Aussie Olympian Cameron McEvoy has trolled the Enhanced Games after Greek swimmer Kristian Gkolomeev ‘broke’ his world record at the pro-doping sporting event.
Dubbed the ‘Steroid Olympics’, the controversial Enhanced Games allows and encourages athletes’ use of performance-enhancing drugs across three core events in weightlifting, track and field, and swimming.
During the 50-metre freestyle swimming heat at the Las Vegas event, Gkolomeev — one of many athletes who used performance-enhancing drugs — ‘beat’ McEvoy’s world record of 20.88 seconds, which he originally claimed at the China Open in March.
Gkolomeev bested McEvoy by 70 milliseconds with a time of 20.81 seconds.
Taking to Instagram soon after the race, McEvoy — a four-time Olympic medalist — shared two pointed memes.
The first was a scene of NBA star Michael Jordan surrounded by monsters from Space Jam, and the second was a pic of a yelling Gordon Ramsay with the caption: “Seriously?! That’s all you got!”
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Gkolomeev’s ‘record’ at the Enhanced Games does not technically beat McEvoy’s, since it was achieved through the use of both prohibited substances and a swimsuit that has long been banned in legitimate races.
Governing athletic bodies like the International Olympics Committee and World Aquatics have denounced the Enhanced Games and confirmed any records ‘beaten’ at the event won’t be ratified or recognised in an official capacity.
Fellow Aussie Olympian James Magnussen, who placed last in the same race as Gkolomeev, reacted to McEvoy’s post in a statement to The Sydney Morning Herald, saying “Cam’s sitting at home talking about us. We’re not talking about Cam”.
“[The Enhanced Games] was always going to be the most unorthodox show anyone had seen. It’s created such a stir. It was a show, man,” Magnussen added.
McEvoy preempted his fiery reaction to the sporting event earlier this month, telling the SMH that any ‘records’ don’t “count in any way, shape or form when you take drugs or wear one of the banned suits, or both”.
“It’s got no relevance to Olympic or World Championship 50-metre comps, or to the international rankings around them,” he said.
Gkolomeev pocketed almost $1.4 million (AUD) for winning the race, saying the prize money “is going to change my life for the good”.
Lead images: Getty and Cam McEvoy/Instagram
