Max McCusker becomes second Irish swimmer to join Enhanced Games

The Enhanced Games, which will be held in Las Vegas in May, allows athletes to take performance-enhancing drugs

In an Instagram post confirming he had signed up for the Enhanced Games, Max McCusker wrote: "If you don’t get it, you weren’t meant to." Pic: Nikola Krstic/Sportsfile

Max McCusker has become the second Irish swimmer to sign up for the Enhanced Games. The 26-year-old joins Shane Ryan in becoming part of the competition at which athletes will be allowed to use performance-enhancing drugs.

McCusker was confirmed as one of five additional swimmers to join the line-up, along with Isabella Arcila (Colombia), Natalia Fryckowska (Poland), Felipe Lima (Brazil), and Evgenii Somov (Russia). 

In an Instagram post confirming he had signed, McCusker wrote: "If you don’t get it, you weren’t meant to."

McCusker, who was born in Glastonbury, England, competed for Ireland in the 4x100m medley relay at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. He holds the Irish record for the 100m butterfly.

Ryan was confirmed as part of the controversial competition's line-up in October. The three-time Olympian said his decision was financially-driven. The move was condemned by Swim Ireland, Sport Ireland, and the Olympic Federation of Ireland. Each event at the Enhanced Games will have a prize pot of $500,000, with $250,000 going to the winner. 

It grows to 11 the number of swimmers confirmed for the competition which takes place in Las Vegas in May. Ben Proud (United Kingdom), Kristian Gkolomeev (Greece), Megan Romano (United States), Marius Kusch (Germany), and James Magnussen (Australia) are the others who will take part. Along with swimming, athletics and weightlifting will be the other disciplines. The Enhanced Games said additional athletes will be announced in December and January. 

“The additions of these five incredibly talented and experienced international swimmers will certainly heat up the competition in the pool at the inaugural Enhanced Games,” said the event's chief sporting officer Rick Adams.

“Each are respected aquatics competitors who have set records and join our existing swimmers in what is becoming an ultra-competitive field.”