Enhanced Games targets British stars after signing US sprinter Fred Kerley | Athletics

British athletes throughout a number of sports activities are being focused by the Enhanced Games after the US dash star Fred Kerley turned the most important title but to join the controversial occasion.

Kerley, the world 100m champion in 2022, mentioned he was becoming a member of the Enhanced Games, which permits athletes to take performance-enhancing medicine which can be banned in official occasions, to turn out to be the quickest man ever.

Sources have now advised the Guardian that the Enhanced Games have been reaching out to different British stars after saying final week they’d signed Ben Proud, the Olympic 50m freestyle silver medallist swimmer.

Kerley’s choice led to him being dropped by his brokers, Pace Sports Management, which additionally represents Usain Bolt and Mo Farah. Ricky Simms, the top of Pace Sports, mentioned: “We did not negotiate this deal and no longer represent Fred Kerley.”

The American sprinter, who gained Olympic silver over 100m in Tokyo and bronze in Paris final 12 months, has been provisionally suspended by the Athletics Integrity Unit for whereabouts failures. If discovered to have dedicated an anti-doping violation, Kerley shall be given a minimal two-year ban from monitor and subject. However, David Howman, the chairman of the AIU, steered there might be additional sanctions.

“He is currently suspended so he is not a member of World Athletics,” mentioned Howman. “We can’t say anything further about him until that case is concluded. But because he is suspended, he has no rights at all in relation to athletics.

“What might happen in the future is for the future. That could include a future suspension process, for example.”

Howman additionally questioned why anybody would wish to watch the occasion, which is because of happen in Las Vegas subsequent May. “I go back to when the Romans used to watch the Christians fighting the lions, and you’re always going to get an audience for something out of the ordinary,” he mentioned. “So there may be an audience that would watch it, but I would like to ask each one of them as they went in: ‘Are you sure you would want to watch your kid doing this?’”

Brett Clothier, the top of the AIU, additionally described the Enhanced Games as “grotesque” however insisted the organisation was extra targeted on policing reliable sport than worrying about it. “I don’t want to give the Enhanced Games too much oxygen, quite frankly,” he mentioned. “Our biggest concern is probably about the health of Fred Kerley and other athletes who sign up to it. It’s clearly sort of grotesque, and I think athletes are being used.”

Sebastian Coe, the president of World Athletics, mentioned he didn’t wish to discuss Kerley however that the game had considerably elevated its prize cash in recent times. “I’m not discussing the Enhanced Games,” Lord Coe mentioned. “We’re in the championships here. We’re certainly not going down that rabbit hole.

“But we’ve increased our revenues by about 38% in the last four years. And in the next four years we’re going to spend about $50m on prize money. I don’t want to sound like Gordon Brown, but I do want the athletes to benefit from the proceeds of growth.”

Kerley, who has a private 100m better of 9.76sec, mentioned he was becoming a member of the video games to attempt to turn out to be the quickest man who ever lived. As properly as look charges, he’ll win 1,000,000 US {dollars} if he surpasses Bolt’s time of 9.58.

“The world record has always been the ultimate goal of my career,” Kerley mentioned. “This now gives me the opportunity to dedicate all my energy to pushing my limits and becoming the fastest human to ever live.”