Enhanced Games

RE: Enhanced Games

Gull — Sat, 31 Oct 2026 19:49:00 GMT

Selective testing (as in USATF and USA Triathlon) is feasible and would not be cost prohibitive.

RE: Enhanced Games

Allen Stark — Sat, 31 Oct 2026 19:02:39 GMT

I’d like them to at least test USMS record setters but it is pathetic they don’t even say we condemn the use of PEDs

RE: Enhanced Games

Gull — Thu, 29 Oct 2026 02:07:36 GMT

Which begs the question, will USMS finally and unequivocally take a position on the use of anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS) and PEDs? Or is Masters swimming really, as the Night Swim Podcast suggests, “the OG EG”?

RE: Enhanced Games

Allen Stark — Wed, 28 Oct 2026 13:51:01 GMT

Well said

RE: Enhanced Games

Gull — Wed, 28 Oct 2026 11:20:55 GMT

“The vast majority of AAS and PED users are not competitive elites, but rather comprise millions of amateur individuals driven by body image or recreational goals. Shockingly, the corporate business model of the “Enhanced Games” explicitly intends to use the data derived from these elite athletes to market and sell personalized protocols to the general public through consumer platforms. Indeed, through their newly launched commercial platform, “Live Enhanced,” the organization operates a direct-to-consumer infrastructure that provides the general public with access to optimization protocols and performance medications under the guise of clinical oversight. Promoting and enabling PED use on a global stage erodes decades of antidoping education and threatens to trigger an unmanageable public health epidemic of illicit substance abuse.⁸ Condoning PED use and celebrating those who accomplish otherwise unattainable athletic performance may lead to an underappreciation of attendant health risks and thereby set the stage for public health crisis of illicit PED use outside of professional sports. As a medical community, we must clarify that there is no “safe” protocol for the pharmacological transcendence of human biological limits. The pursuit of record-breaking performance through systemic doping poses a significant challenge to established standards of medical ethics, clinical practice, and public health. Cardiovascular professionals have a responsibility to look past the rhetoric of innovation and speak clearly to patients and the public about the risks of pharmacologic enhancement.“

RE: Enhanced Games

Gull — Wed, 28 Oct 2026 11:02:45 GMT

From the October 27 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

community.usms.org/.../valenzuela_2D00_baggish_2D00_2026_2D00_the_2D00_enhanced_2D00_games.pdf

RE: Enhanced Games

Gull — Tue, 26 May 2026 20:17:24 GMT

Absolutely not limited to USMS. In point of fact USATF has a testing program for their Masters athletes.

RE: Enhanced Games

Allen Stark — Tue, 26 May 2026 14:45:24 GMT

I want to add that I don’t think this is just a USMS problem as it looks like cheating is very prevalent in a couple of other countries

RE: Enhanced Games

Allen Stark — Tue, 26 May 2026 14:42:09 GMT

The bylaws should at least pay lip service to the concept of fairness. I know they’re not going to test, although it really wouldn’t be too hard to get urine samples from national record setters. at least they could say something like come on guys don’t cheat. All we get are crickets

RE: Enhanced Games

Elaine Krugman — Fri, 22 May 2026 21:36:53 GMT

Wow, that is really disturbing that so many MASTERS swimmers would go to that extreme. What does that say about their character?

RE: Enhanced Games

Gull — Fri, 22 May 2026 21:33:07 GMT

It’s been estimated that up to 25% of masters athletes are using performance enhancing drugs.

RE: Enhanced Games

Erik Hochstein — Fri, 22 May 2026 21:09:39 GMT

TRT - so if I decide I want to take testosterone because it is low, am I doping or looking for its benefits - and anybody can find any doc to make it "needed" ...you asked about USMS events - so how many people winning take it ? Is that "wrong" ?

RE: Enhanced Games

Gull — Fri, 22 May 2026 20:51:33 GMT

The athletes using performance enhancing drugs are not doing so to be “healthier” (although that may be the lie they tell themselves). They are doing so to swim faster. And nowhere in our bylaws is there even a “suggestion” that competitors should be clean. But there is a policy to address the one transgender athlete who competed at nationals last year.

RE: Enhanced Games

Erik Hochstein — Fri, 22 May 2026 16:52:09 GMT

I am on "both" sides - competed and lost rewards against the most fraudulent athletic mafia ever - East Germany and many others around that time ...I have always been CLEAN - now I live for longevity and healthy long life. It is IMPOSSIBLE for USMS to check and test and all against performance enhancing - zero chance. It has never really worked for Olympics that well so its almost best to just suggest 'clean' but no chance to enforce. Not 'taking' anything but if you convinced me that taking something and it will make me healthier long term and I am not easy convince ... but if that was in the "performance enhancing" category - its almost impossible to say no.

And for those who think most "athletes" are clean - my son did need growth hormones for real so I went to a local endocrinologist - real signed photographs of top 10 US sports super star athletes in the last 20 years ... why ??

RE: Enhanced Games

Gull — Mon, 18 May 2026 13:09:49 GMT

Not coincidentally Enhanced Ltd’s website has gone live offering their proprietary Stronger and Longer supplements, peptides and hormone replacement therapy (including testosterone of course). The company’s stated goal is to become “the Amazon of human enhancement” for which they believe there is a trillion dollar market.

RE: Enhanced Games

Allen Stark — Thu, 14 May 2026 00:56:42 GMT

That is a great question!!!!!!!!!!!!

RE: Enhanced Games

Gull — Wed, 13 May 2026 21:48:17 GMT

I am assuming the answer is yes. Because USMS doesn’t have a policy prohibiting the use of performance enhancing drugs (but of course we do have a policy addressing the transgender athlete who competed at Nationals last year).

RE: Enhanced Games

Gull — Wed, 13 May 2026 16:26:32 GMT

Thanks! Life’s been good.

RE: Enhanced Games

Elaine Krugman — Wed, 13 May 2026 15:42:17 GMT

Gull, I have no idea, but it's great to see a former Forumite here! You are one of the Forumites I have missed! I hope life has been treating you well.