Arizona Tribune - Swimming champ McEvoy says Enhanced Games 'record' means nothing

Kristian Gkolomeev claimed to have blitzed the 50m freestyle in 20.89 seconds in February, eclipsing the official current record time of 20.91 set in 2009 by the Brazilian Cesar Cielo.

Greece's Gkolomeev has been taking performance-enhancing drugs while training for next year's Enhanced Games and was also wearing a special swim suit that would breach Olympic standards.

"It doesn't count in any way, shape or form when you take drugs or wear one of the banned suits, or both," said McEvoy, who won 50m freestyle gold at the 2024 Paris Games.

"It's got no relevance to Olympic or world championship 50-metre comps, or to the international rankings around them."

The first edition of the Enhanced Games will be staged in Las Vegas in May 2026, with athletes participating in three sports -- athletics, swimming and weightlifting.

Athletes will be allowed to use drugs which are banned across international sport such as steroids and human growth hormones.

Anti-doping authorities on Thursday lined up to condemn the event.

WADA, the global anti-doping watchdog, called it "a dangerous and irresponsible concept".

Aron D'Souza, the Australian entrepreneur behind the event, said it was an exercise in testing the boundaries of human performance.

Winners stand to reap $250,000, and a bonus of $1 million for anyone who breaks a world record.

A.O.Scott--AT