Renowned billionaire and PayPal co-founder, Peter Thiel, has recently invested in the Enhanced Games, a privately funded sports contest that bills itself as a “modern reinvention of the Olympic Games.” This move has stirred controversy, as the Enhanced Games openly embraces the use of performance-enhancing drugs, prompting concerns about athlete safety and the integrity of sports. Let’s delve into the key aspects of this development.
In a recent revelation, Thiel emerged as a significant investor in a “multi-million dollar” seed round for the Enhanced Games. This sporting event, positioned as the “Olympics of the future,” has garnered support from notable figures like Balaji Srinivasan, a cryptocurrency investor and former CTO of Coinbase, and Christian Angermayer, a biotech investor who expresses confidence in the games’ potential to captivate the public’s imagination.
What are Enhanced Games, where doping is acceptable?
One of the distinctive features of the Enhanced Games is its decision not to conduct drug tests for athletes, setting it apart from traditional sporting events.
The organizers argue that they “embrace the inclusion of science in sports” and criticize existing systems as “anti-science,” asserting that they stigmatize “enhanced athletes.” The competition aims to be the “safest international sporting event in history” by implementing comprehensive medical screenings to monitor potential risks to athletes.
The Enhanced Games takes a unique approach by emphasizing individual prowess, excluding team sports, and focusing on five core categories: athletics, aquatics, combat, gymnastics, and strength. The objective is to push the boundaries of what is considered possible, with the ultimate goal of setting new world records.
A noteworthy aspect of the Enhanced Games is its commitment to inclusivity. The organizers claim that it will be the “most inclusive sports league in history,” inviting adults of all backgrounds, whether “natural, adaptive, or enhanced,” to apply for participation. Registration is slated to open in late 2024, although precise competition dates remain undisclosed.
Personal Choice Matters
The Enhanced Movement, as the organizers term it, asserts that enhancements are a personal choice for competitors. The competition’s website expresses an intention to embrace enhanced athletes openly and challenge the perceived limits of human capability.
Despite the controversial stance on performance enhancers, the organizers maintain a commitment to safety, promising a “sophisticated safety protocol” to prioritize athletes’ health.
In an attempt to distinguish itself from traditional Olympic Games, the Enhanced Games aims to avoid excessive waste and costs associated with building new stadiums. The organizers claim that the games can be hosted at Division One university campuses, eliminating the need for extensive infrastructure investments and enabling fair compensation for athletes.
Opposition Voices Grow
However, critical voices, including Michael Sagner, a member of the games’ scientific and medical advisory board, emphasize the potential risks associated with the Enhanced Games. Sagner argues that contemporary drug testing in sports does not solely prioritize athlete safety and can skew public perceptions of fairness and health in competitive sports.
The CEO of the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), Travis Tygart, dismisses the concept as “farcical” and a “dangerous clown show, not real sport,” suggesting potential legal issues given the status of certain performance enhancers.
![Travis Tygart Urges Athlete Safety & Integrity Hearing To Ask IOC & WADA Bosses To Testify [LiveStream] - Swimming World News](https://vmrw8k5h.tinifycdn.com/news/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Travis-Tygart.jpg)
The controversy surrounding this venture raises questions about the potential impact on athlete health, the fairness of competition, and the broader implications for the world of sports.
No Wastage of Resources and Money
The Enhanced Games’ bold approach is not limited to its stance on performance enhancers. The competition also aims to address financial disparities in sports. By focusing on popular sports such as track and field, swimming, gymnastics, weight lifting, and combat sports, the organizers aim to eliminate wasteful infrastructure spending associated with traditional Olympics.
Aron D’Souza, president of the Enhanced Games, claims that this approach will enable fair compensation for all athletes, challenging the current model where successful athletes often receive only a fraction of the revenue generated by major sporting events.
Despite the Enhanced Games’ ambitious goals, several key details remain unclear. The exact prize pool and compensation structure for athletes are yet to be announced, with organizers indicating that this information will be made available in mid-2024. The Enhanced Games organizers maintain that all athletes will receive a base salary, with additional prize winnings, but specifics are pending confirmation.
This development comes at a time when the sports world is grappling with issues of doping, fair competition, and the financial sustainability of major events. The Enhanced Games introduces a provocative model that challenges established norms, raising ethical, legal, and practical questions that will likely fuel ongoing debates within the sporting community.
While the Enhanced Games organizers express optimism about the venture’s potential to revolutionize sports and contribute to scientific advancements, critics argue that the risks posed to athlete health and the integrity of competition outweigh any potential benefits.
As this unconventional sports competition prepares to make its mark, it remains to be seen how the global sports community, regulatory bodies, and the public will respond to this bold experiment at the intersection of science, technology, and athletic competition.
About Peter Thiel
Peter Andreas Thie is a German-American billionaire known for his roles as an entrepreneur, venture capitalist, and political activist. Thiel co-founded PayPal, Palantir Technologies, and Founders Fund.
Notably, he was the initial external investor in Facebook, acquiring a 10.2% stake for $500,000 in August 2004. Thiel later sold a significant portion of his Facebook shares for over $1 billion in 2012 but retained a position on the board of directors.
Thiel’s entrepreneurial journey commenced with the founding of PayPal in 1998, alongside Max Levchin and Luke Nosek. Following PayPal’s acquisition by eBay in 2002 for $1.5 billion, Thiel ventured into finance, establishing Clarium Capital, a global macro hedge fund, in 2002.
Additionally, in 2003, he founded Palantir Technologies, a company specializing in big data analysis, where he has held the position of chairman since its inception.
The year 2005 saw the launch of Founders Fund by Thiel, along with PayPal partners Ken Howery and Luke Nosek. This fund has been involved in investments in various notable companies, including Stripe and SpaceX.
