World Aquatics has turn out to be the primary worldwide federation to ban athletes, coaches and officers from its occasions if they’ve taken half within the controversial Enhanced Video games.
The brand new occasion promotes banned performance-enhancing medicine and the inaugural Enhanced Video games are scheduled to happen in Las Vegas from 21-24 Could 2026.
There are plans for it to be an annual competitors, initially comprising short-distance swimming, sprinting and weightlifting.
Final month, Enhanced Video games organisers mentioned Greece’s Kristian Gkolomeev swam 20.89 seconds in a 50m freestyle time trial within the US in February, 0.02 seconds faster than the world report set by Brazil’s Cesar Cielo in 2009.
World Aquatics mentioned it has launched a brand new bylaw “that reinforces its steadfast dedication to wash sport”.
It added: “Underneath the brand new bylaw, people who assist, endorse, or take part in sporting occasions that embrace using scientific developments or different practices which will embrace prohibited substances and/or prohibited strategies won’t be eligible to carry positions with World Aquatics or to take part in any World Aquatics competitions, occasions, or different actions.
“This ineligibility would apply to roles equivalent to athlete, coach, group official, administrator, medical assist workers, or authorities consultant.”
World Aquatics mentioned it additionally inspired its member associations to “undertake comparable insurance policies on the nationwide degree to uphold constant requirements throughout the game”.
The Enhanced Video games has been criticised for endangering athletes’ well being and undermining truthful play, with the World Anti-Doping Company describing it as a “dangerous and irresponsible project”., external
Nevertheless, it has additionally attracted heavyweight backing from a enterprise capital fund headed up by Donald Trump Jr, the US president’s son, and billionaire entrepreneur Peter Thiel.
“Those that allow doped sport will not be welcome at World Aquatics or our occasions,” mentioned World Aquatics president Husain al Musallam.
“This new bylaw ensures that we will proceed to guard the integrity of our competitions, the well being and security of our athletes, and the credibility of the worldwide aquatics group.”
