Las Vegas: Two of the swimmers vying for a million-dollar cheque at this weekendโs Enhanced Games have slammed the prizemoney on offer for clean athletes like Australiaโs Cam McEvoy in traditional events and say they have no qualms about taking performance-enhancing drugs.
Greek swimmer Kristian Gkolomeev became an instant millionaire last year when he went under world record time in a 50-metre freestyle event staged by the Enhanced Games for a documentary.
His time of 20.89 was just inside the previous world record of 20.91, set by Cesar Cielo in 2009, but was achieved using banned substances and a now-illegal polyurethane โsuper suitโ.
McEvoy set a new world record of 20.88 in March, and Gkolomeev, who finished fifth at the Paris Olympics in 2024, will attempt to better that mark on Sunday (Monday morning AEST) when he races alongside Great Britainโs Ben Proud and Australiaโs James Magnussen โ although any time will not be officially recognised.
Gkolomeev said the Enhanced Games prizemoney had changed his life, having struggled to make ends meet as a clean athlete.
โIt was a lot of money,โ said Gkolomeev, whose mother died while giving birth to him. โAs a swimmer before, I wasnโt making any money. I couldnโt really support my family. I have huge respect for Cam. Iโm very motivated to beat that time again.โ
McEvoy earned about $US10,000 ($14,300) in prizemoney for his recent victory in China, but received no bonus for lowering the world record.
At the Enhanced Games โ a one-day event where athletes are permitted to use banned substances in normal sport under medical supervision โ Gkolomeev stands to earn a further $US1 million ($1.4 million) bonus, in addition to a winnerโs cheque worth $US250,000, if he swims 20.87 or faster.
Olympic athletes receive no prizemoney at the Games themselves, while winners at last yearโs swimming world championships collected $US20,000 ($28,000) per event.
โThatโs sad,โ Gkolomeev said of McEvoyโs financial return. โI wish athletes were paid more. It was a huge help for me and my family. I invested it into my wifeโs nature school business. James [Magnussen] was a big reason that I joined the Games.โ
Asked about the impact of the substances he has been taking โ athletes have been told not to disclose them โ Gkolomeev said: โI can sleep good at night. Iโm not cheating or anything.
โIโm not really worried about my health. We only go in a cycle through 10 weeks of taking substances โฆ and only super small doses.โ
Proud finished second behind McEvoy at the Paris Olympics and last yearโs world championships before signing with the Enhanced Games in September. He has faced significant backlash in the UK.
โIn theory, youโd have to win 22 or 23 world championship titles to get what you can earn in one night here,โ Proud said.
โThere was a lot of frustration with swimming. Itโs about the money. Iโd just come off a silver medal and there was no money in the sport.โ
Proud paid tribute to McEvoyโs world record and said the Enhanced Games should not overshadow the Australianโs achievement.
โCam breaking that world record was the greatest thing Iโve seen. It was incredible,โ Proud said. โHe should be here, he should be racing here clean, because we want the best people in the world. He could have a very good shot of putting a supersuit on and beating us.
โHe could be competing for that million dollars, which is such a shame for World Aquatics to [stop him]. The Olympics have an opportunity to move away from amateurism and make swimming and sports at the Olympics more professional.โ
Proud said he had not suffered any major side effects, but admitted the process of taking substances had initially shaken him.
โI had to call my brother because I was terrified,โ he said. โThat was a day that I go from the Ben Proud that Iโve always known, to a new person. So that was scary.โ
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Tom Decent is the chief sports writer for The Sydney Morning Herald.Connect via X or email.
