The Enhanced Games or Enhancing Harm?

Abstract

The Enhanced Games (TEG) is a new idea to counteract the Olympic Games as an environment where athletes can emerge as “enhanced”. These athletes can use whatever drugs they want and receive a wage for their participation. Since the announcement, it has received much criticism, with the mainstream media and sporting bodies calling it “unsafe” and “a joke”. However, despite the negative commentary, its interest and popularity continue to grow, with former Olympic athletes expressing their interest in the games and the organisation receiving financial backing from multiple investors. This commentary piece will delve into TEG to provide a deeper understanding of what it is and what it means for the practices surrounding harm reduction, reducing stigma through the use of inclusive language and together the impact this has upon the Image and Performance Enhancing Drug (IPED) communities. Then, the work will discuss the potential risks and limitations of such a concept of a games. Finally, the work will end with recommendations and opportunities for the Enhanced Games to explore additional avenues within the field of human enhancement. Overall, TEG has a mission to ensure the health and safety of their athletes to enhance athletic performance. Nevertheless, more work needs to be done by TEG to reduce risk and harm when all forms of image and performance enhancing drugs are allowed to be used at their future events.