The lure of profit is a powerful driving force, even pushing certain athletes to do anything. James Magnussen, former Australian swimming champion, said he was ready, on Saturday February 10, in a column for the newspaper The Australian, to take doping substances to try to break the world record for the 50m freestyle and thus pocket the reward of one million dollars (1.08 million euros) promised as part of the Enhanced Games.
This competition project, announced in 2023 by Australian businessman Aron D’Souza, is supported by venture capitalists. No date or location has been announced to date. These Games, where participants would be allowed to use banned substances to perform unprecedented performances, should include five main categories: athletics, aquatic sports, gymnastics, strength and combat. Not subject to the rules of the World Anti-Doping Agency, performances achieved at the Enhanced Games cannot be approved
James Magnussen, 32, world champion in the 100m freestyle in 2011 and 2013 and retired from the pools since 2018, is the first renowned athlete to say he is ready to join this very controversial project, considered a bad joke by the various authorities of the fight against doping.
“Surrounded by good doctors”
“To be completely transparent, money plays a big role. A price tag of AU$1.6 million is hard to ignore. Retired athletes don’t get such opportunities every day,” the swimmer explains. Who, touched by some scruples, still adds: “If someone had asked me to do that during my swimming career, my answer would have been completely different from what it is today. »
Magnussen intends to attack the 50m freestyle record (20”91), established in 2009 by the Brazilian Cesar Cielo, who then wore a high-tech suit which has since been banned. The Australian has a personal best of 21”52.
The latter insists that he will not take any risks for his health. “I want to be surrounded by good doctors and good medical support. I want to do it right,” he said. “Correctly,” then, but certainly not properly.