‘Penis-injecting’ fears arise at 2026 Winter Olympics as potential ski jump advantage
Penis-injecting at the Winter Olympics is not something we ever thought we would cover (Christian Bruna/Getty Images)
Could athletes be injecting their penises to get a competitive advantage? The bonkers idea has become the talking point of the upcoming Winter Olympics and was even put to the boss of the World Anti-Doping Agency at a press conference.
In January, claims that ski jumpers were injecting their genitals with hyaluronic acid before being measured for their suits was reported by German outlet Bild.
Hyaluronic acid, a liquid used as a cosmetic filler, can be used to – ahem – plump up an individual’s penis size by a circumference of one or two centimetres.
A ski jumper injecting the liquid into their penis prior to being measured for their suit would thereby increase surface area of the suit created – possibly giving them an advantage during the competition.
Though, it would appear, there is actually no evidence to suggest anyone is currently doing this.
For those unfamiliar with ski jumping, the sport sees competitors speed down a steep ramp, launch themselves into the air and fly as far and as smoothly as possible, before landing.
Ski suits are tightly fitted to an athlete’s body, with the sport’s rules only allowing about two to four centimetres around.
Making an athlete’s crotch area bigger means the surface area by which air can move around is increased and makes the skier glide longer and farther.
Simply put, bigger crotches lead to a bigger distance travelled and potentially a better score in the competition.
Research published in the journal Frontiers in Sports and Active Living in October 2025 actually found that adding even just one centimetre (0.4 inches) of fabric to a ski suit could increase a jumper’s fly by 9.2 feet.
Allegations of penis-injecting comes after a crotch-enlarging scandal rocked the sport last year, resulting in strict new rules being implemented ahead of the 2026 Winter Olympics.
When asked about this, World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) director general Olivier Niggli said: “I am not aware of the details of ski jumping, and how that could improve performance.
“If anything was to come to the surface, we would look at it and see if it is doping related. We don’t address other [non-doping] means of enhancing performance.”
However, Bruno Sassi, communications director for the international ski federation (FIS) told BBC Sport: “There has never been any indication, let alone evidence, that any competitor has ever made use of a hyaluronic acid injection to attempt to gain a competitive advantage.”
