By Madeline Folsom on SwimSwam
The German Swimming Federation posted a statement yesterday condemning the Enhanced Games following the news of German Olympian Marius Kusch joining.
The Federation did not mention Kusch by name, but they made their stance on the competition clear.
“The Enhanced Games are diametrically opposed to everything the sport stands for. They mock fairness, health, and the very raison d’être (reason or purpose for existence) of sport by not only tolerating doping but by presenting it as a supposedly autonomous option for self-optimization. The German Swimming Association condemns this in the strongest possible terms.
“For us, fairness, equal opportunities, and the clear rejection of any form of doping are unshakable fundamental values. Athletes — whether active or retired — have a special role model function.
“Anyone who consciously turns away from these values is saying goodbye to our sport of swimming. And: They are exposing themselves to serious health risks that can never be fully foreseen.”
Kusch was the latest in a growing list of athletes to join the Enhanced Games citing monetary benefits of the competition. The inaugural event will be held next May in Las Vegas with $1 million up for grabs for breaking the world record in the 50 free or 100-meter dash. World Records in other events, the 50 free and 100 fly for Kusch, will pay $250,000.
Read the full story on SwimSwam: German Swimming Federation Says “Enhanced Games Mock Fairness, Health, and Reason of Sport”
