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The Enhanced Games: Was it a triumph or a disaster?

EuroNews · 🇫🇷 public France · · 1073 words · By Theo Farrant
Public Health Risks Ethics of Human Experimentation Athletic Integrity
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What to know about Public Health Risks

91% of competitors used testosterone, 79% human growth hormone – but the promise of multiple world records failed to materialise.

Claims checked 14
Techniques found 3
Topics 3

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage
Left0%
Center86%
Right14%

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

What happened

91% of competitors used testosterone, 79% human growth hormone – but the promise of multiple world records failed to materialise.

Why it matters

Las Vegas is known for its over-the-top spectacle.

Common ground

The heavyweight fights, the mega-concerts, the Formula 1.

Perspective signals

The tension in the story is sharpened by Loaded Language, Name Calling / Labeling, Appeal to Fear: language that can make the dispute feel more urgent, personal, or adversarial than the underlying facts alone.

open_in_new Read the original article: https://www.euronews.com/health/2026/05/26/inside-the-enhanced-games-everything-…

psychologyPropaganda Techniques Detected

eFinder identified 3 propaganda techniques in this article. These signals explain how wording, emphasis, or missing context can shape a reader's interpretation.

warning
Loaded Language 90% 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
Name Calling / Labeling 70% confidence
Attaching a negative label to a person or group to reject them without evidence.
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 name calling / labeling helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.
warning
Appeal to Fear 80% confidence
Building support by instilling anxiety or panic in the 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 appeal to fear 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 14 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

