Former world champion sprinter Fred Kerley has made history by becoming the inaugural track athlete and first American to sign up with the Enhanced Games, a sports organization that does not conduct drug testing. Currently serving a suspension due to missed doping tests, Kerley is not participating in the ongoing world championships in Tokyo. His legal team is planning to challenge the allegations of whereabouts violations that led to his ban.
At 30 years old, Kerley stands out as the most prominent addition to the emerging Enhanced Games league, which recently welcomed Paris Olympic silver medalist swimmer Ben Proud. In a statement posted on the Enhanced Games website, Kerley expressed his excitement, stating, “This now gives me the opportunity to dedicate all my energy to pushing my limits and becoming the fastest human to ever live.”
Having secured victory in the 100 meters at the 2022 world championships, Kerley boasts two Olympic medals—a silver from Tokyo 2021 and a bronze from Paris 2020 in a closely contested 100-meter final. The Enhanced Games is scheduled to premiere in Las Vegas next May, featuring competitions in track, swimming, and weightlifting with a prize pool of $500,000 USD per event, including a substantial $250,000 awarded to the winner. Additionally, a $1 million USD bonus awaits any athlete who breaks a world record in the 100-meter sprint or the 50-meter freestyle in swimming.
Acknowledging the news of Kerley’s decision, Seb Coe, the president of World Athletics, commented briefly, stating that discussions would resume after the ongoing championships. Notably, World Aquatics recently implemented a regulation to exclude athletes who partake in the Enhanced Games, prompting the league to file an $800 million lawsuit against the federation and others for allegedly coercing athletes to boycott their competitions.
Brett Clothier, the leader of the Athletics Integrity Unit responsible for anti-doping matters at World Athletics, expressed concerns regarding the well-being of Kerley and other athletes associated with the Enhanced Games, highlighting apprehensions over their exploitation. Notably, Kerley faced legal issues in Florida, where he was accused of assaulting a female hurdler, an Olympic participant. Prior to this, he was arrested for allegedly attacking a Miami Beach police officer in an incident that involved the use of a Taser. Kerley’s legal representatives maintain his innocence concerning these charges.