World Aquatics Enacts New Bylaw Barring Enhanced Games Participants From AQUA Events

World Aquatics has updated its bylaws to bar individuals participating in the Enhanced Games from any roles or positions in World Aquatics and World Aquatics competitions.

While the new by-law doesn’t name the Enhanced Games specifically, the onset of the Enhanced Games last month has precipitated the action. The new bylaw was voted on by the Bureau and takes immediate effect.

From a press release:

World Aquatics has adopted a new Bylaw that reinforces its steadfast commitment to clean sport. Under the new Bylaw, individuals who support, endorse, or participate in sporting events that embrace the use of scientific advancements or other practices that may include prohibited substances and/or prohibited methods will not be eligible to hold positions with World Aquatics or to participate in any World Aquatics competitions, events, or other activities. This ineligibility would apply to roles such as athlete, coach, team official, administrator, medical support staff, or government representative.

[…]

This new Bylaw clearly affirms World Aquatics’ position: people, organisations and competitions that promote or enable doping have no place in aquatics. “Those who enable doped sport are not welcome at World Aquatics or our events,” said World Aquatics President Husain Al Musallam. “This new Bylaw ensures that we can continue to protect the integrity of our competitions, the health and safety of our athletes, and the credibility of the global aquatics community.”

The organization says that it will make decisions regarding eligibility on a case-by-case basis.

While the ban only applies to World Aquatics hosted meets (such as the World Championships or World Cup), the organization is “encouraging” its member federations to enact consistent policies.

The by-law is not limited to athletes who participate in these events, but also includes “relevant persons” who “participated (in any capacity) in such event or competition.’ That includes coaches, like the Games’ head coach Brett Hawke, trainers, managers, training partners, doctors, or physiotherapists.

Those individuals will not be accredited for any World Aquatics event or competition, which impacts Hawke as a coach but could also impact him in his role in the media, which has earned him accreditations to several World Aquatics events.

The by-law explicitly says that the ban can only be challenged to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (though that clause itself could, theoretically, be challenged). Past attempts at sanctions beyond the scope of the World Anti-Doping Code have been struck down by the CAS.

In May, Las Vegas was announced as the host of the inaugural Enhanced Games in 2026. The competition will allow athletes to use substances banned as performance enhancing under the World Anti-Doping Code, and is planning an inaugural schedule of abbreviated swimming, track, and weightlifting competitions.

Greek swimmer Kristian Gkolomeev became the first athlete to claim a $1 million prize under the program for clearing the non-enhanced World Record in the 50 free.

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Mark Rauterkus
21 hours ago

Hey Wodsmiths:
The new rule says, embrace the use of … other practices that may include … prohibited methods will not be eligible to hold positions with World Aquatics ….

So, a FIN swimming event is not allowed in a standard, competitive race, but I figure that those events are NOT prohibited.

That PROHIBITED METHODS part is scarry.

Is there a section that describes all the PROHIBITED METHODS?

The other worry is how QUICKLY the new rule was enacted.

In terms of over-reaching rule: Of course, it is PROHIBITED METHOD for NCAA swimmers to practice with college coach more than X hours per week, or at certain times of the year (D3).

Case in… Read more »

Chlorinetherapy
1 day ago

Hahaha perfect slightly belated birthday gift for BH!

Swimmer
1 day ago

Any athlete who chose to go the enhanced games path already knew there was no going back so it doesn’t seem like this will bother them.

juice box
Reply to  Swimmer
18 hours ago

exactly, plus it allows the already enhancing athletes a place to go do what they’re already doing and will allow the non-enhanced athletes a more level playing field so yeah what’s the fuss about?

juice box
1 day ago

cancel culture is a race to the bottom…everyone that pretends that this sport is “fair” at the highest levels clearly is in denial. doping has been a part of this “clean” sport for a while now…wada, usada, and world aquatics are a complete joke. “This new Bylaw clearly affirms World Aquatics’ position: people, organizations and competitions that promote or enable doping have no place in aquatics. “Those who enable doped sport are not welcome at World Aquatics or our events,” said World Aquatics President Husain Al Musallam. This new Bylaw ensures that we can continue to protect the integrity of our competitions, the health and safety of our athletes, and the credibility of the global aquatics community.” oh really? how… Read more »

Swammer
1 day ago

Would this affect those officials they had on deck as well?

DrSwimPhil
1 day ago

Wonder how they define “support” or “endorsed”?

TheIckabog
1 day ago

👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

swimws
1 day ago

Love that BH has blocked people from his Instagram account because of them speaking out against his involvement in the Enhanced games

swimapologist
Reply to  swimws
1 day ago

Wouldn’t you too? He can always buy more followers 😁

About Braden Keith

Braden Keith

Braden Keith is the Editor-in-Chief and a co-founder/co-owner of SwimSwam.com. He first got his feet wet by building The Swimmers' Circle beginning in January 2010, and now comes to SwimSwam to use that experience and help build a new leader in the sport of swimming. Aside from his life on the InterWet, …

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