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Health & Wellbeing
World champion quits ‘traditional’ swimming, joins Enhanced Games in shock defection
An Olympic medallist has stunned the swimming world by quitting traditional competition and defecting to the Enhanced Games.
Matthew Sullivan
September 11, 2025 – 10:36AM
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The Enhanced Games has landed arguably its biggest name yet.
British swimming star Ben Proud has announced he has called time on his “traditional” swimming career to compete in the Enhanced Games.
“It’s time for a shift,” the 30-year-old sprint freestyler wrote on Instagram.
“I will be retiring from traditional swimming to compete in the Enhanced Games.
“Stepping into a framework that challenges everything we know about performance, and a chance to chase the outer edge of human potential with the tools and possibilities of our time. This is where my next chapter begins.”
Proud is one of swimming’s most decorated 50m sprint specialists. He is a five-time Commonwealth Games champion, a European champion and a three-time world champion.
He claimed silver behind Australia’s Cameron McEvoy at last year’s Paris Olympics and at this year’s world championships in Singapore.
Proud’s 50m freestyle personal best of 21.11sec for the 50m freestyle is a British record and makes him the fifth fastest man over the one-lap dash — behind only McEvoy, Caeleb Dressel, Fred Bousquet and world record holder Cesar Cieslo.
Proud also set a personal best of 22.74sec for the 50m butterfly at the recent world championships.
But Proud is now quitting World Aquatics to become the first Brit to sign up to controversial new event the Enhanced Games.
Britain’s Benjamin Proud (L), gold medallist Australia’s Cameron McEvoy (C) and France’s Florent Manaudou on the 50m freestyle podium at the Paris Olympics. (Photo by Manan VATSYAYANA / AFP)
“My ambition has always been to be the fastest man on the planet,” Proud said.
“I’ve spent years striving for that within traditional sport, but my motivations have shifted.
“Now I want to focus on performance at its highest level and challenge myself in new ways. The Enhanced Games gives me that chance – to test the limits of human potential with the tools and possibilities of our time.”
Proud dismissed suggestions he was seeking to undermine clean sport, insisting: “No. It opens up the potential avenue to excel in a very different way.
“Realistically I’ve achieved everything I can, and now the Enhanced Games is giving me a new opportunity.
“I definitely don’t think that’s undermining a clean sport.
“I really respect the sport I’ve been part of, and I would never step back in knowing I’ve done something which isn’t in the rules.”
But his decision brought a stunned and angry reaction from British swimming bosses.
A spokesman said: “Aquatics GB is immensely disappointed in Ben Proud’s announcement to sign with the Enhanced Games.
“Aquatics GB, along with our partners, stand firmly behind the values and principles of clean sport and condemns Ben’s decision in the strongest terms.”
England’s Ben Proud is joining the Enhanced Games. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)
Cam McEvoy and Ben Proud have been rivals in the 50m freestyle. (Photo by Philip FONG / AFP)
Aquatics GB’s criticism was echoed by UK Anti-Doping, whose chief executive Jane Rumble said: “It is incredibly disappointing that any British athlete would consider competing in an event that flies in the face of the true spirit of sport.
“Any decision by any athlete to compete in the Enhanced Games risks undermining the values of a sporting landscape that prizes hard work, integrity, pure talent and 100% clean sport.
“It’s a landscape UK Anti-Doping works hard to protect.
“So it is with deep concern for all clean athletes, and all those who love sport, that the event may go ahead, with any British athlete saying they will take part.
“It is an undertaking that diminishes, rather than ‘enhances’, all those involved.”
UK Sport said it “condemns everything the Enhanced Games stands for in the strongest possible terms. We believe it risks compromising athlete health and welfare, undermines the trust of fans and is the absolute antithesis to our philosophy of winning well.
“We are incredibly disappointed to learn that any British athlete in one of our Olympic or Paralympic programmes would support such an event. We are engaging with our colleagues at Aquatics GB as a matter of urgency to determine Ben Proud’s suitability to receive public funds.
“It is clear, however, that any breach of anti-doping rules is contrary to the policies any athlete must comply with to receive UK Sport funding.”
What are the Enhanced Games?
The Enhanced Games, due to hold its inaugural event in Las Vegas in May, will feature swimming, track and field and weightlifting, will allow competitors to use performance-enhancing drugs such as steroids.
But it will ban athletes who test positive for recreational substances including cocaine and heroin.
Ben Proud is one of Great Britain’s most decorated swimmers. Picture: Michael Klein
Around 100 athletes are expected to compete at the inaugural event next year, with many competitors’ names kept secret until closer to the event.
The Enhanced Games plans to pay $US250,000 for each gold medal and $US1 million to anyone who breaks a world record in the 100m sprint or the 50m freestyle.
The Games will have four swimming events, the 50m and 100m freestyle and the 50m and 100m butterfly.
While in athletics there will be the 100m sprint and 100m hurdles.
McEvoy and fellow Australian Olympic champion Ariarne Titmus have criticised the Enhanced Games concept and advocated for clean sport.
Australia’s James Magnussen made global headlines when he attempted to break the 50m freestyle record of 20.91sec with a bulked up physique in North Carolina earlier this year.
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Magnussen, who has been retired for six years, has been taking a concoction of testosterone and peptides, among other substances banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), to try and break the 50m freestyle world record.
From three attempts, Magnussen’s best time was 22.73sec. He retired from professional swimming in 2019 with a personal best of 21.52sec set in 2013.
Greek Olympian Kristian Gkolomeev swam a time of 20.98sec, unofficially breaking Cielo’s 50m freestyle world record by two hundredths of a second and earning a USD$1 million prize.
Proud said he wasn’t yet sure if he would take performance enhancing drugs for the Enhanced Games.
“This is the start of my journey with the Enhanced Games format, all I know is I want to apply myself to this event as I have applied myself to the Olympic pathway, that will be by learning and understanding what is best for me and my performance,” Proud said in a statement to SwimSwam.
“We will be lucky to have access to the best specialists to make the most informed decision, but ultimately, there is no obligation for me to take anything, and I have total control over this aspect.”
He added: “There is no obligation for me to take anything, and I have total control over this aspect.
“I will never take anything that I am unsure of. They are not allowing anyone to participate if they are under any stress or health risks.”
Ben Proud (right) won silver in the 50m free at the recent world championships. Photo by Philip FONG / AFP.
In a statement on social media, Proud said he had decided the time was right for him to chase a new challenge.
“For 15 years, swimming has defined me,” he said.
“It has shaped my decisions, my sacrifices, and the direction of my life. Every move I made, where I lived, how I trained, what I gave up – was in the pursuit of being the best version of myself in the pool, of proving I am capable on the world stage.
“That journey has given me incredible moments: Olympic finals, world titles, memories and experiences I’ll carry for life.
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“I’m in a fortunate position to be able to capitalise on what I can do in the water, and to pursue something unique that excites me in a new way. For the first time in a very long time I’m making a decision not for swimming, but for myself.
“I’ve reached a point where I feel deeply satisfied with everything I’ve achieved in my career. My heart is full of contentment, and I know I’m ready to move on and embrace something new. That is why I will be retiring from traditional sport to compete in the Enhanced Games. This is not the end of my journey – it’s the beginning of a new chapter.”
– With The Sun
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