Winter Olympics 2026: Ski jumping hit by ‘penis gate’ scandal over acid injection claims
Just weeks before the 2026 Winter Olympics begin, one of the Games’ oldest events has found itself at the centre of an eyebrow-raising controversy amid allegations of a bizarre attempt to gain a competitive edge.
Set to open on February 6 in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo in Italy’s Dolomites, the event will bring together nearly 3000 athletes competing across eight sports.
But ski jumping, a fixture of the Games since 1924, is currently under scrutiny after claims that some athletes have exploited a loophole in the sport’s strict measurement system.
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Ski jumping suits are regulated to within millimetres, as even the slightest variation in surface area can significantly affect lift and stability mid-air.
Each athlete’s suit dimensions are determined by a 3D scan that measures stride length from the lowest point of the genital area. A longer measure can result in a slightly larger suit, acting like a bigger wing to increase lift and slow descent as they glide through the air.
The allegations suggest that some jumpers are turning to cosmetic injections to stretch that measurement artificially. In the past, competitors allegedly stuffed their crotch or used silicone condoms to achieve similar results, according to the outlet.
The (International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) is reportedly weighing possible changes, including switching to manual measurements or using skeletal reference points instead of soft tissue.
With the countdown to the Games well underway, several nations are reportedly pushing for additional checks before competition begins.
“Currently, no further measurements are planned,” FIS equipment chief Matthias Hafele told Bild.
“However, we are already working on methods to improve this complex problem.”
