Enhanced Games (no drug testing) file $800 million lawsuit against critics

The startup Olympic-style sports festival promising no drug testing filed an million antitrust lawsuit against its detractors Wednesday for what it contends is an illegal campaign to make athletes boycott its event The Enhanced Games filed the lawsuit in federal court in New York naming World Aquatics USA Swimming and the World Anti-Doping Agency as defendants It seeks damages and injunctive relief to stop what it says is the defendants illegal campaign The lawsuit keys on a rule adopted by Switzerland-based World Aquatics earlier this year that threatens to banish athletes who compete in sporting events that embrace the use of scientific advancements or other practices that may include prohibited substances and or prohibited methods In an interview with The Associated Press Enhanced Games President Aron D Souza insisted the lawsuit was not a publicity stunt but rather an attempt to remedy the real damage that s being done to swimmers and other athletes who are dissuaded from competing Thus far the Enhanced Games have signed five athletes to compete in an event in Las Vegas next May set to feature track swimming and weightlifting competitions offering first prizes According to the lawsuit events sanctioned by World Aquatics in provided million in prize money to swimmers In contrast the Enhanced Games will have a foreseen prize purse of million for just a single day of competition the lawsuit stated World Aquatics withheld comment until its lawyers review the lawsuit USA Swimming was reviewing the suit and WADA did not promptly respond to messages from The Associated Press seeking comment The lawsuit commented it included USA Swimming and WADA because they supported the World Athletics rule D Souza who helped steer billionaire Peter Thiel to bankroll Hulk Hogan s sex-tape lawsuit against Gawker that resulted in a million verdict says natural athletes who compete at say world championships and Olympics are also welcome to line up at the Enhanced Games and he presumes the prize money would be tempting But until this issue is resolved it s causing irreparable harm to our ability to sign athletes he disclosed Athletes who are both natural and enhanced can compete at the games That s part of the narrative that makes this engaging Can a natural athlete beat an enhanced athlete That s a new twist for a start-up that introduced itself as a league designed to push the limits of human ability while using science to monitor athletes intake without punishing them for taking drugs that are banned under the world anti-doping code AP sports https apnews com sports Source