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≡ ARMSTRONG ROLLS THE DICE ≡
Two-time World Champion backstroker Hunter Armstrong announced Tuesday that he will swim at the Enhanced Games in Las Vegas on 24 May, but without taking any banned substances and expects to keep his eligibility.
In an Instagram post, he noted,
“I want to be very clear … I am joining the Enhanced Games as a clean athlete. I will NOT be taking any banned substances and I WILL be continuing my path to win gold on home soil in L.A.”
Armstrong, 25, won the 2023 Worlds 50 m Back and 2024 Worlds 100 m Back golds and has five more relay wins with the U.S. team. He has three Olympic medals, all in relays, with golds in the Tokyo 2020 4×100 m Medley and Paris 2024 4×100 m Freestyle.
He expects to contest the 50 m Back and 100 m Free at the Enhanced Games and told ESPN that his financial situation – he lost his primary sponsor last year – requires he take a chance:
“If I don’t join Enhanced, I lose everything. If I do join Enhanced, I have a chance at not losing everything.
“My back was against the wall, so I had to reopen that conversation to see if it was a plausible option.”
Enhanced Games is offering $500,000 in prize money for each event and a $1 million bonus for swimming faster than the World Aquatics-recognized world record.
Armstrong said that he spoke with World Aquatics officials about competing at the Enhanced Games without doping, but in June 2025, the federation adopted a by-law that makes ineligible anyone who participates in
“a sporting event or competition that embraces scientific enhancements that include the use of Prohibited Substances or Prohibited Methods (as those terms are defined in the Doping Control Rules) and/or the use of any illegal drug.”
However, the by-law applies to “a time when they were not subject to the Rules and Regulations,” and Armstrong is saying he is subject to the doping rules even during the Enhanced Games. Further, the by-law says any affected swimmer’s situation will judged on a case-by-case basis.
So, it is not completely clear that Armstrong will be sanctioned. The Enhanced Games lost a court case against World Aquatics and USA Swimming, charging a monopoly and signing Armstrong could give them an opening to sue again.
There are opposite effects which can also be true, for example, World Aquatics can say that with Armstrong competing in a pro-doping event and maintaining his non-doping position, that the International Testing Agency must be allowed into the event and provided with adequate testing facilities in order to monitor Armstrong’s doping-free status.
Armstrong added:
“Nobody really knows what’s going to happen, and nobody will give me an answer on what’s going to happen.
“So all I can work off of is what the rules say and take a chance because I won’t get an answer by waiting.”
SwimSwam.com reported on a message sent by USA Swimming National Team Director Greg Meehan:
“We are aware that Hunter Armstrong has announced his plans to participate in the Enhanced Games as a clean athlete. I wanted to be sure you heard from USA Swimming immediately and directly. We are disappointed in this news, as Hunter has been a valuable member of our National Team for over five years, and we are not sure how the relevant regulatory bodies will respond to this unprecedented situation. If we learn more to address this uncertainty, we will share with you.”
The Enhanced Games suit against World Aquatics and USA Swimming claimed that their stance prevented them from recruiting swimmers; Armstrong is the 18th swimmer to agree to compete.
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