Former Olympic 100m champion Fred Kerley said he will compete without performance-enhancing drugs at the 2026 Enhanced Games in Las Vegas [1, 4].
Kerley's decision highlights a tension between the controversial nature of the Enhanced Games, which permit drug use, and the strict regulations of traditional athletics. By refusing PEDs, the 31-year-old sprinter aims to maintain his eligibility for future Olympic cycles [1, 5].
The Enhanced Games are scheduled to begin this Sunday [3, 4]. The event is designed to allow athletes to use performance enhancers, a stark contrast to the standards maintained by the International Olympic Committee and other global sporting bodies.
Kerley is currently banned from regular track competition until 2027 [6]. Despite this restriction, he intends to use the Las Vegas event as a platform while adhering to a clean regimen. The sprinter believes this path is necessary to preserve his professional reputation and his long-term competitive goals.
"I have decided to enter the event clean with zero PED use," Kerley said [2].
His primary focus remains a return to the world's most prestigious sporting stage. Kerley said that he is not taking performance enhancers [1] as part of his preparation for the upcoming games.
"I will compete at the Olympics in 2028," Kerley said [2].
The decision to run clean in an environment where competitors may be using banned substances puts Kerley at a potential physiological disadvantage. However, he said that the risk is outweighed by the necessity of qualifying for the 2028 Olympics [2, 7].
“"I have decided to enter the event clean with zero PED use."”
Kerley's participation as a 'clean' athlete in a drug-permitted event creates a unique case study in athletic performance. If he remains competitive against athletes using PEDs, it could challenge the narrative regarding the necessity of enhancers for elite speed. Furthermore, his strategy underscores the enduring prestige and legal requirement of Olympic eligibility over the financial or experimental lure of the Enhanced Games.
