THE NEWS DESK · A2/B1 · 50 min

Who Said That?

A swimmer wins a race at a very strange sports event — and every news story tells it in a different way.

Want more detail? Read this lesson at B2/C1 level →

Today: tell the story of the Enhanced Games — a sports event where athletes can take drugs — learn the difference between a fact and what people say, find the words where a news story shows its own opinion, and tell the story fairly. Grammar: says / said that and according to.
Before we begin — talk about it: Where do you read or watch the news? Do you always believe it? Do you think sports stars should be allowed to take drugs to run faster?

The words for today's story

These are the new words. Match each word (1–8) to its meaning (A–H). Say your answers out loud — "I think 1 is D" — then check.

Words

  1. a rule
  2. a record
  3. a drug
  4. dangerous
  5. a swimmer
  6. a prize
  7. to allow
  8. to compete

Meanings

  • A. something you win, like money or a cup
  • B. to take part in a race or a game
  • C. a person who moves through water as a sport
  • D. the best time or score that anyone has ever had
  • E. to say "yes, you can"
  • F. something that is not safe; it can hurt you
  • G. a medicine or chemical that changes how your body works
  • H. something that tells you what you can and cannot do

1 = H (a rule) · 2 = D (a record) · 3 = G (a drug) · 4 = F (dangerous)

5 = C (a swimmer) · 6 = A (a prize) · 7 = E (to allow) · 8 = B (to compete)

Now talk — out loud

Before we begin:
  • Use three of the words to guess: what do you think happens when a sport allows drugs?
  • Which words are good? Which words are bad? Say why.

The Enhanced Games, in three parts

Read each part, answer the quick check from memory, then talk. Notice who says each thing.

Part 1 — The idea

In normal sport, there is a big rule: athletes cannot take drugs to run or swim faster. Athletes are tested. If they take drugs, they cannot compete.

In 2023, an Australian man called Aron D'Souza had a different idea. He started the Enhanced Games. At this event, adults are allowed to take drugs. The organisers say it is more honest, because some athletes take drugs in secret already. They say the medicines are approved ones, and doctors help the athletes. They also promised a prize of one million dollars to anyone who breaks a world record.

Sport leaders were angry. They say the idea is dangerous. Doctors say some of the drugs are bad for the heart and the body. The organisers say the athletes are safe.

Quick check — answer from memory, then reveal:

1. Who started the Enhanced Games, and what is the big difference from normal sport?

2. What do sport leaders and doctors say? What do the organisers say?

1. Aron D'Souza, from Australia, started it in 2023. At this event, adults are allowed to take drugs.

2. Sport leaders say it is dangerous; doctors say some drugs are bad for the body. The organisers say the athletes are safe.

Talk about it:
  • The organisers say it is more honest, because some athletes take drugs in secret already. Do you think that is a good idea or a bad idea? Why?

Part 2 — The night in Las Vegas

The Games took place on 24 May 2026 in Las Vegas. Forty-two athletes from 24 countries competed in three sports: running, swimming and weightlifting. Many people watched to see very fast times.

On the track, the times were not amazing. A runner called Fred Kerley won the 100 metres in 9.97 seconds. That is fast, but the world record is 9.58 seconds. He was not close.

Then came the last race. A swimmer from Greece, Kristian Gkolomeev, won the 50 metres freestyle in 20.81 seconds. That is 0.07 seconds faster than the old world record. He won the prize of one million dollars. But he wore a special swimsuit that is not allowed in big competitions. And the sport leaders say they do not accept this record.

Quick check — answer from memory, then reveal:

1. How many athletes competed, and in which sports?

2. What did Gkolomeev do? Why is it not simple?

1. 42 athletes, in running, swimming and weightlifting.

2. He won the 50m freestyle in 20.81 seconds, faster than the old world record, and won a million dollars. But he wore a special suit that is not allowed in big competitions, and sport leaders do not accept the record.

Talk about it:
  • The new record is only 0.07 seconds faster. Is that a real world record? Why or why not?

Part 3 — What people said

After the Games, many people spoke. The sport leaders said: "We do not accept the records." A big swimming organisation said that people who took part cannot join its events. Doctors said that some of the drugs can be dangerous.

The organisers said the Games were a success. They said thirteen athletes had set twenty-one personal bests. But several winners said they did not take banned drugs at all. Critics said this showed the idea did not work.

So what really happened that night? It depends on who you ask — and on which news story you read.

Quick check — answer from memory, then reveal:

1. What did the sport leaders and the swimming organisation say?

2. What did the organisers say? What did critics say about the winners?

1. The sport leaders said they do not accept the records. The swimming organisation said people who took part cannot join its events.

2. The organisers said it was a success: thirteen athletes set twenty-one personal bests. Critics said several winners did not take banned drugs, so the idea did not work.

Talk about it:
  • Count the people who spoke in this story. Who do you believe most? Who do you believe less? Why?

Grammar — says, said & according to

A good reporter shows who said something. English uses say and according to to do this. When we say "Doctors say…", we do not say "this is true" — we show who is speaking.

The structures:
• say / says + (that) + present — "My boss says that the shop is closed." "The teachers say the test is easy."
• said + (that) + past — "My boss said that the shop was closed." "They said they wanted to leave." (When we report in the past, the verb goes one step back: is → was, want → wanted, can → could.)
• According to + person/group, … — "According to the weather report, it will rain."
Remember: a fact stands alone; a claim travels with its owner. A fact is something you can check (a time, a number). A claim is what a person or group says — so say who said it!

