Ben Proud signs for Enhanced Games, says single win matches 13 World titles in prize money
Olympic and world medallist becomes first British athlete to join controversial event that permits performance-enhancing drugs under medical supervision; national bodies condemn the move
Ben Proud, the 30-year-old British Olympic silver medallist and former world champion in the 50m freestyle, has become the first British athlete to sign for the controversial Enhanced Games, saying the prize money on offer for a single race would take him 13 years of World Championship wins to match.
Proud told BBC Radio 5 Live that the financial terms at the Enhanced Games were decisive. He said the event's appearance fees and a reported $1 million bonus for breaking the 50m freestyle world record meant "it would have taken me 13 years of winning a World Championship title" to earn the same amount through traditional competitions. At the 2022 World Aquatics Championships, total prize money for swimming was $2.73 million, with individual winners receiving $20,000.
The Enhanced Games, which plans to hold its inaugural event in Las Vegas from May 21-24, 2026, proposes an open approach to performance-enhancing substances, allowing competitors to take banned drugs under medical supervision and permitting only substances approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration. The initial programme is expected to include short-distance swimming, sprinting and weightlifting.
The proposal has drawn sharp criticism from established sports bodies and anti-doping authorities. World Anti-Doping Agency described the event as a "dangerous and irresponsible project," and World Aquatics has already announced it will ban athletes, coaches and officials who take part in the Enhanced Games from its events.
Aquatics GB said it "condemns Ben's decision in the strongest terms" and expressed deep disappointment. UK Sport said it was working with Aquatics GB "as a matter of urgency to determine Ben Proud's suitability to receive public funds." UK Anti-Doping chief executive Jane Rumble said it was "incredibly disappointing" that any British athlete would consider competing in an event that "flies in the face of the true spirit of sport."
Proud said he understood the criticism and expected controversy as one of the first athletes to make the move. He said he did not plan to return to traditional swimming and wanted to "hold as much respect to swimming by removing myself as much as I can." He added he was "not under any obligation to take anything" and that medical professionals would advise competitors on any treatments they considered.
Proud remains listed on Aquatics GB's podium list for its World Class Programme for 2025, a tier that supports athletes with strong medal potential for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics and can provide up to £29,000 in investment. Aquatics GB's statement underlines the tension between athletes seeking alternative income streams and national governing bodies aiming to protect eligibility and integrity in mainstream sport.
Proud's decision follows a decorated international career. He won world gold in the 50m freestyle in 2022, Olympic silver at the 2024 Paris Games and a world silver medal earlier this year. Speaking about his finances and career longevity, he said retirement had been a recurring consideration. "I'm 30 years old and retirement has been a topic of contention for quite a few years," he said. "In reality, us athletes in the Olympic programme don't earn enough money to retire off the back of this and I am always seeking something that can see me through a bit longer."
Organisers of the Enhanced Games argue the event aims to reduce stigma around certain substances and explore medical approaches that improve recovery and performance with minimal health risks. Critics counter that the model jeopardises athlete health, undermines fair competition and could fragment elite sport.
The announcement places British swimming and broader sports governance at a crossroads as officials consider funding implications and safeguard policies while athletes weigh financial security and career prospects against long-standing anti-doping principles. The Enhanced Games' plans for a high-profile debut in Las Vegas and its offer of substantial financial incentives are likely to intensify debate over the future relationship between sport, medical science and regulation.