Emily Barclay, a bronze medalist in the 50m freestyle at the 2019 World University Games, has joined the Enhanced Games.
British swimmer Emily Barclay is the latest athlete from the UK to sign with the controversial Enhanced Games.
The 28-year-old Barclay previously clinched a gold medal in the 50m freestyle at the 2019 British Championships. She also competed for the University of Arkansas in collegiate events in the United States.
Barclay joins fellow British athletes Reece Prescod, a sprinter, and Ben Proud, an Olympic swimmer, who have already committed to the Games. The Enhanced Games permit the use of performance-enhancing drugs, which are prohibited in mainstream sports.
The inaugural competition is scheduled for May in Las Vegas.
Barclay is among the latest group of athletes announced by the Enhanced Games, which includes two Olympians: Antani Ivanov of Bulgaria and Miguel de Lara Ojeda of Mexico.
Sprinters Jasmine Abrams of Guyana and Denae McFarlane of Jamaica are also included in the announcement.
Rick Adams, chief sporting officer for Enhanced, stated, “As our athletes move through medical review we continue to add elite competitors from across the globe.”
He added, “Consistent with previous announcements, this group of athletes appreciates our flexible model that provides them with unmatched and sustained medical supervision, training, nutrition, recovery and financial support. We’re delighted to have Antani, Denae, Emily, Jasmine and Miguel in our inaugural swimming and sprinting fields.”
World Aquatics, the international governing body for aquatic sports, was the first to ban athletes, coaches, and officials from its events if they participate in the Enhanced Games.
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What are the Enhanced Games and why are they controversial?
The Enhanced Games were initially introduced in 2023, with some doping measures permitted under medical supervision.
The Games only allow the use of substances approved by the United States’ Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which differs from the list allowed by the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) for elite athletes.
Organizers claim that the event “will deliver transparency and health safety by removing the stigma of enhancement – bringing its responsible usage into the light, within an approved medical framework, and one that protects athletes who would otherwise risk their health by operating in the dark to circumvent punitive structures in place today”.
The event has faced criticism over potential health risks to athletes and for undermining fair competition. Wada has described it as a “dangerous and irresponsible project,” and Travis Tygart, CEO of the US Anti-Doping Agency, has called it a “clown show.”
Earlier this month, UK Athletics (UKA) stated that it does not recognize the Enhanced Games as a “legitimate sporting competition.”
UKA emphasized that it “places athletes’ health and welfare at serious risk,” adding that “any event that promotes or permits the use of harmful substances with the aim of pushing the human body to its limit for short-term goals is not sport as we value it.”
The Enhanced Games are planned as an annual competition, initially featuring short-distance swimming, sprinting, and weightlifting. The inaugural event is scheduled for May 24, 2026, in Las Vegas.
The event offers appearance fees and bonuses, with Greek swimmer Kristian Gkolomeev reportedly receiving a $1 million prize for surpassing a world record time in the US in February 2025.
Organizers reported that he swam the 50m freestyle time trial in 20.89 seconds, which is 0.02 seconds faster than the world record set by Brazil’s Cesar Cielo in December 2009. However, World Aquatics will not recognize the time.