Shame on Ben Proud for Damaging Legacy With Enhanced Games

Shame on Ben Proud for Damaging Legacy With Enhanced Games Move

What a tragic day for swimming. Ben Proud, whose outcomes have made him probably the most constant 50 freestyler on the planet during the last half-decade, has dedicated to racing within the inaugural Enhanced Games subsequent 12 months — and he must be ashamed of himself.

Ashamed to be related to a company based upon the precept of dishonest, its mere existence making a mockery of fresh sport. Ashamed to have sullied his previously-illustrious repute by becoming a member of forces with this farce.

This choice casts a shadow on Proud’s total worldwide profession representing Great Britain and England. He earned a powerful assortment of {hardware} whereas competing honest and sq. throughout the sport’s anti-doping guidelines, together with 50 freestyle Olympic silver final 12 months in Paris, six medals on the World Championships (two golds) and 5 wins on the Commonwealth Games. That’s the kind of profession that earns a swimmer widespread acclaim, a spot as an honored visitor at nationwide occasions secured for all times.

Ben Proud (proper) will not race at main competitions alongside rivals similar to Australia’s Cam McEvoy — Photo Courtesy: Emily Cameron

Not anymore. His former nationwide governing physique wasted no time in declaring Proud persona non grata. “Aquatics GB is immensely disappointed in Ben Proud’s announcement to sign with the Enhanced Games,” the group mentioned in an announcement posted to Instagram. “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.”

In public feedback since asserting his life-altering choice, Proud has been cautious to hedge on whether or not he’ll really use performance-enhancing substances, though he will probably be free to take action underneath the foundations of the Enhanced Games. But with or with out juicing, a swimmer with such an achieved teaming up with Enhanced is a center finger to aggressive integrity. You know, the precept that guides the game from summer season league to the Olympics.

Dedication to honest racing is the baseline on which aggressive swimming is constructed. All-time greats like Michael Phelps and Katie Ledecky constructed and bolstered their legacies by committing to that commonplace, then racing in opposition to the very best throughout high-stakes moments time and again. Not by leaping off that mainstream observe for a billionaire-funded sideshow that harms the game in each approach.

Still, Proud selected to go away behind his legacy as a British dash hero for this, and the motivations should not with out benefit. He might lay declare to a world document even with out choosing PEDs, offered he races within the full-body polyurethane fits which were banned from swimming since 2009. The aggressive life-style will undoubtedly be simpler than remaining on the circuit of world, regional and nationwide championships. He will acquire important prize cash.

In trade, Proud solely needed to promote out his morals and all the sport, a disgraceful choice all-around.

In a second like this, it’s honest to query the motives of the people behind Enhanced Games. None are lifelong sports activities followers; they need to flip a revenue. The technique is obvious: promote merchandise that can inevitably flip sturdy swimmers into “world-record breakers,” even when such information have zero legitimacy within the eyes of the overwhelming majority of the game’s stakeholders who preserve their dedication to wash sport.

Nothing about bettering the game. Only a peep of actual alternatives for athletes if solely these on the very high maintain any actual worth for the Enhanced model. And when it inevitably fails, no consequence for these benefactors with generational wealth to fall again on.

No, Proud is the one who will endure the long-term penalties for his choice, as will another elite swimmer who considers this as a reputable profession risk. The most miserable half is that Proud’s defection would possibly legitimize the Enhanced Games as an possibility for swimmers who beforehand harbored doubts. A enterprise unworthy of losing any oxygen has now obtained new life.