“Live Below the Poverty Line”: Enhanced Games Publicly Challenge Kieren Perkins Over Absurd Comment

Amid the Olympic madness, the Enhanced Games have also made several headlines. The newly introduced event will not judge the athletes based on performance-enhancing drugs. Set to debut in 2025, the Aron D’Souza-led organization is a brainchild of the Australian businessman. When he visited one gym in America, this idea hit D’Souza in 2022. With “Athletes are adults … and they have a right to do with their body what they wish” in mind, he shaped his thoughts right. But does he have the support?

Former Australian freestyle swimmer Kieren Perkins, the Australian Sports Commission CEO, has blatantly called the Games “borderline criminal”. He being an Olympian himself, such a remark coming from him didn’t look unusual. But the Enhanced Games’ authority response smells contentious.

Olympian Kieren Perkins’ comment received a backlash

Enhanced Games’ X post says, “What is borderline criminal is the fact he is paid $573,793 per year, while 46% of Australian elite athletes live below the poverty line. We challenge him to a live TV debate on the merits of enhancements in sports”. This was directed to the 1992 Olympics 1500m freestyle winner, who has been associated with the Australian Sports Commission since December 2021. The first one in history to hold Commonwealth, Pan Pacific, World, and Olympic titles concurrently, Perkins has a successful post-competition career as well.

But the 4x Olympic medalist has to take some time off his CEO duties to take up the challenge of the Enhanced Games. Not abiding by the World Anti-Doping Agency rules was one of the main motives of D’Souza because he believed “no government, no paternalistic sports federation, should be making those decisions for athletes”. Coming back to Perkins’ comment, “borderline criminal” was just a fragment of the episode. Let’s take a look at what else he said.

Enhanced Games is ‘laughable’ to Perkins

“The idea of an Enhanced Games is laughable,” said Perkins about Enhanced Games. He picked up an instance from the 1960 Olympic Games, where Danish cyclist Knud Jensen lost his life to drugs. “The reason why drugs in sport were banned is because a cyclist fell off his bike and died”, he said. Based on some unfortunate past incidents, Perkins’ concerns mainly lay on the athletes’ futures.

In 2024, the Enhanced Games was initially scheduled to take place. However, the authority has postponed it to 2025. Though the former Olympian showed repugnance, another swimming legend, James Magnussen, showed interest. Hopefully, this controversy settles on a good note.

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