Enhanced Games Lawsuit Against Sports Bodies Dismissed

A US federal court judge dismissed the lawsuit filed by Enhanced against established sports bodies for failure to state a claim, but granted leave to file an amended pleading. Enhanced US LLC, a privately funded startup, is planning an international sports competition, The Enhanced Games (TEG), which would allow athletes who use performance-enhancing substances to compete alongside those who do not.

The lawsuit challenged World Aquatics, USA Swimming, and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) under U.S. antitrust law alleging that they engaged in unlawful conduct by adopting and enforcing policies, most notably World Aquatics’ By-Law 10, that made anyone who participates in or supports events permitting scientific enhancements ineligible for World Aquatics competitions and roles. According to Enhanced, this hindered its ability to recruit athletes, coaches, and staff and “foreclosed competition” in elite swimming.

Enhanced filed claims under Sections 1 and 2 of the Sherman Act and sought injunctive relief to prevent enforcement of these bylaws and related threats. The judge concluded that the court had jurisdiction over WADA but ultimately granted the defendants’ motion to dismiss the complaint for failure to state a claim, finding that Enhanced’s legal theories were insufficient as a matter of law, and denied Enhanced’s request for a preliminary injunction as moot. However, it allowed the plaintiff an opportunity to amend its pleadings.

Enhanced Games has been planning to schedule the games since 2023. In June 2025, World Aquatics adopted a new bylaw to effectively ban participants of the controversial Enhanced Games from participating in its competitions. The lawsuit was filed in August 2025, with plans for the inaugural games on May 24, 2026, in Las Vegas, and several notable athletes announced their participation amid criticism of the ethical aspects of these games.