should include five main categories: athletics, aquatics, gymnastics, strength and combat. Not subject to World Anti-Doping Agency rules, performance achieved in advanced sports cannot be allowed.
James Magnussen, 32, world champion in the 100m freestyle in 2011 and 2013 and retired from the pool since 2018, is the first famous athlete to say he is ready to join the highly controversial project, which is considered a bad joke by various authorities. Fight against doping.
“Surrounded by good doctors”
“To be completely transparent, money plays an important role. The price tag of AU$1.6 million is hard to ignore. It’s not every day retired players get opportunities like this. The swimmer explains. Who, touched with a little disdain, adds all: “If someone had asked me to do this during my swimming career, my answer would have been completely different than it is today. »
Magnussen intends to attack the 50m freestyle record (20”91), set in 2009 by Brazil’s Cesar Cielo, who wore a high-tech suit that was banned at the time. The Australian’s personal best is 21”52.
The latter insists that he will not take any risk for his health. “I want to be surrounded by good doctors and good medical care. I want to do it right”, he explained. “Rightly”, then, but certainly not rightly.