check_circle Corroborated 9
schedule Pending 4
help Insufficient Evidence 1
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Claim 1: “Gkolomeev was using WADA-banned substances and wearing a banned polyurethane skinsuit”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources (Las Vegas Sun and others) confirm Gkolomeev used WADA-banned substances and a banned polyurethane skinsuit.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — 5 days ago ... In the final event, Greek swimmer Kristian Gkolomeev ... Gkolomeev was using WADA-banned substances and wearing a banned polyurethane skinsuit ...
https://lasvegassun.com/news/2026/may/27/the-hype-the-hypode…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — 5 days ago ... Only one world record was broken — with a banned swimsuit — in a mockery of competition that trivialized doping and its health consequences.
https://www.facebook.com/elpaisamerica/posts/only-one-world-…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — 7 days ago ... Gkolomeev set his time wearing a polyurethane suit, which is banned in official competitions. ... The drugs used during this competition were ...
https://www.facebook.com/LovinMalta/posts/greek-swimmer-kris…
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Claim 2: “91% of competitors used testosterone, 79% human growth hormone”
CORROBORATED
Three independent web search results explicitly state that 91% of competitors used testosterone and 79% used human growth hormone.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Enhanced Games (TEG) is a multi-sport event. Founded by Australian businessman Aron D'Souza, it allows athletes to use performance-enhancing substances without being subject to drug tests; organiz…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enhanced_Games
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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…
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Dark Pictures Anthology: The Devil in Me is a 2022 interactive drama and survival horror video game developed by Supermassive Games and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment. It is the fourth ga…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dark_Pictures_Anthology:_T…
+ 3 more evidence sources
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Claim 3: “its timing had been operated by Primetime Timing, which it described as 'a recognised, reputable, ISO certified system'”
CORROBORATED
Euronews and other web search results confirm the event used Primetime Timing and described it as an ISO certified system.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — The Enhanced Games dismissed the claims as "completely unfounded internet drivel", saying its timing had been operated by Primetime Timing, which it described as "a recognised, reputable, ISO certifie…
https://www.euronews.com/health/2026/05/26/inside-the-enhanc…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — What are the risks for Enhanced Games athletes? While it's not mandatory to take anything and there seem to be a handful of athletes who aren't planning to do so, Cepic supposes that most will."Our ti…
https://www.dw.com/en/enhanced-games-pushing-human-potential…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Meanwhile organisers have insisted that everything about the timing systems, pool and track will abide by international standards. “We have the best timing systems in the world,” said Rick Adams, the …
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2026/may/24/ben-proud-enha…
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Claim 4: “at the Paris Olympics two years ago, Kerley ran 9.81 and won bronze”
CORROBORATED
A source explicitly states that Kerley ran 9.81 and won bronze at the Paris Olympics two years prior.
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web search NEUTRAL — His winning time of 9.97 seconds in the 100-meter sprint would have finished last in the Paris Olympics final two years ago, where he ran 9.81 and won bronze.
https://marathonhandbook.com/self-proclaimed-clean-sprinters…
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web search NEUTRAL — In 2016, Fred Kerley tried out for the Olympic team at the USA Olympic Trials.[4] He did not qualify out of his heat, but he went on to represent the United States at the NACAC Under-23 Championships …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_Kerley
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — On the track, American sprinter Fred Kerley - who had publicly predicted Usain Bolt's world record of 9.58 would get "destroyed" - ran 9.97 seconds in the 100 metres.
https://www.euronews.com/health/2026/05/26/inside-the-enhanc…
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Claim 5: “the legal world record set by Australian Cameron McEvoy in March this year”
CORROBORATED
The Guardian and Euronews both confirm that Cameron McEvoy set the legal world record in March of the current year.
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web search NEUTRAL — Cameron McEvoy (born 13 May 1994) is an Australian competitive swimmer who represented his country at the 2012, 2016, 2020 and 2024 Summer Olympics.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cameron_McEvoy
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Cameron McEvoy won 50m freestyle gold at Paris 2024 and set the legal world record in March this year.That prompted a social media post from McEvoy, who broke the official 50m world mark in March, whi…
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2026/may/25/cam-mcevoy-dig…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — The night's standout performance came from Greek swimmer Kristian Gkolomeev, who won the 50-metre freestyle in 20.81 seconds, just 0.07 quicker than the legal world record set by Australian Cameron Mc…
https://www.euronews.com/health/2026/05/26/inside-the-enhanc…
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Claim 6: “The event, backed by billionaire investors including Peter Thiel and Donald Trump Jr.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple independent news sources (BBC, NY Post, CNBC, Deutsche Welle, Flipboard) confirm that Peter Thiel and Donald Trump Jr. are investors in the event.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Peter Andreas Thiel ( ; born 11 October 1967) is a German-American entrepreneur, venture capitalist, and conservative political activist. A co-founder of PayPal (1998), Palantir Technologies (2003), a…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Thiel
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Trumpism is the political ideology behind Donald Trump, the 45th and 47th president of the United States, and his political base. It is often used in close conjunction with the Make America Great Agai…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trumpism
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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
+ 5 more evidence sources
schedule
Claim 7: “Organisers said all medications were approved by the US Food and Drug Administration.”
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.
help
Claim 8: “Barbadian sprinter Tristan Evelyn... won the women’s 100m in a relatively modest 11.25 seconds”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was found in the provided search results regarding Tristan Evelyn winning the women's 100m.
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Claim 9: “Greek swimmer Kristian Gkolomeev, who won the 50-metre freestyle in 20.81 seconds”
CORROBORATED
The BBC and Instagram posts from the event confirm Kristian Gkolomeev won the 50m freestyle with a time of 20.81 seconds.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The first world record in the men's 50 metres freestyle in long course (50 metre pool) swimming was recognized by the International Swimming Federation (FINA) in 1976. In short course (25 metre pool) …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_record_progression_50_me…
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Kristian Tsvetanov Gkolomeev (Bulgarian: Кристиан Цветанов Голомеев, Greek: Κριστιάν Τσβετάνοφ Γκολομέεφ, born 4 July 1993) is a Greek former professional swimmer who represented his country at the 20…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kristian_Gkolomeev
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Enhanced Games (TEG) is a multi-sport event. Founded by Australian businessman Aron D'Souza, it allows athletes to use performance-enhancing substances without being subject to drug tests; organiz…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enhanced_Games
+ 3 more evidence sources
schedule
Claim 10: “British swimmer and Olympic silver medallist Ben Proud... won the 50m butterfly in 22.32”
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 11: “Athletes competed for $250,000 per event win and a $1 million bonus for breaking a world record.”
CORROBORATED
Euronews explicitly reports the $250,000 win and $1 million bonus. Another source mentions a £0.7 million bonus (approx $900k) for a record, supporting the scale of the rewards.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 2026 Enhanced Games were the inaugural edition Enhanced Games which took place on 24 May 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada, US. The event served as the debut for the organization's model and featured comp…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_Enhanced_Games
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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…
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Enhanced Games (TEG) is a multi-sport event. Founded by Australian businessman Aron D'Souza, it allows athletes to use performance-enhancing substances without being subject to drug tests; organiz…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enhanced_Games
+ 3 more evidence sources
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Claim 12: “American sprinter Fred Kerley... ran 9.97 seconds in the 100 metres”
CORROBORATED
Three separate web search results confirm Fred Kerley ran the 100m in 9.97 seconds at the Enhanced Games.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — 6 days ago ... Fred Kerley won the Men's 100m Sprint at the first-ever Enhanced Games in Las Vegas! He ran 9.97 seconds and took home $250,000 for 1st place. ⚠️ ...
https://www.facebook.com/egacaus/videos/-history-just-got-fa…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — 6 days ago ... Kerley, who predicted he would "destroy" legendary sprinter Usain Bolt's world record of 9.58 seconds in the 100-meter sprint, ran a 9.97 in a ...
https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/enhanced-games-promised-re…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — 7 days ago ... Fred Kerley ran 100 meters in a pedestrian 9.97 seconds Sunday night to win the Enhanced Games in a race where the sprinters had to be ...
https://www.espn.com/espn/story/_/id/48868929/fred-kerley-ru…
schedule
Claim 13: “the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and WADA have declared the results illegal”
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.
schedule
Claim 14: “62% used stimulants such as Adderall; and 41% used EPO”
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.
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.