Are we destroying our sports? The dark reality behind performance-enhancing drugs and the Enhanced Games
Welcome to the Dark Side!
By now anyone paying attention has heard about the Enhanced Games, a multi-sport competition scheduled for 2026 which bills itself as the "future of sport." They plan to "push the boundaries of human performance" and see what happens if drug testing protocols and equipment restrictions are eliminated. The idea has been widely panned, international governing bodies (IGBs) are taking note, and prominent sport figures are weighing in against the event. However, the Games have venture capitalists behind them and organizers claim that the event will go forward in Las Vegas regardless of pushback from traditional sports.
So far most of the commentary surrounding the event has focused on the Games allowing the use of performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) during the competitions.
"Scientific and technological advancements can be safely applied to sport. Their use should be embraced and celebrated in elite competition." (Enhanced.com)
Sport practitioners see this as a rejection of our traditional sport values, but they may struggle to articulate the reasons behind this. Do we believe that using PEDs in sports is wrong because we have always been told so, or can we present compelling arguments against “embracing” their use?
Many of us never consider the true essence of sport. It is a social institution that carries our values and expectations. For instance, we expect athletes to demonstrate sportsmanship, and we expect competitions to be fair. When these expectations are not met, we realize that something we assumed was an integral part of the institution is missing, or a value has been disregarded. But sport is not inherently like this; we make it this way. It exists the way we want it to.
Sociologists define sport as a contested activity, meaning we create it to reflect our values. Like all social institutions, sport is dynamic and can be shaped and evolved as society changes. If we value fairness, it will be reflected in our sport’s rules and regulations. Similarly, if we value sportsmanship, safety, or competing with honor, our sports will have procedures and traditions that support these values.
“While popular representations of sport often implicitly assume it has some intrinsic nature (either good or bad), sport itself is actually a neutral, or empty practice that is filled in with meanings, values, and ideas by the culture in which it takes place and the individuals who take part.” (A.M. Guest, 2005)
We cannot be cavalier about changes that challenge our values. As a contested activity, sports can be modified, values can be eliminated or replaced as desired. However, we should be aware of changes to the institution when they occur and not allow a “what’s the big deal” attitude to convey a sense of nonchalance about the matter. Anyone who thinks this way lacks the interest to engage with the reasons why PED use is detrimental to athletes and sport itself.
Right now, the Enhanced Games are an independent event outside IGB regulation, so they’re not really part of our sports world. However, it would be naïve to think that the people who conceived these Games didn’t come from within our sports community.
These are just two arguments from their perspective:
Despite bans, PEDs are already used covertly by some athletes who manage to evade detection. Legalizing and regulating PEDs could ensure that everyone has access to them under controlled conditions, thereby reducing unfair advantages and significantly reducing the size of the underground market.
Enforcement agencies struggle to keep pace with the evolving methods of enhancement and increasingly sophisticated ways to beat testing protocols. This leads to a sense of weariness among those tasked with maintaining the integrity of our sports. Over time, this could result in a surrender to a persistent problem.
But, so what? These arguments are not advocating a simple rule change. They're suggesting we abandon fairness, integrity, and safety, and surrender to an attitude that could easily destroy the institution as we know it. What parent would want their child enrolled in a sport where they knew the child would likely have to use PEDs if they ever reached an elite level? Or, worse yet, to help them reach an elite level?
Wouldn't it be easier to just forget about PEDs; eliminate rules restricting their use, and stop all testing?
The Enhanced Games are asking this question. What is interesting and a bit worrying is that some people who should know better seem to be bending to the idea of allowing the use of PEDs in competition.
But the pushback has started. World Aquatics announced that anyone involved in the Enhanced Games—coaches, athletes, administrators—will be banned from its sports and I expect other IGBs will soon follow.
If you’re convinced that PED use in sports is wrong, here are some arguments that can help explain your views to others. These apply not only to substances explicitly banned but also to any performance-enhancing substance. I’ve previously discussed how non-banned substances are being used in youth sports, which sets the stage for the use of more dangerous substances in the future. The mindset that “since these substances aren’t banned, they must be OK” is often used to rationalize this position. PED use is not merely a matter of adhering to rules; it’s an ethical issue, especially when we consider the impact it has on younger athletes.
Why PEDs are bad news for sport
Health: Substances like anabolic steroids, stimulants, or hormones can cause severe health issues, including heart disease, liver damage, hormonal imbalances, and psychological disorders like aggression or depression.
Unfair: PEDs provide an unnatural edge over competitors, undermining fair competition and skill-based achievement.
Integrity: Performance enhancers erode the spirit of sportsmanship. Success should reflect talent, training, and dedication, not chemical enhancement.
Pressure on Athletes: Allowing PED use could put pressure on young athletes to use them to stay competitive. This raises both health and ethical issues. Their use also sends a harmful message to fans that cheating or risking health to win is acceptable.
The Enhanced Games are challenging the core values of traditional sports, which emphasize fairness, integrity, and athlete safety, and undermining the essence of what makes sport meaningful.
Pushback from World Aquatics and, hopefully, other IGBs will highlight the importance of standing firm against the normalization of PED use. But the sport community must remain engaged, advocating that success in sport is achieved through talent, hard work, and dedication, rather than chemical enhancement.