Enhanced Games want to make performance-enhancing drugs mainstream — and they’re coming to Vegas

Nypost · May 14, 2026 · 578 words · By Will Zimmerman

Sports Regulation Commercialization of Athletics Performance Enhancing Drugs

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What to know about Sports Regulation

Enhanced Games want to make performance-enhancing drugs mainstream — and they’re coming to Vegas - The inaugural Enhanced Games, where performance-enhancing drugs are allowed, kicks off May 24, 2026, in Las Vegas.

Claims checked 11

Techniques found 2

Topics 3

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage

Left0%

Center75%

Right25%

4 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

Why it matters

- CEO and co-founder Max Martin says the Games regulate what’s “in the shadows.” - Two-time world champion swimmer Megan Romano, 35, is competing, and is reportedly faster with enhancements than she was in her youth.

Common ground

On May 24, the inaugural Enhanced Games will be held in Las Vegas.

Perspective signals

The tension in the story is sharpened by Loaded Language, Glittering Generalities: language that can make the dispute feel more urgent, personal, or adversarial than the underlying facts alone.

Follow-up questions

What new context would change how readers understand this Sports Regulation story?
What evidence would most clearly confirm or weaken the claim that They just have to be FDA-approved and monitored by a doctor?
How does this story connect Sports Regulation with Commercialization of Athletics over the next few days?

open_in_new Read the original article: https://nypost.com/2026/05/14/business/enhanced-games-in-vegas-to-allow-performa…

psychologyPropaganda Techniques Detected

eFinder identified 2 propaganda techniques in this article. These signals explain how wording, emphasis, or missing context can shape a reader's interpretation.

warning

Loaded Language 80% confidence

Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.

Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.

Why it matters: Recognizing loaded language helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

warning

Glittering Generalities 70% confidence

Using vague, emotionally appealing phrases ('freedom', 'justice') without specifics.

Why it matters: Recognizing glittering generalities helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 11 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

check_circle Corroborated 7

help Insufficient Evidence 2

schedule Pending 1

info Single Source 1

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Claim 1: “They just have to be FDA-approved and monitored by a doctor.”

CORROBORATED

Both Wikipedia and a web search result explicitly state that organizers claim substances must be FDA-approved and taken under medical supervision.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — EndeavorRx and EndeavorOTC are video games used to treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder developed by Akili Interactive. It was based on a prototype game called NeuroRacer that was invented b…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EndeavorRx

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Enhanced Games (TEG) is a planned multi-sport event. Founded by Australian businessman Aron D'Souza, it plans to allow athletes to use performance-enhancing substances without being subject to dr…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enhanced_Games

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Growth hormone (GH) or somatotropin, also known as human growth hormone (hGH or HGH) in its human form, is a peptide hormone that stimulates growth, cell reproduction, and cell regeneration in humans …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Growth_hormone

+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 2: “The inaugural Enhanced Games, where performance-enhancing drugs are allowed, kicks off May 24, 2026, in Las Vegas.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple independent sources (Wikipedia, The Guardian, and the official Enhanced website) confirm the inaugural games are set for May 2026 in Las Vegas, specifically mentioning the May 24 date or the May 21-24 window.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Oakland Athletics relocation to Las Vegas is an effort by the owners of the Athletics of Major League Baseball (MLB) to move the franchise from Oakland, California, to the Las Vegas metropolitan a…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oakland_Athletics_relocation_t…

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Resorts World Las Vegas is a resort and casino on the Las Vegas Strip in Winchester, Nevada, United States. It is owned and operated by Genting Group as part of the Resorts World brand. It had been th…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resorts_World_Las_Vegas

+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 3: “Max Martin, CEO and co-founder of the Enhanced Games”

CORROBORATED

A web search result explicitly identifies Max Martin as the cofounder and CEO of the Enhanced Games.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — HBO Max is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service, a proprietary unit of Warner Bros. Streaming on behalf of Home Box Office, Inc., which is itself owned by Warner Bro…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HBO_Max

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Witcher (Polish: Wiedźmin pronounced [ˈvʲɛd͡ʑmʲin]) is a 2007 action role-playing game developed by CD Projekt Red for Windows and OS X. It was based on the fantasy novel series The Witcher by Pol…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Witcher_(video_game)

+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 4: “By bringing fifty athletes (most of whom are enhanced) to Vegas”

CORROBORATED

A web search result explicitly states the inaugural games will take place in Las Vegas with 50 athletes.

