Swimmer who represented Ireland at three Olympics says controversial event provides chance to set up financial future
W
hen Shane Ryan agreed to participate in the Enhanced Games – where performance-enhancing drugs are encouraged – he did not agonise: “I was like, you know what, let me do something for me for once. Let me make some money.”
The swimmer represented Ireland at three Olympics, in 2016, 2020 and 2024, but all those years of training and sacrifice were not paying the bills, so this week he announced he would compete at the controversial sporting event.
“My whole 20s I gave to Ireland,” says Ryan, 31, from a training camp in Las Vegas, where the tournament will take place. “Olympic athletes train so hard all their life and they just don’t get paid.”
