By James Sutherland on SwimSwam
Paris Olympic medalist and three-time world champion Ben Proud dropped a bombshell on Wednesday morning, announcing his move to the Enhanced Games after a decorated career in the pool representing Great Britain.
Although the immediate assumption is that an athlete joining the Enhanced Games will enter the organization’s protocol and begin taking performance-enhancing substances, that’s not a requirement for someone to participate in the Games. Athletes are able to compete for the prize money pool, which includes $500,000 for the winner of each event and a $1 million bonus for breaking the world record in the 50 freestyle (or 100-meter dash), without taking drugs.
Proud is noncommittal as to whether or not he’ll take performance-enhancing drugs in the lead-up to the Enhanced Games in May 2026, though he’s open to the possibility.
“This is the start of my journey with the Enhanced Games format, all I know is I want to apply myself to this event as I have applied myself to the Olympic pathway, that will be by learning and understanding what is best for me and my performance,” Proud said in a statement sent to SwimSwam on Wednesday.
“We will be lucky to have access to the best specialists to make the most informed decision, but ultimately, there is no obligation for me to take anything, and I have total control over this aspect.”
As things currently stand, Proud’s decision to join the Enhanced Games effectively ends his international career. Even if he doesn’t take PEDs, World Aquatics has enacted a bylaw that bars any swimmer who has taken part in the Games to participate in an AQUA-sanctioned event.
However, things could change depending on what happens with the $800 million lawsuit filed by the Games last month, which some legal experts believe could have legs.
Aquatics GB issued a statement in light of Proud’s announcement on Wednesday:
Aquatics GB is immensely disappointed in Ben Proud’s announcement to sign with the Enhanced Games. Aquatics GB, along with our partners, stand firmly behind the values and principles of clean sport and condemns Ben’s decision in the strongest terms. A further statement will be issued in due course.
UK Sport has also said it will engage with Aquatics GB to determine Proud’s “suitability” to receive public funds, according to Nick Hope.
The 30-year-old Brit is one of the best male sprinters of the past decade, most recently winning silver in the 50 free at the 2025 World Championships in Singapore. He also won silver in the event at the 2024 Olympics in Paris, his first medal at the Games after a pair of near misses in Rio (4th) and Tokyo (5th).
Proud’s best run of success arguably came in 2022, when he won gold in the 50 free at the World Championships (LC), Commonwealth Games and European Championships, making him the first swimmer to win all three titles in the same event in the same year. He also won the short course world title in the 50 free in December 2021, making him the holder of four major international titles in the event simultaneously.
He owns a personal best time of 21.11 in the 50 free, done at the 2018 European Championships, which at the time, was the fastest ever recorded in a textile suit. At the 2025 World Championships earlier this summer, he had his fastest swim since then, clocking 21.26.
Greek Olympian Kristian Gkolomeev, who tied with Proud for 5th in the 50 free at the Tokyo Olympics, broke the world record in the 50 free earlier this year after joining the Enhanced Games (and going on the protocol), putting up a time of 20.89 in a supersuit to go under Cesar Cielo‘s 2009 mark of 20.91. Gkolomeev also clocked 21.03 in a textile suit, under Caeleb Dressel‘s mark of 21.04, which stands as the fastest-ever textile performance.
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