LAS VEGAS >> The Enhanced Games, a sports festival that bills itself as better than the Olympics because it allows athletes to benefit from using performance-enhancing drugs, will kick off next year in Las Vegas over Memorial Day weekend.

The inaugural competition in Sin City will feature swimming, track and field and weightlifting, in an event designed to disrupt a status quo in the international anti-doping movement that some feel is failing.

One of the key supporters is a group called 1789 Equity backed in part by Donald Trump Jr. It has added funding “in the double-digit millions,” according to games founder Aron D’Souza. Athletes will compete for up to $500,000 in purses per event, with bonuses starting at $250,000 for those who break records.

Australian James Magnussen, who medaled in swimming in the 2012 and 2016 Olympic Games, was the the first athlete to commit. He has since been joined by swimmers Kristian Gkolomeev, Andrii Govorov and Josif Miladinov. Gkolomeev competed in four Olympics, including last year in Paris. Govorov was at the 2016 Olympics and Miladinov swam in the Olympics in 2021.

The International Olympic Committee and WADA have panned the idea, which first emerged in 2023.

But some with background in the anti-doping world believe the system is so broken that the idea of sports with highly monitored use of otherwise banned drugs could be a more effective way of finding out who is fastest and strongest.

D’Souza insists his vision isn’t so much about unfettered drug use, but rather, a group of athletes trying to push the limits while their health and drug intake is steadily monitored for safety.

Where will they take place? >> Entirely within Resorts World Las Vegas on the north end of the Strip. D’Souza said a pool and track will be built on the property.

The organization also is making Las Vegas its full-time home and is looking to build a facility there for athletes to train throughout the year.

What events will be held? >> The swimming events will include the 50-meter freestyle, 100-meter freestyle, 50-meter butterfly and 100-meter butterfly. The 100 meters and the 100- and 110-meter hurdles make up the track events. The snatch as well as the clean and jerk are the events in weightlifting.

Organizers said the idea was to stage fast-paced events that will better hold viewers’ attention, and D’Souza said about 200 athletes will participate in the debut event.

How can it be watched? >> D’Souza said he didn’t pursue a TV deal because he could zero in on his target audience better through social media.

How much will athletes be paid? >> Each champion will receive $250,000 with the rest of the event purse distributed throughout the remainder of the field. A $1 million bonus will be presented if the world record in the 100 meters in track or 50 meters in swimming is broken.