1. Say or says?

Complete each sentence with say or says.

1. The organisers that the athletes are safe.

2. Doctors that some drugs are dangerous.

3. The swimmer that he feels great.

1. say

2. say

3. says

2. According to… or say?

Complete each sentence. Look at how the sentence begins and ends.

1. the doctors, some drugs are bad for the heart.

2. The sport leaders that the record does not count.

3. the organisers, thirteen athletes set personal bests.

1. According to

2. say

3. According to

3. Say it in the past

Someone spoke yesterday. Complete the sentence in the past.

1. The runner said: "I am tired." → The runner said that he tired. (be)

2. The coach said: "We want to win." → The coach said that they to win. (want)

3. The swimmer said: "I can go faster." → The swimmer said that she go faster. (can)

1. was

2. wanted

3. could

Carry these into the next two tabs — you will need them to find the opinion words in a news story, and to tell the story fairly yourself.

Spot the slant — who is really speaking?

The same facts can be told in very different ways. A reporter can put his or her own opinion into a story with just one word. Your job: find the words where the reporter stops telling and starts judging.

A. First, the strong words — good or bad?

Say each word aloud: does it say something good or something bad? Then reveal.

1. amazing — good or bad?
Good. amazing (adj) — very, very good.
2. shocking — good or bad?
Bad. shocking (adj) — very bad, so that people are surprised and upset.
3. silly — good or bad?
Bad. silly (adj) — not serious; a bit stupid.
4. brilliant — good or bad?
Good. brilliant (adj) — extremely good or clever.
5. terrible — good or bad?
Bad. terrible (adj) — very, very bad.

B. Three news reports of the same swim

Click every word you think is the reporter's own opinion, then check. After checking, each opinion word is explained underneath.

Your verdict

Which report is the fairest? Decide first, then say why the other two are not fair.
Report C. It gives facts and says who said each idea ("Sport leaders say…", "Doctors say…", "The organisers say…"). A and B use opinion words — A loves the event, B hates it.

C. Fact, what someone says, or opinion?

Say which one each sentence is, then reveal.

1. What a terrible night for sport!
Opinion. "Terrible" is the reporter's own idea, with no one to prove it.
2. The swimmer won the race in 20.81 seconds.
Fact. You can check a time.
3. The organisers say the Games were a success.
What someone says. "The organisers say" shows who is speaking.
4. The silly critics were wrong.
Opinion. "Silly" and "wrong" are the reporter's own ideas.
5. Forty-two athletes competed.
Fact. You can count them.
6. Doctors say that some of the drugs are dangerous.
What someone says. The warning belongs to the doctors, and the sentence says so.

D. Make it fair — say it again

Each sentence has an opinion in it. Say it again without the opinion. Then reveal one possible answer.

1. "The silly old rules of sport are finished."
One possible answer: Some people say the old rules of sport should change.
Did yours keep the facts, lose the opinion word and say who spoke?
2. "The so-called record means nothing."
One possible answer: The sport leaders say that the record does not count.
Did yours keep the facts, lose the opinion word and say who spoke?
3. "What a terrible night in Las Vegas!"
One possible answer: The Games took place in Las Vegas on 24 May 2026.
Did yours keep the facts, lose the opinion word and say who spoke?

Speak

This is the most important part — say it all out loud. Use the timer and keep talking!

Useful language: "Doctors say that…", "The organisers said that…", "According to the sport leaders…", "I think… because…", "On one hand… on the other hand…". Remember: no opinion words when you tell the story.
Time remaining: 3:00
Task A · The fair news report (3 minutes)

You are a news reporter. Tell the story of the Enhanced Games to someone who does not know it — fairly. Follow the story: the idea → the night in Las Vegas and the swim → what people said.

Use at least five of the new words (rule, record, drug, dangerous, swimmer, prize, allow, compete) and at least three of says / said that / according to. Say who spoke every time. Do not give your own opinion.

Second go: now say it again in one minute. Make it shorter and clearer.

Task B · Do you agree? (3 minutes)
"Athletes should be allowed to take drugs in a separate sports event."

Choose Yes or No and give your reasons for one minute. Then change sides and give reasons for the other side for one minute. Use the ideas below, or bring your own.

Yes: Adults can decide what to do with their own bodies.
Answer: but athletes may feel they must take drugs to win. Then it is not a free choice.
Yes: Some athletes take drugs in secret now. An open event is more honest.
Answer: breaking a rule in secret is not the same as having no rule.
No: Some drugs are dangerous for the heart and the body.
Answer: doctors can watch the athletes, and it can be safer than secret drugs.
No: Young people watch sport and may copy the athletes.
Answer: it is a separate event, and nobody has to watch it.
Task C · Who do you believe? (3 minutes)

Think of a story that two people or two news reports told in different ways. Which words were different? Who do you believe, and why?

Stuck for an idea? Pick one of these and run with it:

  • Two news websites that told the same football or sport story in different ways.
  • A review of a film or restaurant that you did not agree with.
  • A story from social media that was not true.
  • Which news you read and why you trust it.
  • What a fair headline for the Enhanced Games story would be.

To finish — bigger questions

  1. A fact stands alone; a claim travels with its owner. Why is it important to say who said something?
  2. Can a news story ever have no opinion in it at all? Why or why not?
  3. If thousands of people watch an event, is it "real" sport? Who decides?
  4. Before you go — from memory: say one sentence with says or said that, one with according to, and one opinion word you would take out of a news story.