'Medical and scientific nonsense' - WADA's science director condemns Enhanced Games

Record ID: 1997897

  • Title: 'Medical and scientific nonsense' - WADA's science director condemns Enhanced Games
  • Date: 21st May 2025
  • Summary: MONTREAL, CANADA (RECENT - MAY 12, 2025) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (English) WADA SCIENCE DIRECTOR, OLIVIER RABIN, ON THE DANGERS DRUGS LIKE EPO AND TESTOSTERONE POSE TO ATHLETES, SAYING: "It's nonsense to think that if you do on-the-spot medical checks, you are going to detect the impact, in particular mid to long-term impact of abuse of some of the substances, in particular
  • Embargoed:
  • Keywords: Enhanced Games Olivier Rabin WADA Witold Banka
  • Location: VARIOUS
  • City: VARIOUS
  • Country: Canada
  • Topics: North America,Sport
  • Reuters ID: LVA003375313052025RP1
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: The science director of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has compared plans for the Enhanced Games - an event where athletes will openly take performance enhancing drugs - to a Roman circus.
    Speaking from WADA's headquarters in Montreal, Canada, Olivier Rabin added that the event, which will be held in Las Vegas next year, was 'dangerous and irresponsible'.
    "Health is at the very heart of what we are doing at WADA and also in the fight against doping in sport," he said during an interview recorded before the venue and dates for the Enhanced Games were announced.
    "Having a free pass to use whatever substance or whatever method to enhance performance without consideration for health for us is absolutely nonsensical."
    The Enhanced Games, devised by Australian businessman Aron D’Souza, will see athletes compete in swimming, athletics and weightlifting.
    Organisers say athletes will be closely monitored by a large team of scientists and experts, and can only take drugs approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
    The Enhanced Games operate under the principle that banning performance-enhancing drugs in major competition does not protect athletes but rather stifles their performance.
    D'Souza argues that doping in professional and amateur sport is rampant despite efforts to eliminate the use of banned substances, leading to it being done "in secret, in private, surreptitiously and unsafely for decades."
    WADA has promised to impose bans on any athletes taking part in the Enhanced Games.
    The 2026 Enhanced Games are set to take place in Las Vegas from May 21-24.
    (Production: Iain Axon, Bhagya Ayyavoo)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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