Reece Prescod told the BBC he wouldn’t take performance-enhancing drugs. Why join the Enhanced Games, whose entire premise lies on that very basis? His retirement last year at age 29 shocked the UK athletics scene. Many deemed it too soon given his position as fourth on the UK 100m all-time list with a 9.93 run in 2022. Now his plans to simply continue to train and compete as he was before, albeit in a different environment, seem even more curious.

Enhanced Games: In it for the money?

The Enhanced Games were confirmed last year to be going ahead in 2026. Looking back with hindsight, perhaps Prescod’s retirement was not so coincidental. Based on this alone, it would appear that the reason was clear: money. Athletics has never been the most lucrative sport. Although progress is being made, for example with this year’s upcoming World Athletics Ultimate Championships. An event which offers the largest prize money ever of US$150,000 for winners. However, the Enhanced Games got there quicker and did so with greater fanfare.

The retired Reece Prescod deciding to revive his career for a once-in-a-lifetime prize winning opportunity, wouldn’t be so bad a headline. It would, in fact, bring hope to those who despise the Enhanced Games and everything it stands for. It would make the solution simple. If athletes were only joining the Enhanced Games for money and had no interest in taking substances, then all World Athletics would have to do is increase financial incentives. In doing so they would capitalise on the already renowned and globally successful structure they have. On the other hand, the Enhanced Games is having to build this from the ground up.

Or is it not so simple?

But, unfortunately, that’s not the case. When asked by the BBC if he would take substances, Prescod said no. Case closed, right? Well according to the many headlines, yes, but the answer is in fact no. When asked about how he would fare against the competition without them, that’s when he said the key word: option. After all, Reece Prescod is 29. He hasn’t raced in 2 years, and when he last did in 2024, his season’s best was 10.00. The last time he ran under 10 seconds with a legal wind reading was 2023. Once.

In the Enhanced Games he will be competing, as we very recently found out, against both the 100m gold and silver medalists from the 2022 World Championships. One of whom, Marvin Bracy-Williams, was found to be taking PEDs and the other, Fred Kerley, while whether he’s doping is unknown, is still serving a suspension for whereabouts failures.

I’ll say it again: if the only incentive is money, why join? What chance does a clean Reece Prescod have of winning the US$250,000 prize fund for first place, let alone the US$1 million world record bonus? And in that case, other than appearance fees, how much more will he really earn than under the WADA structure?

How to gain the edge?

We know the chances, and so does he. Athletes aren’t physically pressured to take substances and are free to stay clean. That said, on an unequal playing field with a huge prize pot on the line, that pressure exists, and so does a major incentive. If Reece Prescod hadn’t reached his peak he wouldn’t have retired, and if he wants to run faster now, well… I’ll let you fill in the blank.