Peter Thiel, VCs back "Olympics" without drug-testing

[litebright]

I ran across this press release yesterday. Peter Thiel and other rich guys/VCs are putting money into the "Enhanced Games," which is basically an openly doped Olympics. Which is framed as embracing advances in medical science, and hey, a lot of high-level athletes use performance enhancers anyway, so it's more "honest". 

www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/venture-capitalists-christian-angermayer-peter-thiel-and-balaji-srinivasan-join-funding-for-the-enhanced-games-the-21st-century-olympics-without-drug-testing-302049164.html

Related story from Forbes: www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2024/01/31/billionaire-peter-thiel-backs-doping-friendly-olympics-rival---what-to-know-about-the-enhanced-games/?sh=45acb63b501f

Apparently the president of this is Thiel's former lawyer in the whole Gawker thing. I notice that the release doesn't put a number on how much the funding round raised, though, and that's unusual. Normally when a company closes a funding round, they say how much they raised.

Quotes from the release: 

The multi-million dollar round gives Enhanced the financial foundations to deliver a world-class sporting event. "The Enhanced Games is pleased to have the support of Christian, Peter, Balaji and all our other investors. They see the vision of a new model of sports, that openly celebrates scientific innovation and honestly represents the use of performance enhancements in sports today", said Aron D'Souza, President of the Enhanced Games. "Unlike the Olympic Games, Enhanced believes that excellence deserves to be rewarded. Support from the world's leading venture capitalists enables us to create the structures that pay athletes fairly."

Christian Angermayer, a pioneer in the biotech, longevity and mental health sectors, who, in addition to his investment, joins the Enhanced Games as a co-founder declared, "I was instantly drawn to Enhanced Games' forward-thinking ethos and its alignment with many elements of my own vision for the Next Human Agenda. Its core mission centres on building a platform that not only improves the safety and fairness of competition but also stimulates scientific breakthroughs and nurtures human advancement. The Enhanced games will undoubtedly inspire the public's imagination and reinforce the profound impact of science on human progress."

[Susie]

My immediate gut reaction is omg how many athletes are going to die or do serious and permanent harm to themselves by pushing their bodies and their doping too far in pursuit of the win.  Doping in sports is absolutely a problem, but embracing it is not the answer.

[sonrisa]

Thiel finds new ways to be an asshole.

[gretchenindisguise]

Feb 2, 2024 9:39:30 GMT -5 Susie said:

My immediate gut reaction is omg how many athletes are going to die or do serious and permanent harm to themselves by pushing their bodies and their doping too far in pursuit of the win.  Doping in sports is absolutely a problem, but embracing it is not the answer.

That was exactly my thought too. And the impacts of others around them due to roid rage or other similar impacts.

[penguingrrl]

That’s so dangerous and stupid.

[pixy0stix]

How many serious athletes are going to participate in this, since participating equals admitting to doping? They won't be able to pursue any other venues for their sport.

[TR]

This feels very "play stupid games..."

[sent]

Is this the "I made eleventy billion dollars in my Roth IRA" guy?

[StrawberryBlondie]

Feb 2, 2024 10:24:10 GMT -5 pixy0stix said:

How many serious athletes are going to participate in this, since participating equals admitting to doping? They won't be able to pursue any other venues for their sport.

Not to mention how many governing bodies would allow their athletes to participate?

[livinitup]

Who knew that the “All Drug Olympics” skit on SNL was actually going to be someone else’s goal for the games ??

[wawa]

Feb 2, 2024 11:11:44 GMT -5 StrawberryBlondie said:

Feb 2, 2024 10:24:10 GMT -5 pixy0stix said:

How many serious athletes are going to participate in this, since participating equals admitting to doping? They won't be able to pursue any other venues for their sport.

Not to mention how many governing bodies would allow their athletes to participate?

right?  this is deeply stupid and also horrifyingly dystopian.  

I'd really like these rich fucks to STOP mining the dystopian sci fi I've read my whole life for actual business plans.  It's wildly unsettling.  Stick with Star Trek FFS.  Make me a replicator.

[windyseas]

This totally sounds like some weird roided up Hunger Games.

[BlondeSpiders]

Feb 2, 2024 12:57:06 GMT -5 livinitup said:

Who knew that the “All Drug Olympics” skit on SNL was actually going to be someone else’s goal for the games ??

Every person involved with this idea should just be yeeted into space. "Next Human Agenda?"  BUH BYE.

[VillainV]

There is not an insurer in the world who would insure this venture. The liability would be tremendous. And any athletes who wanted to participate (and dope) would be ineligible for basically every other competition.

[neverfstop]

Isn't there already the X games- the more/most extreme version of some sports or more dangerous activities?

[basilosaurus]

Feb 2, 2024 10:24:10 GMT -5 pixy0stix said:

How many serious athletes are going to participate in this, since participating equals admitting to doping? They won't be able to pursue any other venues for their sport.

I'm not sure there are limits to human desperation. Deep in debt from addiction or gambling or whatever, medical costs of a family member, knowing they would never be top on their own and crave that recognition, always the bridesmaid never the bride syndrome. They'd have to be people who are convinced there's no legitimatealternate route. Train their entire lives, give up normal high school and college, and still get passed over. I can easily see how that would appeal.

[sonrisa]

This is going to end up being the only place trans athletes are allowed to compete, isn't it?

[mrsukyankee]

Feb 3, 2024 1:55:37 GMT -5 sonrisa said:

This is going to end up being the only place trans athletes are allowed to compete, isn't it?

I'm sure they'll be kept out of this as well to appease the base of who will watch it (roided up male 'athletes').

This is going to appeal to those athletes who are either not good enough to compete in any other competition (except, perhaps, Gladiators) or those who used to compete and miss their youth. It's going to be so bad. The Frye Festival version of athletics.

[VillainV]

Feb 3, 2024 1:55:37 GMT -5 sonrisa said:

This is going to end up being the only place trans athletes are allowed to compete, isn't it?

Based on the dude-bros who would be in charge, I’m guessing if trans athletes were allowed to compete, they’d only be allowed to compete against other trans athletes.