Whatever its legitimacy, the organizers of the Enhanced Games know how to grab attention. A launch on Wednesday was accompanied by a glossy one-hour film, a sales platform for prescription performance enhancers and the claim of a new 50-meters freestyle world record by Greek swimmer Kristian Gkolomeev.

“He should be retired, but in fact, he’s swimming faster than any human being has ever done so. Why? Because he used technology and science to enhance his performance,” boasted founder Aron D’Souza.

“Once the world realizes that, I think everyone is going to want it. Every middle-aged guy who once played competitive sport and is now suffering from back pain is going to say, ‘What is he on and how do I get it?’”

Gkolomeev, who has failed to reach the podium in his four Olympic performances, will not be credited by any official body for a number of reasons; there is no independent adjudication, he was wearing an inline full-body open water suit that falls outside World Aquatics standards and, most pertinently, there was no doping control. In fact, performance-enhancing drugs are demanded by organizers who also claim Gkolomeev broke another world record in jammers, shorts which are allowed in the Olympics.

Has a world record really been broken?

Not in any meaningful sense. World Aquatics, who govern swimming, have been as dismissive of the Enhanced Games as most of their fellow sporting bodies.

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“The Enhanced Games are not a sporting competition built on universal values like honesty, fairness and equity: they are a circus, built on shortcuts,” read a statement from swimming’s global governing body.

While it’s apparent that Gkolomeev was doped, it is not clear what with. The Enhanced Games have not revealed what substances the 31-year-old took, citing personal confidentiality, despite consistently promising transparency.

What is the point of the Enhanced Games?

Much of the promotion has been around two things – money and drugs. At Wednesday’s launch, D’Souza revealed that the first event would feature four swimming races, four athletics sprints and a weightlifting competition. Each event winner is to receive $500,000 (€440,000) with a $1 million bonus for world records in the 50-meters freestyle and 100-meter sprint and $250,000 for other world records.

Investors including Donald Trump Jr., Paypal co-founder Peter Thiel, German tech investor Christian Angermayer and former Coinbase Chief Technology Officer Balaji Srinivasan will hope to profit from the organization’s “Telehealth Platform” it says will launch in August in a number of US states. The website currently offers “priority access” to a “fully tailored enhancement plan” for a fee of $99. The Enhanced Games say this is all legal with most banned substances in high-level sport available on prescription in the United States. They also insist they will go by the book.

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When will the Enhanced Games take place?

While the drug-selling aspect of the Enhanced Games will be operational soon, the actual event will not take place until next May 21-24 in Las Vegas. This will be less than a month before the United States co-hosts the football World Cup and two years before Los Angeles hosts the 2028 Olympics.

Only four athletes, all swimmers, have so far confirmed their participation. They are: Andriy Govorov, the Ukrainian 50-meters butterfly world record holder and bronze medallst at the 2017 World Championships, 21-year-old Bulgarian swimmer Josif Miladinov, a silver medalist at the 2019 European Championships and retired Australian world champion James Magnussen.

What do the critics say about the Enhanced Games?

The worlds of sports and medicine have been near-universal in their condemnation of the concept.

“Thinking that because you do medical checks on the spot is going to give you a good idea of the health risks of abuse of doping substances, again, is medical and scientific nonsense,” said World Anti-Doping Agency science director Olivier Rabin.

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“It’s like the Roman circus, you know, you sacrifice the lives of people purely for entertainment. What’s the value of this? I don’t think any responsible society should move in that direction.”

Speaking to DW earlier this year, Chris Raynor, a sports medicine doctor at Cornwall Community Hospital in Canada, told DW the dangers are dramatic.

“There are always effects associated with these medications. It can lead to cardiac arrhythmias, a heart attack, sudden cardiac death,” he explained .

Former US swimmer and Olympic medalist Allison Wagner, who was beaten at major events by many swimmers who were either proven or suspected dopers, said that sport itself is at stake.

“For me and for so many athletes, sport has been about learning and incorporating values such as integrity and fair play, and these Enhanced Games make a mockery of that.”

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What do the Enhanced Games athletes and organizers say?

D’Souza argues that doping in professional and amateur sport is inherent and his proposal is a safer method that “makes sport a fair, level, transparent field so that innovation can be illustrated in a very public way to support technological progress.”

Speaking to DW earlier this year, he added that “individuals should be able to take risks for themselves with free and informed consent.” 

Magnussen said the Enhanced Games have reinvigorated his passion for the sport but sees them as separate from clean competition. 

“I was waking up each day with an enthusiasm to train, to compete. I felt so healthy, so motivated. It’s honestly the happiest I’ve been in seven years,” he said.

“As athletes we have a greater risk appetite than the general population and see an event like the Enhanced Games as an opportunity.”

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Edited by: Chuck Penfold

All India Football Federation (AIFF) will seek to amend its constitution in line with the National Sports Governance Act and hold discussions on the new commercial partner of the Indian Super League during its Special General Body Meeting here on Saturday.

Each member association of the AIFF can send one representative. Members of the AIFF Executive Committee cannot vote and they cannot also represent the associations to which they belong.

“Amendment and adoption of AIFF Constitution in line with National Sports Governance Act 2025. Commercial partners for Indian Super League, Indian Women’s League and Super League (Cup),” said a few agenda items of the SGM in a notice issued on May 6.

AIFF’s executive committee member Valanka Alemao had objected to the SGM being convened, saying it could potentially flout its constitution, leading to contempt of the Supreme Court.

