SYDNEY, Australia: Former Australian swimming champion James Magnussen says he is ready to take on the challenge of taking performance-enhancing drugs to break a world record and claim a $1 million prize.
The 32-year-old, who won the world 100m freestyle title in 2011 and 2013, plans to come out of retirement to compete at the proposed “Enhanced Games”, where banned substances will be allowed.
Founded by London-based Australian businessman Aron D’Souza in 2023, competitors would not be subject to World Anti-Doping Agency rules – a concept that has been criticized as dangerous.
According to the games’ website, all athletes who participate will receive a base salary and prize money that “will be greater than any comparable event in history.”
Those who break the world record will receive US$1 million, with Magnussen, who retired in 2018, the first big name to take the bait in a bid to break the 50m freestyle mark.
If he did, it would not be officially recognized.
“If someone had asked me that during my swimming career, my answer would have been very different to what it is today when someone is six years out of sports retirement,” he said in a column for The Australian on Saturday.
“To be completely transparent, money is a big part of it. The A$1.6 million price tag is hard to ignore. Retired athletes don’t get opportunities like this every day.”
Brazilian Cesar Cielo has held the single-lap record of 20.91 seconds since 2009, when he set it in a modern high-tech “super suit” that has since been banned.
Magnussen, who has a personal best of 21.52, said he would not risk his health.
“I want to be surrounded by the right doctors and the right medical support. I want to do it properly,” he said.
“I want to do it methodically and scientifically to make sure that any supplementation will not have any long-term negative effects on my body.
“It’s not for everyone and it’s definitely not something for young athletes.
“But if it proves that you can seriously improve performance scientifically and do it safely, then maybe that’s a fun event for people to watch.”
The venture-backed games are slated to include five core categories — athletics, aquatics, gymnastics, strength and combat, according to their website. The time and location of the first games have not yet been announced.
“It’s time to pay athletes and reward excellence. People like James deserve to earn millions for the extraordinary performances they’ve done,” D’Souza said on the X social network in response to Magnussen’s interest.
Since the launch of the Enhanced Games concept last year, reactions from the sports world have been largely negative.
The Australian Olympic Committee called the idea “dangerous and irresponsible”.
Former England swimmer Sharron Davies, an Olympic silver medalist, took to social media on Saturday to ask: “Why would we want to know who can cheat the most to win awards?”
