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Australian superstar swimmer James Magnussen is going to give his all in the Enhanced Games. Magnussen, who has had the honor of winning three Olympic medals, retired from the sport in June 2019. However, as things stand currently, he is all set to make his return to the waters soon. While playing for Australia, Magnussen held a personal best record of 21.52s ranking him fourth on the Australian list of swimmers. Magnussen was behind the likes of Eomon Sullivan, Ashley Callus, and Mcameron McEvon. 

Almost six years have gone by since his retirement. While most fans may be wondering how much physical conditioning the 32-year-old has, they would be surprised after hearing that his return involves some secret ingredients. In a recent revelation, the swimmer has advocated for a tournament that has been facing backlash for a long time. 

James Magnussen advocates for Enhanced Games

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James Magnussen will be a part of the highly controversial Enhanced Games. In a recently released trailer footage for the Rob McElhenney and Ridley Scott Associate backed event, Magnussen was spotted openly advocating for the Enhanced Games. Besides making his fans aware of his participation, Magnussen also urged other athletes to join the tournament. 

The X update from the official account of Enhanced Games also offered to pay $100k to all the athletes who get a confirmed spot for the Games. Speaking in the video, Magnussen stated, “The Enhanced Games is not just another sporting event folks. It’s a revolution. A chance for athletes like you and me to push the limits.” 

 

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For the uninitiated, Enhanced Games or E+ Games is a private sports league backed by top businessmen from all across the globe. The uniqueness of the tournament is the fact that the athletes are free to use any amount of performance-enhancing drugs to up their game. In fact, their official website also terms the league as the “Olympics of the future.” However, while Magnussen’s inclusion in such a league might shock many, he has his justifications ready. 

James Magnussen doing it for money

After the launch of the E+ Games, Magnussen was one of the very first athletes to have signed up for the event. Well, there’s a reason for that. The authorities at the Enhanced Games have promised a sum of 1 million dollars for anyone who would break the world record. And surely enough, Magnussen will try to grab the money by breaking the 50m freestyle record, a discipline that he was skilled at. 

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Elaborating on his reasoning, the Australian said, If someone had asked me to do this during my swimming career, my answer would have been very different, but today I have been out of the sport for six years. The money is a big part of it. AU$1.6 million (€967,000) is hard to ignore. Retired athletes don’t get opportunities like this.” Thus, with the alleged “revolution” knocking at the door, it will be interesting to see how the Enhanced Games pans out. 

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