Drug testing is one of the pillars of modern professional sports, but what if it wasn’t? That’s the question that the 2026 Enhanced Games—an event where athletes are permitted to use performance-enhancing substances under medical supervision—is asking. As it turns out though, most elite athletes are uninterested in the answer; it’s a betrayal of what everything competition stands for. And amongst the loudest dissenters stands the three-time Olympic champion, Sarah Sjöström, who’s been staunchly against any kind of unfair sporting advantage.

In an interview, Sjöström described the Enhanced Games project as “very unfortunate.” She stressed that the idea of investing money into a drug-enhanced competition undermines the essence of fair play, especially as the event will also permit the use of super-suits. Swimming’s super-suit era of 2009-10, was when polyurethane swimsuits (LZR suits) were banned for artificially boosting speed. These suits disrupted swimming in 2008-09, when 43 world records fell before the technology was banned.

Needless to say, she didn’t hold back in taking aim at the project and those signing up for it, including the first British athlete to join the controversial Enhanced Games, Ben Proud. For Sarah Sjöström, the lure of records or prize money didn’t justify compromising integrity, be it by using banned substances or the super-suit, which she suggested swimmers like Proud might use in favor of PEDs in an attempt to test the limits and set a world record. That, in turn, would net them the event’s $1m WR bonus.

She continued, “I’ve blocked and unfollowed every athlete who decided to participate in the Enhanced Games. I can’t stand seeing that topic on SNS anymore… I’m truly disappointed from the bottom of my heart. It’s not worth the attention, and it’s better to just not talk about it.”

True to her word, Sjöström no longer follows Proud on Instagram.

The Swede, unhappy with the 8 swimmers who have signed up, believed that the solution to the problem was to restrict attention. “What I wish is that they don’t get so much media attention because they don’t deserve it. The problem is that if they get media attention, maybe there will be even more money for these athletes who choose to join,” she explained.

Amongst the eight is the aforementioned Olympic silver medalist, Proud, who explicitly stated that his motivation for signing on was financial. “It would have taken me 13 years of winning a World Championship title in order to win what I could win in one race at this games,” said the Briton.

As for Sjöström, her Olympic gold and over 20 World Championship medals mean her voice carries weight beyond the pool. Having competed clean through multiple eras of innovation, she knows how fragile credibility can be once the rules shift. As the Enhanced Games continue to court controversy, her stance is clear. Technology and chemistry may change sport’s pace, but they should never define its integrity.

So, why did Ben Proud step into the controversial waters? And will his decision have repercussions?

The reasons behind Ben Proud’s move to the Enhanced Games

Ben Proud is a World and European champion in the 50m freestyle and a silver medalist at the 2024 Paris Olympics. But his choice marks a sharp turn from the traditional sporting path. By signing up, Proud will be barred from international competition, effectively ending his eligibility under clean-sport regulations. In an interview with BBC Sport, Proud defended his move, claiming the Enhanced Games offered “a new opportunity to continue this pursuit and see how far I can take things.”

“In reality, us athletes in the Olympic program don’t earn enough money to retire off the back of this and I am always seeking something that can see me through a bit longer,” continued Proud. For reference, the Enhanced Games offer a $1m bonus for breaking a world record, alongside $250,000 for a win. At this year’s World Aquatics Championships in Singapore, swimmers earned $20,000 for winning a race with an overall prize money pool of $6,000,300. The Enhanced Games, by contrast, will have a prize pot of $500,000 per event.

Regardless of his motivations, Proud’s decision and subsequent explanation have drawn widespread backlash from governing bodies, many of which viewed his participation as a direct threat to the integrity of elite competition. Both Aquatics GB and UK Sport issued strong condemnations following the announcement: Aquatics GB stated they were “immensely disappointed,” reaffirming their “firm stance behind the values and principles of clean sport.” 

For an athlete once celebrated as Britain’s sprinting pride, Proud’s decision has now positioned him at the center of one of the most divisive debates in modern athletics. And now, with Sarah Sjöström joining in on the criticism, it’s a question of how big all the dissent and backlash will snowball into.