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The Enhanced Games (“The Olympics with Steroids”) was a Tragic Collection of Losers (and I wish I could have been there)

Phil Gaimon · 25 May 2026

Read the piece on philgaimon.substack.com ↗

3 korrents from this piece ↓

Phil Gaimon did not write this page.

Every claim below was made in this piece, quoted word for word and numbered in the order the piece makes them, so you can read it there rather than take our word for it. The sentence above each quote is our reading of the claim, not their wording. Each quote was checked against a stored copy of the page at build time; where the two differ, the quote is the fact.

  1. Our reading

    Raising the barrier to entry through high-tech equipment and medical enhancement limits the pool of participating athletes.

    Their wordsIf we raise that barrier to people who can afford high-tech custom shoes and suits, steroids, EPO, and medical care to use those without dying, we're "enhancing" the performance of a handful who have access, while drastically limiting the pool of athletes who could participate to begin with.

  2. Our reading

    The Enhanced Games is a modern, dystopian adaptation of ancient Roman gladiators.

    Their wordsThe sport on display at the Enhanced Games wasn't swimming or running or weightlifting: it's a modern, dystopian adaptation of the gladiators in ancient Rome: Peter Thiel and his friends wish that they could watch slaves and prisoners kill each other for sport, cheered on by the masses.

  3. Our reading

    More athletes will seize the opportunity of the Enhanced Games if big money is still available in future editions.

    Their wordsIf big money is still up for grabs in the next edition, more athletes will seize the opportunity.

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