Athletes scheduled to take part at this summer season’s Paris Olympics have expressed an curiosity in competing within the Enhanced Video games, the place doping is allowed, says the occasion’s founder.
Aron D’Souza says athletes who’ve contacted him are eager to “make some actual cash” throughout non-Olympic years.
The Enhanced Video games, based by D’Souza in 2023, wouldn’t be topic to World Anti-Doping Company (Wada) guidelines.
“Excellence deserves to be rewarded,” stated the Australian businessman.
Wada has known as the Enhanced Video games “a harmful and irresponsible idea”.
Chatting with BBC World Service Sport, D’Souza stated: “It’s unlucky that our Olympians earn so little.
“There are a variety of athletes who’re going to compete on the Paris Olympics, together with among the high Crew USA monitor and discipline athletes who’ve reached out to me. As a result of, let’s be trustworthy, they’re flipping burgers to supply for themselves, and financially it simply does not work for them.
“So that they’re very excited to compete on the Enhanced Video games to make some actual cash and have a possibility to develop their fame, to monetise and practise their sport within the three years that the Olympics will not be occurring.”
The Enhanced Video games are deliberate to incorporate athletics, swimming, weightlifting, gymnastics and fight sports activities, although no date or venue for the occasion has but been set.
Wada, in criticising the Video games, has stated that “athletes function function fashions and we consider this proposed occasion would ship the incorrect sign to younger individuals all over the world”.
D’Souza has defended the proposed occasion, saying steps can be taken to minimise dangers to athletes’ well being.
“There’s after all concern about well being and security, and I all the time underline the truth that every thing can be performed below scientific supervision,” he stated.
“The very best factor to do is to reinforce your self with scientific recommendation, with scientific supervision, and that’s a lot safer.”
Earlier this month, former champion James Magnussen agreed to come back out of retirement to compete within the Video games and try to swim quicker than the 50m freestyle file in return for $1m (£792,000).
Even when Magnussen did swim quicker than the world file it will not be official as a result of there could be no drug-testing regime.
‘It goes towards what the Olympics stand for’
British former Olympic 200m butterfly bronze medallist Steve Parry is important of the idea of the Enhanced Video games and the message it sends out to younger athletes.
“I actually do not prefer it in any respect. It goes towards just about each fibre of what I stood for and what I believe the Olympics stand for,” he informed BBC World Service Sport.
“I believe the Olympics is there to encourage kids primarily to need to do actually good issues in sport, however we exist in a society at this time that’s about reducing corners.
“It takes a very long time to win Olympic medals and I am involved across the message that this may ship round.”
Parry, who retired from swimming in 2005, says he shares D’Souza’s considerations about athletes’ pay however believes cash isn’t their major motivation.
“I believe should you ask Olympians and why they do what they do, cash would not actually issue into it,” added the 46-year-old.
“The endeavour of the Olympic Video games is without doubt one of the purest issues that we’ve got left and I believe that is an idea that is value that is value preventing for.”