Finance

Peter Thiel's Enhanced Games Seeks $300M Funding, Promotes Open Doping Policy

Published July 7, 2024

In what could herald a paradigm shift for athletic competitions, The Enhanced Games—an event envisioned as an alternative to the traditional Olympics and embracing the use of performance-enhancing substances—is reportedly seeking a substantial financial boost. Backed by the influential billionaire and venture capitalist, Peter Thiel, this Olympics-style event is unique in its approach, openly allowing doping, which is traditionally banned in most athletic competitions. The Enhanced Games is currently in talks to secure funding of approximately $300 million.

Background of Enhanced Games

Known for his contrarian investments and co-founding of major companies such as PYPL and PLTR, Thiel's support of The Enhanced Games aligns with his reputation for challenging the status quo. The event aims to question the current regulations on performance enhancement in sports by creating a platform where such practices are not only legal but encouraged. This move has the potential to ignite significant debate within the world of sports and beyond.

Strategic Funding and Market Impact

As The Enhanced Games seeks the substantial financing round of $300 million, it draws attention to the associated companies - PYPL, COIN, and PLTR. PYPL, or PayPal Holdings, Inc., operates as a global leader in the online payments sphere, significantly impacting e-commerce by offering alternative payment solutions to traditional methods. Meanwhile, COIN represents Coinbase Global, Inc., a key player in the financial infrastructure for the rapidly evolving crypto economy. Lastly, PLTR refers to Palantir Technologies Inc., which develops advanced data analytics software for the intelligence and counterterrorism sectors. These companies, each influential in their own right, could see indirect effects from the news concerning their co-founder's latest venture in the sports arena.

Implications for the Future of Sports

The proposed Enhanced Games has potential implications that stretch far beyond financing, challenging the very foundation on which current sports competitions are built. If successful, the initiative could change the landscape of international sports and raise ethical questions concerning the limits and governance of human enhancement in competitive events.

Thiel, Olympics, Doping