She urged that the AIFF should first constitute the associations for players, coaches and referees to elect their representatives who, in turn, would be members of the General Body as per provisions of the new constitution as approved by the Supreme Court.

“…the AIFF despite adopting the said Constitution as directed by Hon’ble Supreme Court … has called for a SGM without filling the vacancies for eminent sportspersons and thus is in violation both of its own Constitution and also in contempt of the judgment of the Hon’ble Supreme Court,” she had said in a ‘legal notice’ sent to the AIFF.. 

“…the SGM cannot be held without completing the quorum of general body members as per Article 20 of the AIFF Constitution (as approved by the Hon’ble Supreme Court)….

“The AIFF through its Constitution expressly mandates that the Eminent Player representatives should be elected from the National Players Association constituted as per Schedule IV. Furthermore, Coaches’ and Referees’ Representatives are required to be elected through a procedure governed by the AIFF Election Committee..

Under the AIFF constitution, the General Body shall comprise of one representative from every member association, 15 eminent players out of which minimum five to be women, three club representatives, one each from ISL, I-League and Indian Women’s League, two representatives from referees (one male and one female) and two representatives from coaches (one male and one female)..

Regarding the commercial partner of the ISL, Genius Sports had emerged as the highest bidder in March, promising Rs 2129 crore annually for the next 15+5 years..

But the ISL clubs have proposed a different model. They want the highest bidders (Genius Sports) to stay as the league’s data and technology partner only..

The clubs want to keep 90% of the “economic interest in the league structure” and AIFF the rest.

Meanwhile, the top officials of the AIFF are expected to meet the owners and representatives of the ISL clubs on Friday, though the details are not yet known.

Rajasthan Royals (RR) opener Vaibhav Sooryavanshi played a scintillating knock against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in game 64 of IPL 2026 at Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur on Tuesday, May 19. The 15-year-old hammered 93 off just 38 as RR kept their playoff hopes intact with a seven-wicket victory.

Chasing a target of 221, RR got over the line in 19.1 overs as Sooryavanshi struck seven fours and 10 sixes. The left-handed batter added 75 runs for the first wicket with Yashasvi Jaiswal (43 off 23) in 39 balls and 105 for the second wicket with Dhruv Jurel (53* off 38) in 45 deliveries.

Sooryavanshi has opened the innings in 20 IPL matches so far. In this feature, we compare his stats with those of Aussie white-ball legend David Warner after the latter had also opened the innings in the same number of IPL matches.

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi vs David Warner – Who has a better average and strike rate after 20 IPL matches as opener?

In 20 IPL games as opener, Sooryavanshi has totaled 831 runs at an average of 41.55 and a sensational strike rate of 226.43. In three innings against Gujarat Titans (GT), he has notched up 168 runs, averaging 56 at a strike rate of 233.33. Also, in three innings against LSG, he has scored 135 runs at an average of 45 and a strike rate of 195.65.

After 20 IPL games as opener, Warner had scored exactly 500 runs at an average of 26.31 and a strike rate of 135.13 – all of them for Delhi Capitals (then Delhi Daredevils). In four innings against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), he had 179 runs at an average of 59.66 and a strike rate of 149.16. Also, in two innings against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), he had 66 runs at a strike rate of 183.33.

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi vs David Warner – Who has more 50-plus scores after 20 IPL matches as opener?

Having played 20 IPL matches as opener, Sooryavanshi has smashed two centuries and four fifties. He clubbed 103 off 37 balls against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in Jaipur in the ongoing edition, striking five fours and 12 sixes. He also whacked 101 off 38 balls against GT in Jaipur last season. The innings included seven fours and 11 sixes.

After 20 IPL matches as opener, Warner had one hundred and three half-centuries to his name. His best at that stage was 107*, which came off 69 balls against KKR in Delhi in IPL 2010. The knock featured nine fours and five sixes. Warner had also smacked 54 off 44 against RR in Jaipur in IPL 2011. The innings included six fours and a six.

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi vs David Warner – Who has more fours and sixes after 20 IPL matches as opener?

In 20 IPL games as opener, Sooryavanshi has hit 68 fours and 77 sixes. The southpaw has struck 15 fours and 15 sixes in three innings against GT and eight fours and nine sixes in two innings against RCB. Also, he has five fours and 12 sixes in two innings against SRH and 11 fours and 13 sixes in three innings against LSG.

(Sooryavanshi vs Warner – Batting stats comparison after 20 IPL matches as opener)

After 20 IPL matches as opener, Warner had hit 49 fours and 20 sixes. He had 19 fours and seven sixes against KKR and six fours and four sixes against RCB. Also, Warner struck six fours and three sixes against MI and six fours and one six against CSK.

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi vs David Warner – Who has a better record in wins after 20 IPL matches as opener?

In nine wins, Sooryavanshi has scored 502 runs at an average of 55.77 and a strike rate of 237.91, with one ton and four fifties. In 11 losses, he has 329 runs at an average of 29.90 and a strike rate of 210.89. The southpaw’s 103 against SRH came in a losing cause.

(Sooryavanshi vs Warner – Batting stats comparison in wins after 20 IPL matches as opener)

In 10 wins, Warner had 289 runs at an average of 32.11 and a strike rate of 140.29, with one century. In 10 losses, he had 211 runs at an average of 21.10 and a strike rate of 128.65, with three half-centuries.