Olympic medallist Proud becomes first British athlete to join Enhanced Games

MANCHESTER, England : Olympic silver medallist swimmer Ben Proud is joining the Enhanced Games, with the Briton saying he wants to explore the limits of human possibility.

The 30-year-old, who is the first British athlete to join the event that permits athletes to use performance-enhancing drugs, announced the decision on Instagram on Wednesday, to mostly negative comments.

"It's time for a shift," Proud wrote. "I will be retiring from traditional swimming to compete in the Enhanced Games.

"Stepping into a framework that challenges everything we know about performance, and a chance to chase the outer edge of human potential with the tools and possibilities of our time.

This is where my next chapter begins."

Proud, whose announcement sent shockwaves through the swimming world, raced to silver in the 50-metres freestyle at the Paris Games, his first Olympic medal.

Aquatics GB said they were "immensely disappointed" in Proud's announcement.

"Aquatics GB, along with our partners, stand firmly behind the values and principles of clean sport and condemn Ben's decision in the strongest terms," it said in a statement.

UK Sport said they were working with Aquatics GB "as a matter of urgency to determine Ben Proud's suitability to receive public funds."

"It is clear however that any breach of anti-doping rules is contrary to the policies which any athlete must comply with to receive UK Sport funding," the governing body said in a statement.

Proud told the BBC that he sees traditional sport and Enhanced Games as "two very separate entities," and that he does not feel that competing in the Enhanced Games undermines clean sport efforts.

"I think it opens up the potential avenue to excel in a very different way," he said. "I think realistically