Billionaire Peter Thiel Funds Controversial ‘Olympics on Steroids’ Event
Silicon Valley billionaire Peter Thiel is financing a unique sporting event known as the Enhanced Games, which aims to create an Olympics on steroids. The event will actively encourage athletes to use performance-enhancing drugs, with the goal of pushing the boundaries of human performance and aiding research into nutritional supplements and biohacks.
The brainchild behind the Enhanced Games is Dr. Aron D’Souza, a lawyer who gained fame for conceiving Thiel’s lawsuit against Gawker Media. Thiel, along with other high-profile venture capitalists such as Christian Angermayer and Balaji Srinivasan, has invested in the project, although the exact amount raised remains undisclosed.
The Enhanced Games will consist of five events: swimming, gymnastics, weightlifting, track and field, and combat. The competition will be held once a year at existing venues, and the inaugural competition is expected to take place by the middle of next year. However, the specific host city for the first event has not been revealed.
Unlike the Olympics, where the use of banned substances is prohibited, the Enhanced Games will allow athletes to use performance-enhancing drugs openly and honestly. The idea is to grant athletes autonomy over their bodies, without interference from sports federations or governments. Dr. D’Souza believes that this approach will lead to a larger data pool of athletes and individuals who are eager to improve themselves through science, ultimately contributing to advancements in longevity and healthy aging.
So far, 900 athletes have expressed their interest in participating in the Enhanced Games. Athletes who did not win the genetic lottery will have the opportunity to experiment with supplements that could enhance their performance. Additionally, participants will receive a base salary in addition to prize winnings.
The Enhanced Games aim to avoid the excessive spending associated with traditional Olympic Games. Dr. D’Souza stated that the event will be entirely privately funded, eliminating the need for taxpayer-funded stadiums that often go unused after the games conclude. This model hopes to break away from the trend discovered by economists at Oxford University, which found that every Olympics since 1960 has exceeded its budget.
However, not everyone supports the concept of the Enhanced Games. Dr. Grigory Rodchenkov, the Russian anti-doping whistleblower, has criticized the event, seeing it as a danger to athletes’ health and the integrity of sports. Former Olympic gold medalist Anna Meares shares similar concerns, labeling the concept as unfair and unsafe.
The Enhanced Games will provide an alternative platform for athletes to push their boundaries and explore the potential of human performance. While its controversial nature raises questions about fairness and safety, proponents believe it has the potential to drive scientific advancements in areas such as anti-aging and athletic enhancement. As discussions continue, the world waits to see how this bold experiment will unfold.
