When Hunter Armstrong won his second Olympic gold medal in Paris, his immediate focus was on the next one back home. But after doing so many day jobs to survive, he almost gave up on swimming. When the most controversial event of 2026 gave him a chance to relive his dream, he was ready to dive into the pool again, but on his terms.

Armstrong added his second gold medal in Paris in the 4×100m freestyle relay in 2024, but shortly after, he did not see his main sponsor end its partnership with him. This left him without a stable income and unable to maintain the basic financial responsibilities. He left elite training and took up several odd jobs for stability, such as swim clinics, construction work, and substitute teaching, just to stay financially stable.

A 2025 DeBoer Swim deal didn’t close the gap. When Enhanced Games knocked on his door, a desperate Armstrong had a clear answer.

“If I don’t join Enhanced, I lose everything. If I do join Enhanced, I have a chance at not losing everything. My back was against the wall, so I had to reopen that conversation to see if it was a plausible option,” he said to ESPN.

Enhanced Games is a multi-sport event where performance enhancers are legal, inviting banned athletes to chase world records. The financial appeal of the games is just too good to turn down for any athlete. World record breakers will receive $1 million, and any event winners will pocket $250,000.

Hunter Armstrong USA is preparing for the start of men’s 50m backstroke heats during the 19th FINA World Aquatics Championships on June 24, 2022, at the Duna Arena in Budapest, Hungary. No third-party sales,xHOLLANDxOUT PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxJPN 191936544

At the same time, Armstrong, who still has eyes set on the 2028 LA Olympics, drew a clear line around his approach. Armstrong, who was never associated with a doping case in his career, revealed his current state on Instagram.

“I want to be very clear: I am joining the Enhanced Games as a clean athlete. I will NOT be taking any banned substances, and I WILL be continuing my path to win gold on home soil in Los Angeles.”

A majority of the approximately 42 athletes are likely to use performance enhancers, but others are going clean as well. Fred Kerley is set to chase Usain Bolt’s fastest man alive tag, and he declared he is going clean.

Armstrong is expected to target events like the 50m backstroke and 100m freestyle at the Enhanced Games. Even then, Armstrong’s long-term goal has not changed. He still hopes to compete at the LA 2028 Olympics, but his decision has now placed that path under uncertainty; there is still a chance.

Hunter Armstrong’s LA 2028 status remains unclear amid rule uncertainty

Hunter Armstrong’s situation for LA 2028 sits in a space that still feels uncertain. He has been a key part of Team USA, winning Olympic gold medals in relay events at both Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024. And he has never been handed any formal suspension or ban. That would hold him within the system and mean that he would remain in contention for selection to the Olympics on paper. However, a new issue arises with the new rules brought up by World Aquatics. A World Aquatics spokesperson, Torin Koos, has said the federation would review such situations individually but declined to comment on Armstrong specifically

Armstrong himself has stayed focused on eligibility and says his path depends on remaining in the testing pool and complying with anti-doping rules. He has also indicated that there still isn’t a clear picture from governing bodies, which means that he has to make decisions without a clear destination in mind.

“Nobody really knows what’s going to happen, and nobody will give me an answer on what’s going to happen,” he said. “So all I can work off is what the rules say and take a chance because I won’t get an answer by waiting.”

His representatives have also pointed out that, according to legal advice, any future sanction would hinge on his compliance with World Aquatics’ and anti-doping rules during the proceedings and not just on his involvement.

USA Swimming, which handles Olympic selection, has also not issued a public statement. Right now, Armstrong stands in a difficult middle ground. Still eligible on paper, still chasing LA 2028, but operating in a space where the rules are shifting and the final decision framework is not fully clear.