Enhanced Games 100m winner will make five times more than Olympic champions

This weekend, a handful of athletes will set to make history in the world of sport, as they compete in the Enhanced Games.

The controversial event will see stars of the track, field, pool and gym compete freely for the first time - openly at least - using performance enhancing drugs.

But as well as the debate around whether it's ethical or safe to allow athletes to juice for the games, it's also raised questions over how lucrative the sport can be, with Enhanced Games offering millions for top performers.

While some countries like the US, where Olympic champions are awarded $37,500 for a gold, do offer financial incentives for their athletes, the Olympics itself doesn't have cash prize.

However, fortunately for some athletes, World Athletics announced in 2024 it was going to start awarding prize money for gold medal winners.

So when Noah Lyles and Julien Alfred crossed the finish line first in the men's and women's 100 metres in Paris they got their $50,000 prize money.

Seems like a lot, doesn't it?

Enhanced Games prize money

The pay out for the Enhanced Games, which is due to take place this Sunday (24 May) in Las Vegas, is much higher and everybody who competes will get some prize money.

$250,000 of prize money goes to the winner of an event in the Enhanced Games, while second place gets half that and it's $75,000 for the third place finish.

Fourth place gets $50,000, as much as you'd get for winning a gold medal at the Olympics, and for events where there's more athletes competing it's $30,000 for fifth place and a $20,000 prize for sixth and seventh.

Not only is the winner of their 100 metres events getting five times as much as World Athletics will pay an Olympic gold medallist, there are also bonuses on offer if someone at the Enhanced Games surpasses a world record.

For some events like the 100 metres sprint and the 50 metre freestyle that record-beating bonus is a million dollars, for other events it's another $250,000 on top of the prize money.

The times they set won't actually beat these records, however, since the Enhanced Games athletes aren't playing by the same rules as their competitors.

What are the rules for the Enhanced Games?

Unlike other athletic competitions where athletes are not allowed to take performance enhancing drugs (PEDs) or use equipment which has been deemed to give an unfair advantage, at the Enhanced Games those things are allowed.

Despite being encouraged to take steroids there are still some rules for those who want to compete, and breaking them can still result in disqualification.

Only drugs approved by America’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are allowed to be taken as part of an athlete's PEDs regime. They include:

• Testosterone and anabolics such as methenolone and nandrolone.
• Hormones and growth factors, such as human growth hormone and EPO.
• Metabolic modulators, such as meldonium, and stimulants, including Adderall.

The games themselves are hugely controversial, last year World Aquatics hit out at them as they told LADbible: "History has shown us time and time again the grave dangers of doping to human health. This is a sideshow to those who compete honestly, fairly, and respect the true spirit of sport.

"Athletic performance is a pure, special thing and should not be distorted by delusions of 'science' and 'medicine'. For every step forward taken by clean athletes, the athletes competing in this circus take ten steps backwards."

Why were the Enhanced Games created?

The idea for the Enhanced Games first came about in 2023 when Australian entrepreneur Aron D'Souza wanted elite, professional athletes to 'be in charge of how they look after their bodies, what they eat, and what they put in their bodies', according to Sky Sports.

This is how he came up with the Enhanced Games, which allows athletes to use performance-enhancing substances without being subject to drug tests.

The Games 'challenge traditional models of sport by embracing science, innovation, and measurable performance enhancement under regulated conditions', according to the official website.

D'Souza's idea was backed by a venture capital fund which includes Donald Trump Jr - the son of the US president - and billionaire entrepreneur Peter Thiel. After being launched as a concept, in which it was presented as an opportunity to beat 'world records' for cash prizes up to $1 million, the first official event has begun.

While athletes competing in the events, which includes the likes of swimming, athletics and weightlifting, are allowed to use performance-enhancing drugs that are approved by the United States' Food and Drug Administration (FDA), certain substances are still banned, including heroin and cocaine.

The Enhanced Games also said it will carry out some doping measures under medical supervision.

LADbible Group have contacted World Athletics for comment.