{"id":622500,"date":"2025-09-10T07:15:16","date_gmt":"2025-09-10T14:15:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=622500"},"modified":"2025-09-10T20:24:36","modified_gmt":"2025-09-11T03:24:36","slug":"olympic-silver-medallist-ben-proud-signs-up-for-enhanced-games","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/olympic-silver-medallist-ben-proud-signs-up-for-enhanced-games\/","title":{"rendered":"Olympic Silver Medallist Ben Proud Signs Up For Enhanced Games"},"content":{"rendered":"

Olympic Silver Medallist Ben Proud Signs Up For Enhanced Games<\/strong><\/p>\n

Olympic silver medalist Ben Proud<\/strong> will compete in the inaugural Enhanced Games next May as he retires from traditional competition to move into an event that allows athletes to take performance-enhancing drugs.<\/p>\n

The announcement comes weeks after the Briton won 50 free silver at the World Championships in Singapore and a little over a year since he was second behind Cam McEvoy<\/strong> at Paris 2024.<\/p>\n

“My ambition has always been to be the fastest man on the planet,\u201d said Proud. \u201cI\u2019ve spent years striving for that within traditional sport, but my motivations have shifted. Now, I want to focus on performance at its highest level and challenge myself in new ways. The Enhanced Games gives me that chance – to test the limits of human potential with the tools and possibilities of our time.\u201d<\/p>\n

There will be no return to clean waters for the Briton, who is now banned from international competition after World Aquatics became became the first international sport federation<\/a> to ban athletes, coaches and officials from its events for participation in the Enhanced Games.<\/p>\n

Proud will join the likes of Kristian Gkolomeev<\/strong>, who shared fifth place with Proud in Tokyo, and James Magnussen<\/strong>, world 100 free champion in 2011 and Olympic silver medallist a year later in London, at the inaugural event in Las Vegas next year where the trio will compete in the 50 free.<\/p>\n

As well as the presence of performance-enhancing drugs, swimmers can also compete in polyurethane non-textile compression suits that have been banned by World Aquatics (FINA) since 2010.<\/p>\n

In an interview with the BBC, the 30-year-old refuted suggestions that the Enhanced Games undermines clean sport, saying: “No. I think it opens up the potential avenue to excel in a very different way.<\/p>\n

“Speaking for myself, I think realistically I’ve achieved everything I can, and now the Enhanced [Games] is giving me a new opportunity. I definitely don’t think that’s undermining a clean sport. I really respect the sport I’ve been part of, and I would never step back in knowing I’ve done something which isn’t in the rules.”<\/p>\n

It brings to a crashing end a soaring career in the pool in which he became the first man to simultaneously hold the world, European and Commonwealth titles after he won all three in a few short weeks in the summer of 2022. There was also that silver medal in the Olympic pool in the French capital last year.<\/p>\n

Aquatics GB<\/strong> released a statement in which it “condemns Ben\u2019s decision in the strongest terms,” saying: “Aquatics GB is immensely disappointed in Ben Proud\u2019s announcement to sign with the Enhanced Games. Aquatics GB, along with our partners, stand firmly behind the values and principles of clean sport and condemns Ben\u2019s decision in the strongest terms. A further statement will be issued in due course.”<\/p>\n

Among those to like Aquatics GB’s statement on social media were three-time Olympic champion Adam Peaty<\/strong> – long a vocal critic of doping – Anthony Ervin<\/strong>, winner of two Olympic 50 free golds who worked with Proud in Hawaii<\/a> in 2023, and James Gibson<\/strong>, who oversaw the programme Proud had developed for many years\u00a0in Gloria with input from strength and conditioning coach Marco Cosso<\/strong><\/p>\n

World Aquatics released the following statement: “World Aquatics reaffirms its steadfast commitment to protecting clean sport. World Aquatics will continue to fight for an environment free of performance-enhancing drugs.”<\/p>\n

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A post shared by Ben Proud (@benproudswim)<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n