‘I'm not going to slam swimmers': Chalmers' surprising response to Magnussen's Enhanced Games quest
World Aquatics has threatened to ban current athletes who associate with the Enhanced Games or try to compete at next year's event in Las Vegas, even if they don't take performance-enhancing drugs.
Enhanced Games boss Aron D'Souza has offered to pay the legal fees of swimmers who want to challenge World Aquatics' ruling.
World Aquatics will pay swimmers US $20,000 (AUD $30,000) for each gold medal at next month's world championships in Singapore. There is also a world record bonus of US $30,000 (AUD $46,200). The total swimming prize pool is $4.2 million.
The Enhanced Games will pay US $250,000 for each gold medal, plus a US $1 million bonus for world records in either the 50m freestyle or 100m sprint.
'I think it'd be pretty enticing for quite a lot of athletes,' Chalmers said.
'I think that swimmers have been underpaid for a very long time at the big competitions. I've never thought about it a huge amount because you do it for the love of swimming … there's not a lot of money to be made in it.
'Look at the guy that did break the world record and his wife coming out and saying he's been to four Olympics, been in two Olympic finals, been in the world championship final consistently … [the fact] he goes from making $5000 a year to a million in one race is incredible.
'I really hope that there is a shift and that we are able to get a little bit more prize money for what we do. It's threatening World Aquatics a little bit.
'That's why they've come out and said that they're banning swimmers, which yeah, fair enough. But also, those swimmers have come out and announced their retirement.'
Australian head coach Rohan Taylor added: 'I'm just focused on this team ... and providing the right environment for them; a safe, clean sport. That's what we're about. I'm not really paying attention [to it].'
Chalmers has been in great form since taking 12 weeks off after the Olympics, clocking a 100m freestyle time of 47.27 seconds at the Bergen Swim Festival in Norway in April. It was faster than his silver medal-winning performance in Paris (47.48).
The 26-year-old is eyeing off a fourth Olympics in LA in 2028 and preparing for the birth of his first child later this year.
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'It was a massive shock for me [the time of 47.27]. I'm pretty confident that I'm swimming fast,' said Chalmers, who won 100m freestyle gold at the 2023 world championships. 'This could be the year, which is really exciting.
'Our goal is to be at the Olympics in 2028 together and have our daughter in the stands watching us.
'I truly believe it's achievable. If I didn't believe it was possible, I would have retired. I'm at nine Olympic medals. It would be amazing to get to 10.'
Taylor said of Chalmers' swim: 'It made my day when I saw that. I was very happy for him.'
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Next stop in the Diamond League, which offers significant world ranking points, is in Eugene, Oregon, on July 5. with Reuters
