World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) officials say they will investigate claims that male ski jumpers are using penis injections to improve their flight distance if a formal complaint is made.
The controversy follows reports in the German newspaper Bild that athletes are injecting hyaluronic acid to increase their circumference by 1–2cm.
Because ski jumping suits are measured against the athlete’s body dimensions, a larger physical frame allows for a suit with more surface area.
“Every extra centimetre on a suit counts,” said FIS race director Sandro Pertile. “If your suit has a 5% bigger surface area, you fly further.”
WADA Director General Olivier Niggli stated that while the agency focuses on doping, they would look into the matter if it relates to performance enhancement.
The claims come as the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics officially begin this Friday, with the men’s ski jumping competition scheduled to start on Monday.
