EXCLUSIVE: 'Doping Games' firm forecasts "ten of millions" $399-a-month customers

The organisers of the controversial 'Enhanced Games', where athletes will dope to break records, think they can attract many ordinary people to pay to take drugs too.

A hugely controversial American organisation offering $1m prizes for athletes breaking world records while taking drugs has said it hopes to attract “tens of millions” of ordinary people to pay them $399 a month to embark on performance-enhancing drugs programmes.

As we reported last Friday, The Enhanced Games will stage their first live event next year in Las Vegas, and organisers hope it will feature around 100 elite sportspeople who have doped before taking part in 50m and 100m freestyle and butterfly swimming events, 100m sprinting and 110m hurdle events on the track, plus weightlifting events: the snatch, and clean & jerk.

That announcement came as it was revealed that Kristian Gkolomeev, a 31-year-old Bulgarian-born Greek swimmer (below), had broken the men’s 50m freestyle world record, by clocking 20.89 seconds, or 0.02 seconds faster than the world record set in 2009 by Cesar Cielo of Brazil … in February, after taking part in an Enhanced Games doping programme.

Sporting Intelligence last week revealed some details behind the Enhanced Games’ putative business model - not least that the venture capitalist backers want to encourage ordinary people to sign up “enhancement” programmes, where they can take drugs to improve their performance.

We asked The Enhanced Games four questions which they have now answered; the responses are extraordinary. If the group manages to attract as many paying customers as they hope, namely tens of millions, then they would potentially generate revenues of between $48bn and $96bn per year.

A note of caution: this is extremely unlikely to happen. The Enhanced Games as a concept has already been widely lambasted and criticised for being dangerous and irresponsible and nothing like the advancement in science that the organisers claim.

But nonetheless, it is remarkable that the people behind the project are claiming their own research suggests there is a huge market for their services.

My first question to them was: “How many people would you hope / expect to sign up to join your enhancement program at $99 initially and then $399 a month? Is this something that, in the long term, you'd hope might attract millions of users / subscribers? Or 10s of 1000s? Or just a few hundred potentially elite athletes?”

The Enhanced Games communications director Mike Oakes, said: “Our internal research reveals compelling demand for our enhancement programme. When surveyed, approximately 85% of respondents answered affirmatively to the question If it were safe, legal, and medically supervised, would you take performance-enhancing medications.

“Based on this substantial interest, we believe our total addressable market encompasses a significant portion of the United States population.

“We anticipate attracting tens of millions of consumer subscribers who are seeking safe, legal, and medically supervised performance optimisation. This projection reflects both the growing wellness market and the increasing acceptance of performance enhancement when conducted under proper medical oversight.”

I also asked whether the $399 per month fee for general consumers would pay for drugs and / or supplements for customers, or would that come at an additional cost. Mr Oakes’s reply suggested that elite athletes on The Enhanced Games programme would be getting all their drugs provided while ordinary consumers will have access to information and advice and that pharmaceutical products would be sourced separately.

He said: “The $399 monthly subscription fee applies specifically to our consumer programme, not to participating athletes. This comprehensive fee covers consultations, monitoring, and programme management. Regarding our athletes, they operate under a separate structure.”

I also asked if there would be any barriers to entry for general consumers, such as age, or whether anyone could sign up to “become enhanced”.

He said: “Our programme operates in full compliance with all applicable laws and regulations. To ensure participant safety and programme integrity, prospective members must complete a comprehensive health assessment.

“This assessment is thoroughly reviewed by a board-certified clinician before any prescriptions or recommendations are made. This rigorous screening process ensures that our programme remains accessible whilst maintaining the highest standards of medical safety and supervision.”

As I wrote back in April last year, it was announced back then that Rob McElhenney of “Welcome to Wrexham” fame, and his More Better production company would work alongside Ridley Scott Associates to make a ‘provocative documentary series’ about the Enhanced Games, which have been nicknamed the ‘doping Olympics.’

I asked about when and where any documentary might be available, and Mr Oakes sent me a link to the video below, adding: “The first part has already come out.”

I think this is an in-house production to promote the February swim of Gkolomeev rather than anything to do with McElhenney or Ridley Scott Associates.