WADA to investigate ski jumping crotch size manipulation

World Anti-Doping Agency Investigates ‘Penis Injection’ Allegations in Ski Jumping

On the eve of the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, the World Anti-Doping Agency has pledged to investigate claims that male ski jumpers may be injecting hyaluronic acid into their genitals to gain an aerodynamic advantage. The allegations, first reported by German tabloid Bild in January, suggest athletes could use this method to temporarily enlarge their measurements during mandatory 3D body scans, thereby qualifying for larger competition suits.

At a press conference in Milan on Thursday, WADA President Witold Banka addressed the matter with a hint of amusement. “Ski jumping is very popular in Poland, my home country, so I assure you I will investigate this matter,” he said. Director General Olivier Niggli added that WADA would examine whether the practice falls under doping regulations. “I am not familiar with the specifics of ski jumping and how this could enhance performance, but if anything were to emerge, we would investigate. This is the first I have heard of it,” he told reporters.espn

The Science Behind the Scandal

The allegations are rooted in the sport’s strict equipment regulations. The International Ski and Snowboard Federation requires suits to conform to body measurements within a 2 to 4 centimeter tolerance, with the crotch measurement taken from the lowest point of an athlete’s genital area. Research published in the journal Frontiers last October found that even a 2-centimeter increase in suit circumference could reduce drag by 4 percent and boost lift by 5 percent, potentially adding 5.8 meters to a jump distance.skiforbundet

According to Bild’s report, some athletes have allegedly injected hyaluronic acid, a cosmetic filler, to temporarily increase genital size before measurements. Dr. Kamran Karim, a medical consultant quoted by the publication, said such temporary enhancement is “feasible” but “not medically warranted and carries associated risks”.express

FIS communications director Bruno Sassi has said there is no evidence that injections are occurring, and no athletes have been formally accused.ground

Context of Equipment Manipulation

The controversy arrives amid heightened scrutiny of equipment cheating in ski jumping. In January, the FIS ethics committee issued 18-month suspensions to three Norwegian team officials, including head coach Magnus Brevik, after they were found to have tampered with suits at the 2025 World Ski Championships in Trondheim. Olympic gold medalists Marius Lindvik and Johann André Forfang received three-month bans for wearing the manipulated suits, though both claimed ignorance of the alterations.chosun

Austrian cross-country skier Erik Vermeulen, who formerly competed in Nordic combined, told a podcast that competitors have historically used plasticine in their underwear to manipulate measurements. WADA’s regulations prohibit any method that jeopardizes athlete health and contradicts the “spirit of sport”.abc