Olympic silver medallist Ben Proud has admitted a lack of trust in the system is behind his decision to join the Enhanced Games.
UK Sport reacted with outrage after Proud became the first Briton to sign up for the Games, which are a version of the Olympics where doping is permitted.
Bosses at UK Sport, the government agency which invests lottery funding into Olympic and Paralympic sport, were quick to condemn the 30-year-old – and threatened to pull any financial support.
Proud is a world and European champion at 50m freestyle. By competing in Las Vegas next May, he will automatically be banned from international competition.
He had previous campaigned against doping in sport, and his team-mates, Adam Peaty and Duncan Scott, have spoken out against doping in the past.
But that hasn’t stopped the 30-year-old making the decision to jump ship, and, speaking to The Times, he has pointed the ‘blame’ at those close to home.
Ben Proud has pointed the finger at anti-doping authorities and British swimming as his reasons for signing up to the Enhanced Games
Proud, pictured, with his mother, said he now needs to think about financial benefits on offer
‘I might take you all the way back to Sochi, to the Olympics in Russia,’ he said, referring to the Games that were dominated by doping involved in the Russia team.
‘I watched that documentary about it, Icarus. That was a really painful documentary for me to see. Coming up through the British system, we have such a good standard. “We’re 100 per cent me”, “everything that goes into our body is our sole responsibility” etc. And I’m very much a sucker for rules. I comply as best I can. But seeing that this can actually go on behind the scenes, I was like, “Well, what’s the point?”
‘I did then say to myself, it’s easier for me just to completely ignore it and focus on myself. But fast forward to the scandal with the Chinese swimmers. There’s a lot of questions going around and the answers just aren’t quite good enough to really regain trust in the system.’
Proud raised the issue of two doping scandals. First was Russia’s involvement, and the second was how 23 Chinese swimmers were allowed to compete in Paris at the Games last year.
All of the swimmers tested positive for a banned drug in 2021 and it has not been fully explained why they were allowed to compete three years later. That, for Proud, is an issue.
He added: ‘We dedicate such a big portion of our lives to this [anti-doping], and the fact that there could be people slipping through the system unscathed is quite hurtful.
‘I don’t want to say I’ve been treated unfairly because I’ve stuck by the rules, but if there are people getting away with it that’s a complete no-go.’
He went onto add that a lack of prize money on offer for British swimmers was a leading factor in his decision and that he was not bothered about funding potentially being pulled.
He also pointed to recent doping issues in the sport and how they have been dealt with
The inaugural Enhanced Games, set to take place in Las Vegas next May, will feature swimming, track and field and weightlifting, in an event designed to disrupt a status quo in the international anti-doping movement that some feel is failing.
It is backed by a group called 1789 Equity which is supported in part by Donald Trump Jr.
It has obtained funding ‘in the double-digit millions,’ according to founder Aron D’Souza. Athletes will compete for up to $500,000 in purses per event, with bonuses starting at $250,000 for those who break records.
Concerns have been raised over the health of those taking part, with the World Anti-Doping agency (Wada) branding it ‘dangerous and irresponsible’.
Travis Tygart, chief executive of the US Anti-Doping Agency, described it as ‘a clown show’.
A BOA spokesperson said: ‘We remain vehemently opposed to what we believe to be a cynical and dangerous event.’
