00:00It's no doping no more in Las Vegas, as athletes get juiced up and ready to compete in the first
00:05ever enhanced games.
00:07The multi-sports event kicked off over the weekend and is dubbed the steroid Olympics.
00:13Here, athletes compete according to chromosomal sex classification
00:16and are tested for performance-enhancing drugs approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
00:23We're part of a project. The goal is to improve a lot of things.
00:27For me, the science side of it fascinates and interests me.
00:31It's part of who I am, being a pioneer. It's in me.
00:35I like being the kind of person who pushes things forward or believes in things that maybe, at the beginning,
00:41might be seen in a negative light.
00:43But the games are also drawing criticism.
00:46Health experts warn PEDs come with serious health risks and fear the games could influence young athletes to follow suit.
00:53The World Anti-Doping Agency has been slamming the event since it was introduced.
00:58Well, what has been very clear since we heard about this concept of enhanced games,
01:04we said very clearly and loudly that we condemn this notion of enhanced games or enhanced competition.
01:13And we think this is a dangerous and irresponsible concept by all means.
01:20Still, the game's organizers say the decision to use or compete against people using PEDs is personal.
01:27Remember, these are not drugs that have never been given to people.
01:30These are drugs that we've been using as doctors for the last 30 years.
01:33And that's why we said that in Hansi, we only use, in this case, FDA-approved drugs.
01:39That means they are approved to be used in humans.
01:42Of course, they're not approved to run fast over 100 meters.
01:45This is quite clear.
01:46But from a safety point of view, it's important because they're deemed to be safe enough to give them to
01:50patients.
01:51Organizers have tried to keep PEDs transparent.
01:54They say around 90% of competitors use testosterone.
01:58Nearly 80% have used human growth hormones.
02:01And nearly 30% are using other anabolic steroids.
02:05I think transparency helps.
02:07So what our message is, is exactly the opposite of the positive one.
02:11Hey, there are levels in life.
02:13If you want to break a world record, but they take the substance.
02:17And transparency is always good.
02:19And these games in Las Vegas are now providing a venue,
02:22both for athletic prowess and debate over ethics, safety and the future of elite sports.
02:28Scott Huang and Sani Qi for Tawn Plus.
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