"I really believe I would’ve taken that season" Frank Sweeney questions his “medical disqualification" from The Challenge: Free Agents

It’s been over a decade since Frank Sweeney—now going by Frank Fox—last competed on The Challenge, but his exit from the 2014 Free Agents season continues to raise eyebrows. Fox came into the season hot off two strong performances—winning Battle of the Seasons and finishing second on Rivals II. By the time he stepped into Free Agents, he was viewed as a top-tier solo competitor. He even pulled off two intense elimination wins before things took a turn.

After showing symptoms of a serious illness, Fox was sent to the ER and was diagnosed with a contagious viral infection. Not long after, he was disqualified. Fans were stunned. So was Frank. Years later, he’s still questioning whether MTV made the right call.

“I really believe I would’ve taken that season,”

he said during a recent interview. And now, he's finally opening up about what really happened behind the scenes on The Challenge.

Frank says The Challenge wasn’t ready for him to win

On a recent episode of the “Death, Taxes, and Bananas” podcast hosted by Johnny Bananas, Fox revisited his early exit from The Challenge: Free Agents. It wasn’t just about the viral infection, he said. It was about timing—and maybe even perception.

“I was sick, like very sick,”

he admitted.

“But if I’m being honest, I don’t think they were ready for a Frank win.”

His comment wasn’t just about production choices but about the narrative MTV might have been building at the time. “It would’ve been you, me, Jordan, or CT in that final. And I don’t think MTV was ready for the villain to walk away with the crown.”

Fox, who had just come off a strong season, believed he was on track to win The Challenge. His disqualification, while medically justified at the time, still doesn’t sit right with him. And he’s not alone in thinking that.

Bananas questions the call: “Was it just a cold?”

Even Johnny Bananas, who has appeared in more seasons than any other competitor, questioned the decision. On the podcast, he said,

“Given what we’ve seen lately—people competing with their legs basically hanging off—do you feel like that was an (expletive) way to go out?”

Fox didn’t hesitate.

“Yeah, I do,”

he replied.

Bananas then added,

“What did you have—like a cold or something?”

The jab was half-joking, but it underlined a bigger point. Many fans have seen players continue competing on The Challenge with serious injuries. Fox, on the other hand, was pulled due to a virus—something that, while contagious, didn’t necessarily leave him bedridden.

Fox’s frustration seemed less about the illness and more about what he saw as a missed opportunity. A shot at a solo win. A place in The Challenge history books.

Strategy or sickness: What really took Fox out?

Fox’s comments make one thing clear—he doesn’t think the illness was the only reason he was sent home. While MTV cited medical safety, Fox now wonders if other factors played a role.

“It felt like they were quick to pull the trigger,”

he said.

“I wasn’t asking to quit. I was ready to stay.”

Competitors in more recent seasons of The Challenge have pushed through far worse. Some fans argue that the inconsistency in medical calls raises questions. Fox isn’t claiming conspiracy, but he’s asking for transparency.

At the time, his departure felt abrupt. Even now, the decision leaves room for doubt. Fox, who had just started building momentum, believes he could’ve made the final. Whether or not that’s true, his departure became one of the more debated moments in The Challenge timeline.

Where is Frank Fox now? He’s back on

The Challenge All Stars

Fans of The Challenge won’t have to wonder where Fox is anymore. He’s officially back. Frank Fox is one of the finalists on the latest season of The Challenge All Stars: Rivals, with part one of the finale airing Wednesday, April 9, on MTV.

Teaming up with former castmate Sam McGinn—his Real World: San Diego roommate and Battle of the Seasons co-winner—Fox has leaned into the underdog narrative. On the podcast, he shared how the two were never seen as a real threat, and that gave them room to strategize without too much heat.