The German Swimming Federation posted a statement yesterday condemning the Enhanced Games following the news of German Olympian Marius Kusch joining.
The Federation did not mention Kusch by name, but they made their stance on the competition clear.
“The Enhanced Games are diametrically opposed to everything the sport stands for. They mock fairness, health, and the very raison d’être (reason or purpose for existence) of sport by not only tolerating doping but by presenting it as a supposedly autonomous option for self-optimization. The German Swimming Association condemns this in the strongest possible terms.
“For us, fairness, equal opportunities, and the clear rejection of any form of doping are unshakable fundamental values. Athletes — whether active or retired — have a special role model function.
“Anyone who consciously turns away from these values is saying goodbye to our sport of swimming. And: They are exposing themselves to serious health risks that can never be fully foreseen.”
Kusch was the latest in a growing list of athletes to join the Enhanced Games citing monetary benefits of the competition. The inaugural event will be held next May in Las Vegas with $1 million up for grabs for breaking the world record in the 50 free or 100-meter dash. World Records in other events, the 50 free and 100 fly for Kusch, will pay $250,000.
if these guys wanted to make $$$ they should have joined tile shop back in the early 2000s. we were only small then but after the IPO the share scheme is huge coin for staff.
Side note, those European fin swimming meets in super suits would be a riot here. Real enhancements 🙂
Was Piero Codia’s photo randomly chosen for this article? Why?
Because it was randomly chosen?
How many current WR’s are ‘enhanced’? I’d say most….
I’d say not
The misuse of convenient TUEs is more frequent than the ticking of a clock.
Suggest that everyone (swimswam included) stop saying that times under the world record achieved by those using PEDs will “break the world record.”
On one hand, I agree; on the other hand, the swimmers want to make a living doing this.
I am thinking dopers rant to make a living doping …
ABSOLUTELY, lifelong dedication to high performance sport should result in athletes being able to make a living.
But this is a completely separate discussion to whether the enhanced games represent a threat to sport or a positive development.
For the record, I am absolutely opposed to the enhanced games, and any “records” they set are meaningless in my mind,
I have doubts they will even happen.
Marius Kusch went from Germany to US college for studying something useful? So why does he not simply get a paying job like the rest of us?