World Aquatics has banned any athlete, coach or official from participating in their events if they have endorsed or competed in the Enhanced Games.

The federation, that governs swimming, diving, high diving, artistic swimming, water polo, and open water swimming, is the first to adopt a no tolerance policy in the face of the new competition that allows athletes to compete and train using performance-enhancing drugs.

The new World Aquatics bylaw came into effect on Tuesday. The federation president Husain Al Musallam said in a statement: “Those who enable doped sport are not welcome at World Aquatics or our events.

“This new bylaw ensures that we can continue to protect the integrity of our competitions, the health and safety of our athletes, and the credibility of the global aquatics community.”

This comes after Enhanced claimed Greek swimmer Kristian Gkolomeev set two 50m freestyle world records in May, earning a $1m bonus in the process.

The president and founder of Enhanced Games, Dr Aron D’Souza, responded by questioning the intentions behind the ban.

He said in a statement to The Athletic: “This ban isn’t about protecting athletes. It’s about protecting a monopoly.

“World Aquatics hasn’t paid its athletes for decades. Now, faced with real competition and real momentum, they’ve fallen back on threats and bullying tactics.”

He maintained that the Enhanced Games will give the athlete something that the federations cannot: “At the Enhanced Games, athletes have what traditional federations never gave them: choice, fairness, and real money.

“We offer a medically supervised, safety-focused, science-driven arena – where performance is rewarded, not policed by outdated ideology.”

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has condemned the new competition as a “dangerous and irresponsible concept”.

The organisation said the new competition would jeopardize the health and well-being of athletes — their main responsibility — as it seeks to “promote the use of powerful substances and methods by athletes for the purposes of entertainment and marketing.”

Enhanced has been financed by a venture capital fund backed by Donald Trump Jr and billionaire Peter Thiel since it was founded in 2023.

The controversial organisation’s inaugural competition is due to take place in Las Vegas between May 21-24, 2026 and spans five sports: track and field, swimming, gymnastics, weightlifting, and combat sports.

(Manan Vatsyayana/AFP via Getty Images)

LOS ANGELES – Sophomore Roman Martin of UCLA Softball has been selected the Student-Athlete of the Week for competitions held between May 20-26.
 
The sophomore delivered a standout performance at the plate, propelling UCLA to a dominant regional victory this weekend. The third baseman homered in each of the first two contests, including a pivotal grand slam that ignited the Bruins’ explosive seven-run second inning against Arizona State. Across the weekend, Martin hit .400 (6-for-15), driving in eight runs and scoring five. Defensively, he was rock-solid, handling every chance flawlessly without committing an error.
 
Martin secures his first-career UCLA student-athlete of the week award.
 
Also Nominated

Gabriel Clement II, M. Track & Field; Yanla Ndjip-Nyemeck, W. Track & Field
 
Previous Winners
Aug. 21 – Bridgette Marin-Valencia, W. Soccer; Aug. 28 – Lilly Reale, W. Soccer; Sept. 4 – Cheridyn Leverette, W. Volleyball; Sept. 11 – Ryder Dodd, M. Water Polo; Sept. 18 – Bode Brinkema, M. Water Polo; Sept. 25 – Sofia Cook, W. Soccer; Oct. 2 – Pablo Ereño, M. Golf; Oct. 9 – Quincy McMahon, W. Soccer; Oct. 16 – Jose Contell, M. Soccer; Oct. 23 – Ethan Garbers, Football; Oct. 30 – Grayce Olson, W. Volleyball; Nov. 6 – Carson Schwesinger, Football; Nov. 13 – Quincy McMahon, W. Soccer; Nov. 20 –  Maggie Boyd/Sally Perez, Beach Volleyball; Nov. 27 – Lauren Betts, W. Basketball; Dec. 4 – Carson Schwesinger, Football; Dec. 11 – Ryder Dodd, M. Water Polo; Dec. 18 – Tyler Bilodeau, M. Basketball; Dec. 24 – Kiki Rice, W. Basketball; Jan. 1 – Eric Dailey Jr., M. Basketball; Jan. 8 – Lauren Betts, W. Basketball; Jan. 15 – Jordan Chiles, Gymnastics; Jan. 22 – Lauren Betts, W. Basketball; Jan. 29 – Aday Mara, M. Basketball; Feb. 5 – Jordan Chiles, Gymnastics; Feb. 12 – Taylor Tinsley, Softball; Feb. 19 – Mulivai Levu – Baseball; Feb. 26 – Lauren Betts, W. Basketball; March 5 – Jordan Chiles, Gymnastics; March 12 – Lauren Betts, W. Basketball; March 19 – Jordan Woolery, Softball; March 26 – Chae Campbell, Gymnastics; April 2 – Lauren Betts, W. Basketball; April 9 – Megan Grant, Softball; April 16 – Megan Grant, Softball; April 23 – Jordan Chiles, Gymnastics; April 30 – Omar Morales, M. Golf; May 7 – Jeremy Zammit, M. Track & Field; May 14 – Spencer Johnson, M. Tennis; May 21 – Jordan Woolery, Softball; May 28 – Jordan Woolery, Softball

Troy, NY – The Liberty League announced its major award winners for Outdoor Track and Field on Wednesday morning as Vassar College Women’s Track and Field sophomore Haley Schoenegge was named the league’s Track Athlete of the Year along with junior Jahmilia Dennis earning the conference’s Field Athlete of the Year. This marks the second major track and field award for each this season as Schoenegge was named the Indoor Track Athlete of the Year and Dennis was tabbed an Indoor Co-Field Athlete of the Year.

