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Australian sport’s anti-doping chief has slammed an Olympic-style occasion with no drug testing as “grossly irresponsible” whereas warning of extreme ramifications for athletes participating.
Sport Integrity Australia (SIA) chief govt David Sharpe is accusing Enhanced Video games organisers of placing revenue earlier than well being.
Sharpe has delivered a broad warning to Australian athletes that they threat being frozen out of organised sport in the event that they take part within the Enhanced Video games.
“Using performance-enhancing substances poses an unacceptable well being threat to athletes,” Sharpe mentioned on Saturday.
“And SIA considers the promotion of using such substances by way of the Enhanced Video games to be grossly irresponsible.”
Australia’s twin world champion swimmer and triple Olympic medallist James Magnussen is the primary athlete on this planet to publicly pledge to compete on the Enhanced Video games.
The multi-sport occasion with no drug testing, based by Australian entrepreneur Aron D’Souza, has promised $1.54 million to Magnussen or every other swimmer who might be the primary to interrupt the world 50 metres freestyle report at subsequent 12 months’s inaugural Enhanced Video games.
Sharpe, whereas circuitously mentioning Magnussen, warned Australian athletes of harsh penalties in the event that they competed.
“Australian athletes have traditionally demonstrated excessive ranges of integrity and this undermines many years of dedication from Australian athletes and their sports activities to wash and truthful sport,” he mentioned.
“Athletes collaborating within the Enhanced Video games might discover themselves unable to take part in recognised sporting occasions in any capability, together with as a coach or administrator and never simply as an athlete.”
Sharpe additionally warned Australian athletes who related in a sport-related context with anybody who used performance-enhancing medicine have been breaking the world anti-doping code.
“It’s critically vital that all of us make sure the well being and wellbeing of athletes will not be jeopardised,” he mentioned.
The organisation Sharpe leads is an Australian authorities govt company that brings collectively operations of the Australian Sports activities Anti-Doping Authority and the Nationwide Integrity of Sport unit.
“Revenue shouldn’t be prioritised over well being,” he mentioned.
“We wish our younger athletes, regardless of their race, gender, socio-economic or different backgrounds to know that by working arduous and getting probably the most out of their expertise in a wholesome means they are often the long run Australian athletes at a house Olympic and Paralympic Video games.
“We do not need our younger athletes to be taking shortcuts by way of using performance-enhancing substances.”
D’Souza, founder and president of Enhanced Video games, mentioned he anticipated dozens of Australian athletes to comply with Magnussen’s “heroic, brave first step”.
“I’ve little doubt now that James has finished this publicly there can be dozens, lots of of athletes,” D’Souza mentioned.
D’Souza has additionally promised $US1 million ($1.54m) to the primary sprinter to raised Usain Bolt’s 100m international benchmark on the observe.
Breaking any world report on the Enhanced Video games wouldn’t be formally ratified given the occasion is not going to have drug testing.
Melbourne-born, London-based D’Souza has two billionaires — Peter Thiel and Christian Angermayer — and multi-millionaire Balaji Srinivasan as monetary backers.
Swimming and diving are among the many disciplines on the Enhanced Video games schedule, together with observe and discipline athletics, weightlifting, gymnastics, and fight sports activities.
D’Souza is in negotiations with international tv networks and streaming retailers, whereas venues world wide are pitching to host the video games.
As much as seven qualifying occasions can be staged this December world wide, together with Australia, with the inaugural Enhanced Video games slated for the center of subsequent 12 months.
AAP
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