Enhanced Games chief says May’s inaugural event in Los Angeles will change perceptions

Martin hopes to stage a winter edition of the Enhanced Games, making it a biannual event, as well as one-off time-trial attempts to better existing world records.

He also aims to expand into triathlon, providing a platform for a doped athlete to complete an Ironman-distance event in an unprecedented time.

Enhanced’s business model hinges on their events acting as showpiece sales pitches to promote supervised medication and supplement programmes to the American public.

They are yet to go on sale, with Martin expecting them to be available by February.

The publicity generated by the Games could also be shared with other brands in partnership and sponsorship deals.

Traditional money-makers for sports events, such as media rights and tickets, are not yet a significant part of the balancesheet.

The Games will be broadcast free on YouTube initially, with the 2,500 tickets for the temporary Las Vegas arena, featuring a four-lane pool and a 100m sprint track, being given away, rather than sold.

“We don’t need everyone in the world to love us, everyone in the world to be a fan or convince everyone of what we are doing,” said Martin. “We’re okay with people disagreeing with it.

“I also love the Olympic system. I went to Paris last year, it was one of the best sporting events I’ve ever been to.

“The Olympics should always stay the way that it is. More than 10,000 athletes in every sport that you can think of, the world coming together to celebrate, forget the wars and share our love for sport – it’s amazing.

“We’re just something very, very different. We are both pursuing our own things in our own rights.”