‘It’s about the money’: Cash lure outweighed doping concerns, say Enhanced swimmers

Las Vegas: Two of the swimmers vying for a million-dollar cheque at this weekend’s Enhanced Games have slammed the prizemoney on offer for clean athletes like Australia’s Cam McEvoy in traditional events and say they have no qualms about taking performance-enhancing drugs.

Greek swimmer Kristian Gkolomeev became an instant millionaire last year when he went under world record time in a 50-metre freestyle event staged by the Enhanced Games for a documentary.

His time of 20.89 was just inside the previous world record of 20.91, set by Cesar Cielo in 2009, but was achieved using banned substances and a now-illegal polyurethane “super suit”.

McEvoy set a new world record of 20.88 in March, and Gkolomeev, who finished fifth at the Paris Olympics in 2024, will attempt to better that mark on Sunday (Monday morning AEST) when he races alongside Great Britain’s Ben Proud and Australia’s James Magnussen – although any time will not be officially recognised.

Gkolomeev said the Enhanced Games prizemoney had changed his life, having struggled to make ends meet as a clean athlete.

“It was a lot of money,” said Gkolomeev, whose mother died while giving birth to him. “As a swimmer before, I wasn’t making any money. I couldn’t really support my family. I have huge respect for Cam. I’m very motivated to beat that time again.”

McEvoy earned about $US10,000 ($14,300) in prizemoney for his recent victory in China, but received no bonus for lowering the world record.

At the Enhanced Games – a one-day event where athletes are permitted to use banned substances in normal sport under medical supervision – Gkolomeev stands to earn a further $US1 million ($1.4 million) bonus, in addition to a winner’s cheque worth $US250,000, if he swims 20.87 or faster.

Olympic athletes receive no prizemoney at the Games themselves, while winners at last year’s swimming world championships collected $US20,000 ($28,000) per event.

“That’s sad,” Gkolomeev said of McEvoy’s financial return. “I wish athletes were paid more. It was a huge help for me and my family. I invested it into my wife’s nature school business. James [Magnussen] was a big reason that I joined the Games.”

Asked about the impact of the substances he has been taking – athletes have been told not to disclose them – Gkolomeev said: “I can sleep good at night. I’m not cheating or anything.

“I’m not really worried about my health. We only go in a cycle through 10 weeks of taking substances … and only super small doses.”

Proud finished second behind McEvoy at the Paris Olympics and last year’s world championships before signing with the Enhanced Games in September. He has faced significant backlash in the UK.

“In theory, you’d have to win 22 or 23 world championship titles to get what you can earn in one night here,” Proud said.

“There was a lot of frustration with swimming. It’s about the money. I’d just come off a silver medal and there was no money in the sport.”

Proud paid tribute to McEvoy’s world record and said the Enhanced Games should not overshadow the Australian’s achievement.

“Cam breaking that world record was the greatest thing I’ve seen. It was incredible,” Proud said. “He should be here, he should be racing here clean, because we want the best people in the world. He could have a very good shot of putting a supersuit on and beating us.

“He could be competing for that million dollars, which is such a shame for World Aquatics to [stop him]. The Olympics have an opportunity to move away from amateurism and make swimming and sports at the Olympics more professional.”

Proud said he had not suffered any major side effects, but admitted the process of taking substances had initially shaken him.

“I had to call my brother because I was terrified,” he said. “That was a day that I go from the Ben Proud that I’ve always known, to a new person. So that was scary.”

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