The World Anti-Doping Agency has pledged to investigate allegations that ski jumpers are injecting their penises with hyaluronic acid to gain an aerodynamic edge ahead of the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics. The bizarre claims, first reported in January by German newspaper Bild, suggest the injections temporarily enlarge genitalia to allow for looser suits that act like sails. No athletes have been named, but officials expressed willingness to examine if the practice violates anti-doping rules.
The allegations emerged in Bild last month, citing medical expert Dr. Kamran Karim, a senior consultant at Maria-Hilf Hospital in Krefeld, Germany. He explained that injecting paraffin or hyaluronic acid could create a temporary visual thickening of the penis, though not lengthening, and warned of associated health risks as such procedures lack medical justification.
The purported benefit ties to ski jumping regulations, where suits are measured via 3D scanners to ensure fairness. A larger measurement in the groin area would permit a baggier suit, potentially increasing jump distance by catching more air. A study in the journal Frontiers, published in October 2025, indicated that a 2cm adjustment in suit size could add 5.8 meters to a jump.
At a press conference in Milan on Thursday, WADA President Witold Banka addressed the claims with humor, noting ski jumping's popularity in Poland. "Ski jumping is very popular in Poland, so I promise you I’m going to look at it," he said. Director General Oliver Niggli added that WADA would review any evidence, even if unfamiliar with the specifics. "I’m not aware of the details of ski jumping and how it can improve but if anything was to come to the surface we would look at anything if it is actually doping related," Niggli stated. He emphasized that WADA's list committee could consider if the method contravenes the "spirit of sport."
The story unfolds amid recent controversies in ski jumping. In January 2026, Norwegian officials issued 18-month bans to two coaches and an equipment manager for manipulating suits at the 2025 Nordic World Ski Championships in Trondheim. Athletes Marius Lindvik and Johann Andre Forfang, both Olympic medalists, received three-month suspensions despite claiming ignorance of the alterations, which involved illegal stitching in the crotch area to enhance aerodynamics.
WADA has not received formal complaints but stands ready to act if evidence arises, underscoring ongoing vigilance in winter sports as the Olympics approach.
