– Right out as a joke! – NRK Sport – Sports news, results and broadcasting schedule

– We have a lot of (athletes) competing during the Olympics in Paris, who are in the process of signing up, says founder Aron D’Souza to Australian media, according to AFP.

The head of an alternative Olympics where doping is legal claims there is increasing interest in his project in sport.

D’Souza is the founder of the controversial “Enhanced Games”, which is scheduled to go off the shelf next year.

Now D’Souza says that he hopes to bring between 50 and 100 athletes from the Olympics in Paris in August.

– Some athletes will be very open about the “Enhanced Games” concept during the Paris Olympics, says D’Souza.

– We have quite a plan for the Paris Olympics, he adds.

Olympic athletes: – Too bad

Swimmer Henrik Christiansen is one of several Norwegian Olympic athletes who are reacting.

– The fact that they write that we will hear a lot about the “Enhanced Games” aspect during the Olympics itself seems to me a great shame. And I don’t like them writing “We have quite a plan for Paris”. This certainly does not belong in that arena, writes Christiansen to NRK.

Professional cyclist and Olympic medalist Alexander Kristoff does not understand why athletes would even consider participating.

– It sounds like a joke! That people should be able to dope freely! It will probably end disastrously for some athletes, writes Kristoff to NRK.

– Unnecessary competition, writes Olympic medalist in rowing, Kristoffer Brun.

Former professional cyclist Mads Kaggestad is troubled by the alleged interest.

– It is frightening that more and more athletes want to participate in an event that undermines the rules and values ​​of sport, and want to participate in something that could potentially become a freak show, says TV 2 expert Kaggestad.

NRK’s ​​sports commentator Jan Petter Saltvedt believes that D’Souza’s claims potentially lead to suspicion against the athletes who will participate in Paris, where doping is not allowed.

– He is trying to spread uncertainty. He may succeed to some extent in that, he says.

– Can’t quite believe it

However, Saltvedt strongly doubts that the head of the doping games is telling the truth about the conversations with Olympic athletes.

– I can’t quite believe it. So far, D’Souza has not specified anything other than that he want to have the games, says Saltvedt.

Kaggestad is not as dismissive of D’Souza’s claims.

– We live in a society where taking shortcuts is more generally accepted. Everything from fixing appearance with surgery to “quick fix” to get fast, physical results. I have the impression that many people think that is fine.

He fears the consequences if the Games actually become a thing – regardless of who participates.

– The danger is that you get to see completely wild performances and that people give a damn about whether it has been done cleanly or not, says Kaggestad.

Fear of death

Large sums of millions are already promised to athletes who participate and break records.

Critical Henrik Christiansen asks rhetorically:

– What kind of sponsors want to associate themselves with what is seen as cheating in today’s society? And when it is directly harmful to health?

The swimmer competes in a sport where the suspicion of doping has been strong against many athletes.

He does not think that top athletes are interested in the doping competition, but thinks that those who want to participate will be noticed.

– If you as an athlete say that you want to participate in the “Enhanced Games” and dope the day after you finish the Olympics, I think many people will raise their eyebrows, says Christiansen.

Kaggestad believes it will be difficult for an athlete who participates in the doping games to return to the doping-controlled sport again.

Kristoff questions whether several of the athletes will return from the “Enhanced Games” at all.

– In the worst case, you can die. We have already seen the outcome of extreme doping in the past, says Kristoff.