James Magnussen: Why I’m prepared to enter Enhanced Games

James Magnussen’s phone has been “blowing up” since he confirmed his interest in entering the Enhanced Games – the swim star tells his story and why he wants to take the risk.

Legacy and reputation as a clean athlete are two of the most important things as Australians we hold with great pride.

I know that in my entire career I never once used performance enhancing drugs to achieve my results at the world championships and Olympic Games.

I retired after the 2018 Commonwealth Games knowing I reached my peak performance as a clean athlete who was tested more than any other swimmer on the planet.

I had blood passport and urine testing every day for two weeks at the London Olympic Games.

Now, six years after I’ve retired, someone is offering a $US1m challenge to break the 50m freestyle world record at an ‘Enhanced Games’ where the scientific use of drugs will be allowed.

If I can come back as a 32-year-old and swim as fast as I did when I was 20, if not faster, then it will undoubtedly prove I was a clean athlete and show Australian athletes are the cleanest athletes on the planet.

James Magnussen is set to participate in the Enhanced Games. Picture: AAP Image/Dave Hunt

INSANE RESPONSE

My phone is blowing up today. I’m getting phone calls from all around the world after comments I made on a podcast.

What started as something that was a little tongue in cheek has quickly escalated and I’m now seen as the poster athlete for the Enhanced Games.

Let me be clear.

This is not to take away from the Olympic Games as the pinnacle of sport.

I have nothing against the Olympics, I believe this Olympic Games in Paris will be one of the greatest events in world sport and I dedicated my life to the pursuit of an Olympic gold medal.

If someone asked me to do this during my swimming career my answer would have been completely different to what it is today as someone six years retired from sport.

To be completely transparent, the money is a huge part. A $1.6m Australian dollars prize is hard to ignore. Retired athletes don’t have opportunities like this pop up every day.

It may have started as a bit of fun, but I now have to take it seriously because that money could set me up for the next decade.

WHY I WOULD DO IT

My strong belief is that you can take a normal person, give them performance enhancing drugs and they will never be able to match a clean Olympic swimmer.

Olympic athletes have a level of talent and skill acquisition that sets them apart from the rest of the world.

I’m not taking anything away from natural athletes and their performances and athletic ability.

What I’m saying is take that same swimmer and give them performance enhancing drugs, it will show just how unfair the playing field is to those who dope in secret anyway.

We saw the documentary Icarus which documented state-funded doping by some countries.

We all know how prevalent drugs are in society and how dodgy supplements are easily found on the dark web.

Magnussen is looking to break the 50m freestyle record. Picture: Adam Head

For me this experiment comes down to three main reasons:

1. It will show the world the difference performance enhancing drugs can make to an athlete if a 32-year-old can swim faster than he did at 20 when he was world champion.

2. To do it safely and to document it for the world to see so that future athletes know how the process works and can approach science with their eyes wide open.

3. Entertainment. Sport is an entertainment business - so how fast can someone go? What speeds can someone swim with the addition of a supersuit and whatever supplementation is out there. The 50m freestyle record of 20.91 was set in 2009 with a supersuit. Nobody has ever broken 21 seconds without those suits. World champion Cameron McEvoy won a world title last year in 21.06s. My best time is 21.52s.

MEDICAL CONCERNS

If I am going to seriously do this - and I want to meet with the organisers to know more about the event before agreeing to the challenge - then I want it done as safely and as measured as possible.

I want to be surrounded by the right doctors and the right medical support.

I want to do it properly. I want to do it methodically and scientifically to make sure any supplementation is not having any negative effects on my body long term.

I am also at an age now where I am thinking about having a family so I don’t want it to affect my health in any way.

This is not for everyone and it is certainly not something for young athletes.

I respect the fact I have been a role model for younger athletes and people will say this will impact my reputation and what people think of me.

I’ve dealt with negative comments and opinions my entire life.

But if this proves you can seriously improve performance scientifically and do it safely, then maybe it is an entertaining event for people to watch.

It took Usain Bolt 21 years to better the time run by juiced up Ben Johnson from the 1988 Seoul Olympics.

The fastest swim in history from a banned suit is still being chased 15 years later.

Athletic performance always catches up over time.

While I believe I can swim faster than anyone ever has with the help of supplementation and a suit, and it will give swimmers a new target to chase, this should serve to reinforce the ideals of clean and fair sport.