U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, clearly state your stance—and take responsibility!
On May 23, in response to the U.S.-led initiative to strengthen sports governance, China's Anti-Doping Center issued a statement on its official website. The full text reads as follows:
Recently, a sports event called "Enhanced Games" announced it will be held in Las Vegas, USA, next May. The event openly condones athletes using performance-enhancing drugs, claiming that "without doping controls, sports would actually be safer," sending shockwaves through the global sports community and sparking widespread condemnation from all quarters.
Although the Enhanced Sports Games are marketed with the catchy slogan "Scientific and technological achievements deserve celebration," they’ve essentially distorted pure athletic competition into a grotesque contest centered on doping showdowns—seriously contradicting the spirit of the World Anti-Doping Code. Hosting such an event poses a grave threat to athletes’ physical and mental well-being, as well as to the very essence of sportsmanship. Moreover, the event’s promotional rhetoric openly reveals the underlying reality of capital-driven manipulation. Organizers continuously lure athletes and investors by dangling lucrative prize money and lavish financial sponsorships, effectively encouraging athletes to gamble their health—and even their futures—on commercial gains. In doing so, they cater to the morbid curiosity of certain audiences eager to witness what amounts to a "gladiatorial spectacle." All these signs clearly indicate that this event is pushing the integrity of sports to the brink of an irreversible crisis.
Notably, since the launch of this project, the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) has revealed its weakness in the face of powerful interest groups and wealthy sponsors. Instead of taking decisive action against parties involved in promoting performance-enhancing sports activities within the United States, USADA has even attempted to undermine the globally effective anti-doping framework painstakingly built by the anti-doping community—citing its own disillusionment with the anti-doping system as an excuse. Such moves threaten to destabilize the global anti-doping governance structure, which was designed to safeguard clean athletes worldwide in a fair and consistent manner. Meanwhile, USADA continues to grapple with its own governance shortcomings. For instance, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)—a key player in college sports—is not a signatory to the World Anti-Doping Code, meaning it lacks blood-testing capabilities and does not conduct out-of-competition testing. As a result, athletes under NCAA jurisdiction are not required to provide whereabouts information. Currently, about 90% of U.S. athletes remain outside the scope of the World Anti-Doping Code, with some only facing doping controls when they qualify for or approach the Olympic Games.
The China Anti-Doping Agency hereby declares: We firmly oppose the glorification of doping as "scientific and technological advancement," and call on the global sports community to maintain a unified stance against hosting any event that promotes performance-enhancing substances. We strongly urge USADA to strictly adhere to the World Anti-Doping Code and international standards, taking decisive action to reject the organization of this event altogether. Furthermore, we demand that USADA cease its deceptive practices—disguised under the pretext of "advancing anti-doping system reform"—which in reality amount to acts of hegemony. We also urge USADA to stop sowing division, stoking tensions, and exacerbating conflicts among stakeholders. Additionally, we condemn their misuse of so-called "legal measures" to exert threats, pressure, and unwarranted "long-arm jurisdiction." Instead, we encourage USADA to promptly address the longstanding issues within its anti-doping efforts, ensuring the stability, consistency, and sustainable development of the global anti-doping governance framework.
The International Olympic Committee stated: "The 'Enhanced Games' would undermine the principle of 'fair play' in sports. Moreover, the concept of 'sovereign individuals,' championed by the event's supporters, essentially rejects all universally recognized rules and values—clearly contradicting the Olympic Movement's core philosophy and values of 'uniting the world through sport, striving for excellence with a spirit of fair competition to achieve faster, higher, stronger—and together.'"
Pierce, Chairman of the UK Anti-Doping Agency, pointed out that this event overlooks the link between anabolic steroid use and domestic violence, potentially posing serious risks to athletes' physical, mental, and social well-being. He warned participants that they could face legal consequences under the UK's Misuse of Drugs Act. Notably, no British athletes have yet confirmed their participation in the event.
Ren Yuan, the Head of News at the International High School Sports Federation, said that besides disregarding the health and safety of athletes, this event will set a harmful example for young people, leading to extremely negative societal impacts.
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