The businessman Aaron D’Souza has a vision of holding a championship similar to the Olympics, but where the participants can dope freely. The championship is called “The Enhanced Games” and is supposed to be held in 2024 at an undisclosed location. The disciplines that will be included are swimming, gymnastics, weightlifting, martial arts and athletics.
On The Enhanced Games website they accuse several members of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) of being “enemies of science”. They believe that these individuals have slandered “improved pioneers”.
“According to D’Souza, his game will break all world records by unleashing human potential,” writes TT.
Christine HelleCEO of Antidoping Sweden, expresses his disappointment with The Enhanced Games:
– I think it is very sad and strange. I don’t understand the point of having a competition where it is free to dope and thereby cheat, says Christine Helle to Nyheter24.
Side effects of anabolic steroids and ephedrine
Something that is not mentioned on the website is the many side effects associated with doping preparations such as anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS) and ephedrine. Anti-doping Sweden writes that repeated use of ephedrine leads to dulling.
The preparation is classified as a drug and can cause “serious cardiovascular effects, tremors, sweating, vomiting, anxiety and difficulty sleeping and can be addictive”, the website states.
“Roid Rage”
The term has become an accepted term to describe when someone using anabolic steroids has an exaggerated outburst of anger. Among other things, AAS has a side effect that leads to aggressiveness in the user. Receptors in the brain are affected when using AAS, “which can trigger aggressiveness, strong mood swings and irritability”, writes The doping emergency.
A study conducted by University of Southern California tested the “roid rage” effect in rats. It showed that the rats that had been treated with testosterone became more likely to attack others. During the study, the rats tended to attack more often and hold back for less time compared to how they acted without doping.
Bitch tits and hair loss
Doping can affect a man’s body negatively both during the time the preparations are used but also long after. Beroendecentrum Stockholm and Dopingjouren list several side effects:
Aggressiveness and depression
Acne on back, shoulders and chest
Childlessness
Depression
Enlarged breasts or “bitch tits”
Changed sex drive
Hair loss
Shrunken testicles
Big changes in mood and confidence
Enlarged clitoris and hair loss
Women who use AAS doping preparations can experience side effects similar to those that occur during the process of a sex change. This means, among other things, a darker voice, enlarged clitoris and beard growth. Dopingjouren writes that the majority of all women who contact them about side effects have been introduced by a close man, without having been informed about the risks of using doping preparations. Women are more affected by the use of anabolic steroids and can have permanent side effects at low doses. Common side effects listed by the Dopingjouren are:
Side effects for the rest of your life
A short course of doping can negatively affect your body years later. If a man dopes himself with testosterone, the body’s own production may become insufficient after completing the course. When the body cannot produce enough testosterone, it can lead to depression in men, which is seen naturally in older men when testosterone levels drop with age.
Christine Helle talks about how doping affects both the user and those around the person. She believes that The Enhanced Games is acting irresponsibly as doping has been linked to organized crime.
– You can see that crime is strongly linked to doping. It is advanced criminality and the harmful effects go beyond the health effects. says Christine Helle to Nyheter24.
Sources: Addiction center, The doping emergency, Janus info