(NewsNation) — Aaron D’Souza, is planning a sort of Olympics without drug testing, which he says “will obliterate all the world records” by “unlocking human potential.”
The Australia-born, London-based businessman is president of the Enhanced Games, which has its own website, featuring a video that purports to show the “fastest man in the world.”
The website invites fans to “come watch him compete at the 2024 Enhanced Games.” It accuses the International Olympic Committee of vilifying “enhanced athletes” and lists “enhanced” world records rejected by the IOC.
Yet, critics are already lining up to condemn the Enhanced Games, including the Australian Olympic Committee, which called the idea “dangerous and irresponsible.”
“We know next to nothing about this organization but sport needs to be clean and it needs to be safe for all athletes,” AOC chief executive Matt Carroll said on Monday. “The Australian Olympic Committee believes the concept of a drug-enhanced games is both dangerous and irresponsible.
“The Olympic movement is devoted to clean sport and athletic excellence, celebrating the best in humanity, excellence, friendship and respect.”
The National Institutes of Health, Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, the UK’s National Health Service all have said anabolic, anabolic steroids are addictive, and they’re used can cause a number of health issues, heart attacks, strokes, tumors, kidney failure and psychiatric problems.
However, D’Souza argues there’s “huge interest in building a better version of the Olympics.”
He also argues that evidence presented about performance-enhancing drugs has been funded by the World Anti-Doping Agency and the International Olympic Committee.
“It’s not truly objective scientific evidence,” he said. “I’m pleased to say that the Enhanced Games has a world-class Scientific Advisory Board, including top academics from Harvard and Oxford University, who are very supportive of what we’re doing.”
He added: “I think our efforts are very fair. Currently, at the Olympic Games, and other international sporting events, the use of enhancements is underground.”
According to research published by the NIH, 95% of NFL players have used anabolic steroids at some point in their careers.
“It’s rife among professional athletes. So wouldn’t it be more fair to have an enhanced game on the one side and a natural, slow, boring Olympics?” D’Souza said.
D’Souza says the concept is “morally correct.” The games will comprise five categories — track and field, swimming, weightlifting, gymnastics and combat sports. The time and venue of the games have yet to be announced.
“We’re really looking forward to the opportunity to show the world that science is real, and medicine can really make human beings better,” he said.