Emmanuel Acho joins broadcast team for controversial Enhanced Games

The controversial first-ever sporting competition featuring athletes taking performance-enhancing substances will take place this May, and some recognizable commentators will be on the call.

The Enhanced Games will be held May 21–24, 2026, in Las Vegas and will include swimming, athletics, and weightlifting. They are the first-ever sporting event to permit performance-enhancing drugs.

For a variety of reasons, the games have generally been objected to by international sporting organizations, athletes, and scientists. The reason that most major sporting events ban performance-enhancing drugs is that there is significant evidence of health complications related to their use.

“We will focus on athlete safety by mandating athletes have pre-competition full-system clinical screenings, including blood tests and EKGs,” said Australian businessman Aron D’Souza, who is the founder and financial backer of Enhanced Games

Interestingly, several mainstream commentators have chosen to join the broadcast team despite these concerns. Former NFL player and Fox Sports commentator Emmanuel Acho will headline the commentary crew, serving as the co-lead studio anchor. MLB Network host Abby Labar will serve as co-host. Venture capitalist Bryan Johnson, the subject of the Netflix documentary “Don’t Die: The Man Who Wants to Live Forever,” will serve as an analyst.

The main broadcast team will also have recognizable names. Fox Sports play-by-play commentator Justin Kutcher will call races and weightlifting. Kutcher will be joined by English color commentator Sam Quek, who has worked for several British television networks, including BBC, Channel 5, and Channel 4.

The Enhanced Games have not yet announced a U.S. media rights partner, a notable omission for an event positioning itself as a legitimate alternative to traditional competition. That uncertainty, coupled with the widespread criticism of the games, suggests that they may struggle to find a mainstream audience.

Hiring well-known voices may provide some legitimacy, but it is unlikely to overcome the lack of a media rights deal and the disgust many hold for doping in sports.