TOKYO (AP) — Fred Kerley, a former world sprint champion, has become the first American athlete to join the no-drug-testing Enhanced Games. Currently, Kerley is suspended due to missed doping tests. He plans to contest these tests, known as “whereabouts failures.”
At 30 years old, Kerley is a significant figure for this new league, which has also brought on Olympic swimmer Ben Proud. Kerley expressed excitement on the Enhanced Games website, saying it allows him to focus entirely on breaking records.
Kerley made headlines last year by winning gold in the 100 meters at the World Championships. He has two Olympic medals: silver from the Tokyo Games in 2021 and bronze from Paris in 2024, where the 100-meter final was intensely competitive.
The Enhanced Games will launch in May 2024 in Las Vegas, withevents in track, swimming, and weightlifting. Each event will have a prize of $500,000, with $250,000 awarded for first place. There’s an additional $1 million bonus for anyone who sets a world record in the 100-meter sprint or the 50-meter freestyle.
This league has attracted attention not just for its lucrative prizes, but also for its approach to drug testing. Recently, World Aquatics implemented a ban on athletes participating in the Enhanced Games. This led the league to file an $800 million lawsuit against World Aquatics, claiming the ban was an illegal attempt to undermine their competition.
In the midst of these developments, Coe stated that World Athletics is aware of Kerley’s situation but has no immediate comments during the championships.
Additionally, Kerley is facing personal challenges. Earlier this year, he was charged with assaulting a woman who is also an Olympic hurdler. This followed a prior incident where he was accused of assaulting a police officer in Miami Beach. His legal team maintains his innocence in these matters.
As the sports world watches, Kerley’s journey reflects a broader discussion about the balance between competition and fairness in athletics. The rise of leagues like the Enhanced Games may signal a shift in how athletes view their careers and the rules that govern them. For more updates on sports issues, visit AP Sports.
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Fred Kerley, Track and field, General news, World news, Tokyo, Sports, Ben Proud, World News