Schoenegge put together another record-breaking day at the NCAA Outdoor Championships as she earned back-to-back outdoor national crowns in the 1500 meters as she outpaced the next closest finisher by almost three seconds and tallied a 67 second final lap to pull away for her second national title. The sophomore continued her illustrious career with First Team All-American honors in the 5000 meters with a time of 16:36.19 to finish fifth overall on the track at SPIRE Institute. Schoenegge now holds three total national championships after securing the Mile national crown at the 2025 NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships.

Schoenegge also earned her third USTFCCCA Regional Track Athlete of the Year last week and the sophomore earned her second straight conference titles in the 1500 meters and the 5000 meters to earn her second straight Most Outstanding Track Performer of the Meet honor at the Liberty League Outdoor Championships.

Dennis put together an impressive performance at her first NCAA Outdoor Championships as she placed 12th overall with a top leap of 11.86 meters to take home Second Team All-American honors and the second All-American honor of her career. The junior cracked the top-22 in Division III this season with a new school record and personal-best mark of 12.01 meters to score the regional triple jump crown at the AARTFC Outdoor Championships in early May.

Dennis also defended her triple jump crown with her third straight outdoor title and sixth career title with a facility record leap of 11.44 meters at the Liberty League Outdoor Championships.

ABILENE – Abilene Christian volleyball finalized its roster for the 2025 campaign with a pair of signees from the high school and college ranks. Outside hitter and right side Hadlee Welch joins the Wildcats from Frenship High School in Lubbock, Texas, while setter Becca Siedenburg heads to ACU after three seasons at Gardner-Webb in the Big South Conference.

Welch closed out her high school career with District 2-6A Offensive Player of the Year honors and earned a spot on the Texas Girls Coaches Association All-State Team. She was named the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal Player of the Year after leading the Lubbock area with 531 kills at a .312 hitting percentage with 79 blocks and 50 aces.

“We are so excited to be adding Wildcat legacy Hadlee Welch,” head coach Ijeoma Moronu Alstrup said. “Hadlee will immediately add height to the team, having proven to be a formidable block as well as offensive player on both pins. Hadlee has the potential to make an immediate impact on the floor at either the right side or outside position.”

Welch powered the 29-15 Tigers to a District 2-6A co-championship in 2024 as Frenship reached the second round of the state playoffs for the first time since 2016. Welch comes from Wildcat roots, as her mother, the former Misti Germany, played volleyball at ACU, while her father, Duane, was a pitcher on the baseball team.

Misti was a three-time All-Lone Star Conference South Division First Team honoree from 1999 to 2001, pacing the Wildcats in kills in each season as an outside hitter.

Siedenburg appeared in 51 matches and 160 sets across three seasons at Gardner-Webb, amassing 502 assists and 235 digs. The Wales, Wis. native competed in 26 of the Runnin’ Bulldogs’ 28 matches last year, including 10 starts, and finished second on the team with 262 assists. Her 149 digs ranked fourth, while her 2.01 digs per set were third.

“From my first conversation with Becca, she seemed like the perfect fit,” Moronu Alstrup said. “She contributed well at GWU as both a setter and a defensive specialist. Her previous coaches praised her for her competitiveness and her willingness to contribute wherever possible. Becca will complete our setting duo and I know the two Wisconsin natives will compete well for the starting setter position, making our program better.”

Siedenburg tallied 219 assists as a sophomore in 2023 to rank third for Gardner-Webb, doing so in 42 sets for a team-high 5.21 assists per set. On the defensive end, she added 71 digs. Siedenburg’s career-best performance came in a 3-2 win over Charleston Southern on Oct. 20, 2023 with 52 assists, 16 digs, five aces and 7.0 points.

Welch is the second freshman on the Wildcats’ 2025 roster, joining Abilene native and early enrollee Aliyah Jowers. Siedenburg is ACU’s fourth addition through the transfer portal alongside Brennan Ramirez (Texas), Aubrey Beaver (Cal State Fullerton) and Erika Gustafson (Montana State).

ACU opens the 2025 regular season with the Wildcat Classic at Moody Coliseum on Aug. 29-30, taking on Missouri State, Incarnate Word and Oklahoma.