Australian swimming champion Kyle Chalmers rejects millions to join Enhanced Games

Australian swimming champion and new father Kyle Chalmers has rejected a brazen approach from Enhanced Games organisers.

Chalmers’ manager, Phoebe Rothfield, called it a “life-changing” offer which is reportedly worth close to the $4 million mark plus equity.

The Enhanced Games are an event supporting the use of performance-enhancing drugs and is set to feature swimming, athletics and weightlifting.

British swimmer (and Olympic silver medallist) Ben Proud recently joined the controversial competition, and former Australian swimmer James Magnussen (who retired from competitive swimming after the 2018 Commonwealth Games) was the first athlete to sign.

But, despite the big bucks and new baby, Chalmers is not interested. He, instead, is out to compete in an incredible fourth Olympic Games when they kick off in Los Angeles in 2028.

“It is life-changing money for a swimmer, or any Australian Olympic athlete, for that matter,” Rothfield said.

“It could have set him and his young family up and helped with the mortgage, but Kyle said no from the onset.

“It was a brief discussion.

“What drives him is competing for his country, standing on the podium in the green and gold and doing the sport because he loves it.”

The Sydney Morning Herald reports “that other Australian swimmers have also been approached” but no current competitor has agreed to join.

The Enhanced Games offers US$1 million to world record breakers.

Chalmers has previously called for more money in his sport and said he would not begrudge anyone who would join the Enhanced Games.

He also said in June this year that he would not knock his “great mate” Magnussen for joining the competition.

“Something that’s hard in our sport is there’s not a huge amount of money or prizemoney on offer, and we kind of do it for the love of it,” Chalmers said.

“I’m not going to be a person that slams swimmers for wanting to go across and make some money and give themselves a better opportunity of life or set their families up.

“If they want to make that choice, then good on them.”

Chalmers and his partner Ingeborg Løyning recently welcomed a baby girl into the world.

The Aussie freestyler and the Norwegian backstroke specialist called their daughter Astrid Olivia, a name that has strong Scandanavian roots.

Chalmers, 27, has nine Olympic medals to his name, including gold in the 100 metres freestyle at Rio 2016.

He has finished top two in the past three consecutive Olympic games, just the third man in Olympics history to place three times in the 100m freestyle event.

Løyning, 24, competed in the 200m backstroke at Tokyo 2020, where she swum a national record of 2:11.68.

- With AAP and 7NEWS.com.au