When the Enhanced Games were unveiled, many thought it was destined to fail. After all, it’s an event where performance-enhancing substances are allowed and no drug testing exists, a controversial playground for elite athletes. Yet, it’s already making headlines for its high-profile participants. Fred Kerley, the brash American sprint star, became its first superstar and the league’s unmistakable face. Now, the roster is growing bolder, with French powerhouse Mouhamadou Fall joining the ranks, setting the stage for more drama.

Fall is currently serving an 18-month ban for an anti-doping rule violation that only expires next year, which isn’t a barrier to entry for the Enhanced Games. This Thursday, the Enhanced Games announced that Fall would be its first-ever French signing. And in the men’s 100m dash, he’s set to line up alongside none other than Fred Kerley, the 2022 world champion, marking a headline-making reunion of speed and controversy.

“I have dedicated my life to running, and I believe in pushing the boundaries of what is possible,” Fall said in his press release. “The Enhanced Games offer a stage where athletes can explore their full potential, free from restrictions that stifle peak performance.” Current ban aside, the former French national champion’s career has been marred by controversies after he was hit by two doping bans for as many years. After testing positive for the banned stimulant heptaminol in July 2023, he was sidelined for nine months (April 2024–January 2025).

But before he could return, another blow landed: the aforementioned 18-month ban in September 2024 for missing three drug tests within a year. The bans wiped away 2 years off his career (2022-2024), and his results from half of 2022 as well as 2023 and 2024 were struck off.

After those setbacks, the inaugural Enhanced Games on May 24, 2026, gives Fall the chance to compete even before his official doping ban ends in July 2026. “Signing Mouhamadou Fall is a huge milestone, bringing the first French athlete into the fold,” Maximilian Martin, CEO of the Enhanced Games, said in the press release.

He further added, “His caliber as a national champion and international relay competitor continues to raise the level of our 100m race, which we are committed to making the fastest in history. Fall’s addition underscores our vision of a transparent competition that celebrates peak athletic performance.”  

With a $500,000 prize pool (including $250,000 for winners), lucrative appearance bonuses, and a staggering US$1 million bonus for breaking the 100m world record, the league has it all; however, the experts believe that it won’t be sustainable in the long run.

“I don’t think enhanced games are going to be successful,” said Carl Lewis

The Enhanced Games are controversial by design, yet athletes like Fred Kerley are already signing up. Is this the new normal? Speaking at New Delhi’s Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, legendary American sprinter Carl Lewis pointed to social media as a driver of the frenzy. “So much of the world depends on what’s fake… I think that the bigger issue is we have to be realistic and honest about what we’re doing,” Lewis told EssentiallySports.

He further added, “The reason why we can even talk about whatever those games–Enhanced Games– is because people have been talking about it for years. ‘Oh, let everyone take what they want.’ And the world just shuts them down. But now we’re in a world where, ‘Oh, it doesn’t really matter as long as I’m famous.” To Lewis, the Enhanced Games do not represent a singular anomaly; rather, they reflect a deeper cultural decay in which authenticity is traded for a fleeting pursuit of fame.

He warned that the hype reflects a society obsessed with showiness over substance and doubted the league’s longevity. “I don’t think enhanced games are going to be successful because what corporation would want to align themselves with it? Because who do you sell products to? Families and kids.” According to Lewis, the organization will eventually learn the consequences of trying to game the system. But will his prediction hold?