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web search NEUTRAL — The Enhanced Games is a planned multi-sport event. Founded by Australian businessman Aron D'Souza, it plans to allow athletes to use performance-enhancing substances without being subject to drug test…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enhanced_Games

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web search NEUTRAL — The inaugural Enhanced Games will take place May 24 in Las Vegas, with 50 athletes ages 21 and older competing to break world records in swimming, track, and weightlifting. Use of performance-enhancin…
https://frontofficesports.com/the-enhanced-games-wants-to-be…

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web search NEUTRAL — The 2026 Enhanced Games will feature three core sports across a tightly curated schedule of high-performance events including: Swimming: 50m and 100m Freestyle, 50m and 100m Butterfly.
https://www.enhanced.com/newsroom/enhanced-games-announce-ho…

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Claim 5: “Christian Angermayer, one of the Games’ co-founders and an investor alongside Peter Thiel and Donald Trump Jr.”

CORROBORATED

Wikipedia and multiple web search results confirm that Christian Angermayer, Peter Thiel, and Donald Trump Jr. are investors/co-founders.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — "Venture capitalists Christian Angermayer, Peter Thiel and Balaji Srinivasan join funding for the Enhanced Games, the 21st Century Olympics without drug testing".
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enhanced_Games

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web search NEUTRAL — “My co-founder [and Apeiron owner] Christian Angermayer has a long-time personal relationship with Omeed Malik and Donald Trump Jr., which is how we got connected with 1789. Peter Thiel is also a majo…
https://www.sportico.com/business/finance/2025/donald-trump-…

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web search NEUTRAL — Trump Jr. and his partners join a group of high-profile investors backing the event, including angel investor Christian Angermayer, PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel and entrepreneur Balaji Srinivasan.
https://runningmagazine.ca/the-scene/donald-trump-jr-backs-m…

schedule

Claim 6: “athletes on the in-house Enhanced Performance Team are receiving a six-figure monthly stipend.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

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Claim 7: “Both Martin and Angermayer were on hand on May 8 when the Games’ parent company, simply known as Enhanced, began trading on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol “ENHA.””

INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE

No evidence was found in the provided search results regarding the company 'Enhanced' trading on the NYSE under the ticker 'ENHA' on May 8.

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Claim 8: “At the Olympic-esque event, which will feature track, swimming and weightlifting competitions, performance-enhancing drugs — steroids, peptides, regulators and stimulants — are both allowed and encouraged.”

CORROBORATED

The Guardian and Wikipedia confirm the event features swimming, athletics (track), and weightlifting, and explicitly states that performance-enhancing drugs are allowed.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Christian Angermayer (born 26 April 1978) is a German entrepreneur, investor and executive film producer. He is the founder of the private investment firm Apeiron Investment Group and the biotechnolog…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_Angermayer

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — This is a list of Xbox One X enhanced games. These games are Xbox One games and backwards compatible Xbox 360 and Xbox games that are enhanced by console-specific updates/patches when played on an Xbo…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Xbox_One_X_enhanced_ga…

+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 9: “two-time world champion swimmer Megan Romano. At 35, she’s coming out of retirement to compete.”

CORROBORATED

Al Jazeera and other web results confirm Megan Romano is a world-champion swimmer who has signed on as the first female competitor for the Enhanced Games.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Megan Romano is an American competition swimmer who specializes in backstroke and freestyle events. She is part of the current American record women's 4x100-meter freestyle relay team, and is the shor…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Megan_Romano

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Romano calls competing in the event "an opportunity to push the boundaries of human performance in a transparent and scientifically-backed environment, and to compete on a stage where female athletes …
https://www.kpcw.org/sports/2025-08-08/enhanced-games-signs-…

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web search NEUTRAL — Megan Romano announced as first female competitor at 2026 debut of Olympic-style Enhanced Games in Las Vegas.
https://www.aljazeera.com/sports/2025/8/1/enhanced-games-sig…

info

Claim 10: “Martin claims they have internal data showing as many as half of all athletes admit to using banned substances, but only 1% get caught.”

SINGLE SOURCE

The provided evidence contains general reports about athletes admitting to banned substance use, but does not contain the specific claim made by Max Martin regarding 'half of all athletes' and '1% caught'.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — "A greater number of athletes may, therefore, currently use banned substances and/or nutritional supplements, or have previously used banned substances than actually reported," the study states.
https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/exclusive-over-two-p…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — He claimed Pearce was stalking him, but the allegation and case were dismissed. However, photos of banned substances at at the house where Ray lived with Nash at the time were used during the investig…
https://velo.outsideonline.com/road/report-olivia-ray-admits…

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web search NEUTRAL — Two Russian athletes have admitted taking banned performance-enhancing substances given to them by Grigory Rodchenkov, the scientist who says he orchestrated a massive state-sponsored doping programme…
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2017/nov/09/russian-athlet…

help

Claim 11: “The Enhanced Games will pay a total of $25 million to its fifty athletes — $250,000 to the winner of each event, plus a square $1 million should anyone break the world-record in the 100-meter sprint or the 50-meter freestyle race.”

INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE

No evidence was found in the provided search results regarding the specific $25 million prize pool or the $1 million world record bonuses.

info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.