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Aron D’Souza an Australian businessman, who currently lives in London, UK has proposed an alternative to the Olympic Games, “The Enhanced Games.” While surely a viable alternative to the Olympic Games has merit, not this kind.
D’Souza claims, and rightfully so, that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) is a one-party system. And has said, “Now the opposition party is here.”
Intriguing, but the Enhanced Games may turn out to be the Jerry Springer Show of sporting events; trash.
“If like me you’re convinced a lot of professional sportspeople are doped to the gills …”
— 🅲🅻🅴🅰🅽🆂 (@cleans_letsrun) June 28, 2023
lolhttps://t.co/sDHIhaUjQ7
The proposal is to run an alternative to the Games where no drug testing takes place. Meaning athletes who choose to take performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) may compete all they want. Currently, the idea is promoted through marketing.
The proposal by D’Souza includes providing stocks to participating athletes. He is also suggesting making the event smaller, less expensive to host the Olympic Games, and available for 40, 50, and 60-year-olds. He would like to see the 40, 50, and 60-year-olds “break world records.”
A 50-year-old breaking a sprint or endurance world record is preposterous — a veritable clown show. Additionally, if doping control is not on-site, no sport’s governing body will ratify a world record. Doping control requires significant organisation and investment.
Ultimately, what D’Souza is missing in his hypothesis for this alternative event is the “why” that makes people dope. Getting away with doping is a game within a game. Doping sleight of hand is the foundational construct by athletes competing in legitimate events for money or recognition. Being viewed as a doper is something athletes do not want; the deceit is derided. Doping is generally considered dishonest and morally corrupt. It is shameful (to be caught), and is now becoming a criminal offense in some countries.
For athletes to compete in the proposed Enhanced Games, it will simply put a testing target on their backs. The result is associated athletes may be tested more frequently, and therefore more likely to be caught.
Athletics, for example, is currently challenged by attracting new fans, partly because of doping. The Enhanced Games will be nothing more than any other rogue event or league and its imminent failure, a grotesque version of what the athletics community wants to end.
There is a long line of rogue sports and leagues that died on the vine. American Football seems to be the worst: Arena Football (AFL), XFL, United States Football League, NFL Europe, World League of American Football. As well as the World Hockey Association, International Hockey League, Elite Xtreme Combat, Senior Professional Baseball Association, American Basketball League, North American Soccer League, and Slamball to name a few.
The Goodwill Games proposed by Russian President Vladimir Putin is another alternative, already tried and already failed. The rule of enterprise law is, “competition forces the cream to rise to the top.”
The NFL, NBA, NHL, NASCAR, Premier League, and the Olympic Games are as big and rich as ever and will be impossible to compete with. In fact, The Enhanced Games will simply promote and further legitimize the current Olympic Games. The Enhanced Games will simply come off as a freak spectacle — a Jerry Springer Show for mainstream sports.
