MILAN — The World Anti-Doping Agency said Thursday it will review unusual allegations that male ski jumpers may have used injections to enhance their genitalia in an effort to gain an aerodynamic advantage, following a report by the German newspaper Bild.
WADA stressed that the review is preliminary and that there is no evidence at this time showing that any athlete has engaged in the alleged conduct.
BBC Sport explains how a seemingly unrelated, bizarre activity could give male ski jumpers a competitive edge:
In January, German newspaper Bild, external reported that jumpers were injecting their penises with hyaluronic acid before being measured for their suits.
Hyaluronic acid, which is not banned in sport, can be used to increase penis circumference by one or two centimetres.
This would increase the surface area of their suits during competition, which, according to FIS, the international ski and snowboard federation, could increase their flight in the air.
“Every extra centimetre on a suit counts. If your suit has a 5% bigger surface area, you fly further,” said FIS ski jumping men’s race director Sandro Pertile.
While the claims have been widely dubbed “Penisgate” in media coverage due to their unusual nature, there has been no confirmation that any athlete is engaging in such behavior or that specific individuals are under investigation.
At a press conference in Milan, WADA Director General Olivier Niggli pledged the agency would investigate further if credible information emerged and assess whether it falls under anti-doping rules. WADA President Witold Bańka echoed that stance, noting the agency’s responsibility to examine anything that could undermine the integrity of competition.
The allegations come as ski jumping faces increased enforcement of suit measurement rules. During the 2025 World Ski Championships, several members of the Norwegian team and team staff were sanctioned for illegally modifying ski-jumping suit seams near the crotch area to improve aerodynamics.
The ample reporting has fueled discussion about the extreme lengths some competitors might go to for any performance gains.
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