Two-time Olympic gold medalist Hunter Armstrong will compete in the inaugural Enhanced Games this May, a competition that explicitly allows performance-enhancing drugs, while simultaneously pursuing qualification for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. The 25-year-old swimmer from Ohio confirmed his participation in the PED-friendly event, citing financial necessity after losing his primary sponsorship.
Armstrong, a former world record holder in the 50-meter backstroke, intends to race in the 50-meter backstroke and 100-meter freestyle at the Enhanced Games in Las Vegas on May 24, according to ESPN. He plans to compete without utilizing banned substances, believing adherence to World Aquatics’ drug-testing protocols will preserve his eligibility for future Olympic consideration. The Enhanced Games offers a $250,000 prize for first place in each event, along with a salary and bonuses for breaking world records.
“If I don’t join Enhanced, I lose everything. If I do join Enhanced, I have a chance at not losing everything,” Armstrong told ESPN. “My back was against the wall, so I had to reopen that conversation to see if it was a plausible option.” He reportedly considered retirement last summer after his sponsor ended their relationship, leaving him unable to cover his expenses.
The decision by Armstrong to participate in both the Enhanced Games and potentially the Olympics presents a challenge to World Aquatics, the international governing body for swimming. Last year, World Aquatics amended its bylaws in response to the creation of the Enhanced Games, stating that individuals who “support, endorse or participate in” such events would be ineligible for World Aquatics competitions. However, Armstrong, after consulting with legal counsel, believes the ban would only apply if he were to violate World Aquatics’ rules, including its drug-testing requirements.
World Aquatics spokesperson Torin Koos told ESPN the federation will evaluate each case individually, and declined to comment on Armstrong’s specific situation, stating it would be “counterproductive and inappropriate…to speculate on ‘what-if’ scenarios.”
Armstrong reportedly contacted World Aquatics officials prior to committing to the Enhanced Games, but did not receive a clear indication of how his participation would affect his Olympic eligibility. “Nobody really knows what’s going to happen, and nobody will give me an answer on what’s going to happen,” Armstrong said. “So all I can operate off of is what the rules say and take a chance because I won’t get an answer by waiting.”
USA Swimming, responsible for selecting the U.S. Olympic team, has not yet issued a statement regarding Armstrong’s participation in the Enhanced Games.
Armstrong won gold medals as part of Team USA’s 4×100 meter relay teams at the Tokyo and Paris Summer Olympics. The Enhanced Games, backed by several billionaire funders, aims to push the boundaries of human athletic achievement and provide athletes with increased financial resources. The organization likewise intends to generate revenue through an online marketplace for performance-enhancing drugs. Approximately 40 athletes, including several former Olympians and world-record holders, are currently training in Abu Dhabi, where they are participating in a clinical trial approved by the United Arab Emirates’ Department of Health, utilizing substances like testosterone, growth hormone, and peptides.
