Home

Swimming

“They Are Threatened”: Enhanced Games CEO Fires at Olympic Swimmer for Recalling a Horrifying Moment

Published 03/20/2024, 10:08 AM EDT

Follow Us

The Enhanced Games, parallel to the prestigious Olympic Games, mark a significant departure from traditional sporting conventions. While the Olympics uphold stringent anti-doping regulations to ensure clean and fair play, Australian entrepreneur Aron D’Souza’s brainchild takes a bold stance by allowing the use of performance-enhancing substances without restraint.

Most recently, the Australian Sports Commission chief executive and four-time Olympic medalist swimmer recounted a tragic incident from history to highlight the repercussions of doping. In response, Aron D’Souza, CEO of the Enhanced Games, has lambasted the Olympian for his remarks.

Enhanced Games CEO Aron D’Souza slams Olympic champion and Australian Sports Commission chief executive

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

According to the Australian Associated Press, Aron D’Souza, the head of Enhanced Games, is criticizing what he perceives as a “smear campaign” against his event. He accuses Kieren Perkins, the Olympic champion and head of the Australian Sports Commission, of being part of this campaign. D’Souza argued that Perkins and others are resistant to change because they benefit financially from the current system. Days ago, Kieren Perkins shared the horrifying consequences of doping in sports, recalling the heartbreaking death of an athlete.

Trending

Get instantly notified of the hottest Swimming stories via Google! Click on Follow Us and Tap the Blue Star.

Follow Us

In reply, D’Souza dismisses Perkins’ and other Olympic officials’ concerns, saying, “They are threatened and that’s why they resort to using such outrageous inflammatory language,” and suggests they lack valid arguments, resorting to inflammatory language to discredit Enhanced Games. As we ponder this argument by Enhanced Games CEO Aron D’Souza, let’s examine the awareness Kieren Perkins raised.

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

Kieren Perkins’ stance

According to the Guardian, at the SportNXT conference in Melbourne, Kieren Perkins expressed concerns about the Enhanced Games. When probed by Tracey Holmes about his stance on Olympic swimmer James Magnussen’s involvement in the contentious event, Perkins opted not to address Magnussen but issued a stern caution regarding the perils of doping. He dismisses the idea of the enhanced games as “laughable” and stresses the potential risks involved.

Perkins even mentioned the history of drug-related deaths in sports, such as the case of Danish cyclist Knud Jensen at the 1960 Olympic Games, which led to the modern drug-testing movement. He shared, “The reason why drugs in sport were banned is because a cyclist fell off his bike and died.”

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

Perkins even expressed doubts about whether the Enhanced Games will take place, questioning the wisdom of such an event and its potential impact on society. Meanwhile, Aron D’Souza, the founder of Enhanced Games, has stated that the event will proceed in 2025, despite criticism. What are your thoughts on this ongoing debate? Share your insights below!

2X Olympian Describes Josh Kerr and Jakob Ingebrigtsen’s Rivalry As ‘Exciting’ Weeks Before the Legends Clash

SHARE THIS ARTICLE :

Written by:

Christaline Meyers

1,167Articles

One take at a time

Christaline Meyers is a senior Olympics writer at EssentiallySports who specializes in gymnastics and alpine skiing. Christaline is one of the acclaimed authorities in the coverage of 6x All-Around champion, Simone Biles. She has written extensively, covering every detail of Biles’s life stories as well as providing her perspective on Simone Biles’ Yurchenko Double Pike controversy.
Show More>

Edited by:

Sampurna Pal