Silicon Valley billionaire Peter Thiel is investing his money in an “Olympics on steroids” whose organizers boast that athletes will dope “openly and honestly.”
Thiel, who made his fortune as an early investor in tech startups like PayPal and Facebook, is backing Enhanced Games, which actively encourages athletes to use performance-enhancing drugs.
The venture, which aims to support research into nutritional supplements and biohacks that push the boundaries of human performance, was founded by Aaron, a lawyer by training who is famous for authoring Thiel’s lawsuit against Gawker Media.・It was the brainchild of Dr. D’Souza.
He will announce further details on April 17, and plans to promote the controversial concept in Paris during the Summer Olympics, which begin in July.
Thiel is one of several prominent venture capitalists who backed the project, including billionaire Christian Angermayer of Apeiron Investment Group and Balaji Srinivasan, former chief technology officer of cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase. be.
D’Souza declined to say how much money was raised, telling the Post it was “in the low single digits” or “enough to make the first game.”
Sousa said Enhanced Games was in talks with multiple host cities “with the necessary infrastructure”, but was unsure which venue would host the first edition of the tournament, which is expected to begin by the middle of next year. He declined to comment explicitly.
The competition will feature five events: swimming, gymnastics, weightlifting, track and field, and martial arts, and will be held once a year at an existing venue.
He told the Post that the idea behind Enhanced Games is to allow athletes to use the drugs they want “publicly and honestly.” Unlike the Olympics, “44% of Olympians admit to using banned substances, but only 1% are caught using banned substances.” “
“My body, my choice, your body, your choice,” D’Souza told the Post when asked about the philosophy behind allowing athletes to drink juice.
“Individuals should be able to make choices about their bodies, and no one, whether sports federations or governments, should be able to tell them what to do with it,” he says.
He said the event is open to all athletes, current and former pros, and amateurs, and that by allowing athletes to use substances to improve performance, researchers hope to improve longevity and health. He said this will give us a better idea of what technologies are available that can accelerate “aging.” ”
“We think this creates a situation where we can get a much larger data pool of athletes and individuals who are looking to improve themselves through science,” D’Souza said.
He said the data would be “very useful in determining compounds and treatments to extend human lifespan.”
D’Souza predicted that enhanced gaming will do for anti-aging “what ChatGPT did for AI.”
Mr. Thiel, 56, is one of a number of Silicon Valley heavyweights who have invested millions of dollars in research funds aimed at helping people live longer.
Thiel himself takes human growth hormone to help maintain muscle mass, as well as metformin, an anti-diabetic drug that is gaining popularity in anti-aging circles.
Thiel told the media that he follows a paleo diet, which avoids processed foods, eats unprocessed fruits, vegetables, and lean meat, and that he hopes to cryogenically freeze his body so that one day, with technology, he can be revived after death. He said he is aiming to do so. make it possible.
D’Souza said 900 athletes have expressed interest in participating in the Enhanced Games so far.
He said Enhanced Games’ free philosophy allows athletes who “didn’t win the genetic lottery” to try supplements that may improve performance.
“Anyone who wants to compete can do so,” D’Souza said.
In addition to prize money, Enhanced Games also pays players a base salary.
The idea is to avoid Olympic-style competition, where national and local governments use taxpayer money to build stadiums and venues and vie for the right to host the Games. The same venue is simply left unused after the event ends.
An analysis by economists at the University of Oxford found that every Olympic Games since 1960 has exceeded its budget.
D’Souza told the Post that Enhanced Games will be funded entirely by private funds.
“The Olympics wastes tens of billions of dollars by building stadiums and then trashing them two weeks later,” D’Souza said.
Dr. Grigory Rodchenkov, the Russian anti-doping whistleblower who exposed Russia’s state-sponsored doping program, called the idea a “danger to health and sport.”
Anna Mears, a former Olympic gold medalist and Olympic executive chef for Australia at the Paris Summer Olympics, told the Guardian:
“It’s not fair and it’s not safe. I don’t think this is the right way to play sports,” she said.
