Fred Kerley, Former World Champion Sprinter, Announces Participation in No-Testing Enhanced Games
BUDAPEST, Hungary – Fred Kerley, the 2022 world champion in the 100 meters, confirmed today he will compete in the inaugural enhanced Games, a controversial athletic competition that explicitly permits the use of performance-enhancing drugs. The proclamation comes during the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, where Kerley was disqualified from the 100m final after a false start.
The Enhanced Games, founded to challenge conventional anti-doping regulations, represents a significant disruption to the established order of professional athletics. Kerley’s decision to join the league, which is scheduled to begin in 2024, underscores growing discontent among some athletes regarding current restrictions and potential financial incentives offered by the new institution. The move also arrives amid legal battles between the Enhanced Games and established sporting federations, including a recent $800 million lawsuit filed by the Enhanced Games against World Aquatics over alleged attempts to boycott the league.
Kerley’s participation follows a series of recent legal issues. In May, he was charged with battery in Florida following an alleged altercation with a fellow Olympic athlete. Prior incidents include an arrest in January where police used a Taser during an encounter in Miami Beach. kerley’s legal team maintains his innocence in both cases.
World Athletics President Seb Coe briefly addressed the news, stating, “We’re in a championships. There’s nothing more I need to say. We’ll look at it when we get out of here.”
The Enhanced Games’ open stance on performance enhancement has drawn sharp criticism from anti-doping advocates,who argue it compromises athlete health and fair play. However,the league’s proponents contend it offers a transparent alternative to the current system,where undetectable methods of enhancement may be prevalent. Kerley’s involvement is expected to further fuel the debate and perhaps attract other high-profile athletes seeking to compete without the constraints of traditional drug testing protocols.
