LOS ANGELES:
Fred Kerley, a two-time Olympic 100m medallist at present serving a suspension, has change into the primary US man and first observe and area athlete to join the Enhanced Video games, the place rivals can be free to make use of performance-enhancing medication.
The Enhanced Video games introduced Kerley’s participation on social media on Wednesday, saying in a publish on X that he would participate within the 100m within the first version of the competitors that permits “performance-enhancing substances” with a protocol they declare is “protected, authorized and science-driven.”
Kerley mentioned in an announcement posted on the Enhanced Video games web site that he believes the Enhanced Video games give him an opportunity to problem Usain Bolt’s 100m world report of 9.58sec.
“The world report has all the time been the final word objective of my profession,” Kerley mentioned. “This now offers me the chance to dedicate all of my power to pushing my limits and changing into the quickest human to ever reside.”
A $1 million bonus is on provide to any competitor who breaks a world report on the occasion.
Kerley received 100m silver on the pandemic-delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympics and captured bronze on the Paris Video games final 12 months.
He received 100m gold on the 2022 athletics World Championships, however he’s at present serving a provisional suspension for failing to fulfill anti-doping check whereabouts obligations.
Kerley is the primary observe and area specialist to decide to the Enhanced Video games after swimmers James Magnussen, Ben Proud and Kristian Gkolomeev.
The mission, launched by Australian entrepeneur Aron D’Souza in 2023, has stirred controversy over fears it endangers athlete well being with the World Anti-Doping Company describing it as a “harmful and irresponsible mission.”
The inaugural version, comprising swimming, sprinting and weightlifting, is ready to be held in Las Vegas on Might 21-24, 2026.
Athletes competing within the Enhanced Video games can be allowed to make use of medication banned throughout worldwide sport reminiscent of steroids and human progress hormones.
The winners of every occasion obtain $250,000.
In June, World Aquatics grew to become the primary worldwide federation to ban athletes, coaches and officers from its occasions in the event that they participate within the Enhanced Video games.
In August, the Enhanced Video games filed an anti-trust lawsuit in opposition to World Aquatics, USA Swimming and the World Anti-Doping Company in US courtroom accusing the our bodies of a “blatantly predatory and unlawful marketing campaign to drive anybody concerned within the sport, together with athletes, help employees and officers to boycott the Enhanced Video games and cease the Enhanced Video games from coming into the marketplace for worldwide elite swimming.”
