PREDAZZO, Italy — On Friday, the skiing regulatory body dismissed reports that suggested ski jumpers are enhancing their groin area to achieve greater distance, labeling it a “wild rumor” as the Winter Olympics kicks off.
A report from the German tabloid Bild last month claimed that some ski jumpers were injecting hyaluronic acid into their genitals or using a condom-like sheath prior to stringent checks on ski-suit sizing. It was alleged that this manipulation would allow the use of larger ski jumping suits, contributing to more lift and longer flight times for potential medal wins.
This report garnered international attention this week after officials from the World Anti-Doping Agency, present in Milan for the 2026 Winter Olympics, indicated they would investigate if doping was involved.
Nevertheless, the international ski federation, FIS — the governing body for ski jumping — rejected the allegations in the report on Friday.
“This wild rumor originated a few weeks ago from pure hearsay,” FIS spokesperson Bruno Sassi told The Associated Press. “There has never been any indication, let alone evidence, that any competitor has ever utilized a hyaluronic acid injection to gain a competitive edge.”
The Bild report initially went unnoticed globally until WADA director general Olivier Niggli addressed it in Milan on Thursday.
“If anything were to surface, we would examine it — especially if it is related to doping. We don’t address other methods of performance enhancement,” Niggli stated to reporters.
The notion of such manipulation quickly turned into a media frenzy, with some reports featuring medical experts discussing the implications of injecting hyaluronic acid, which is naturally found in the body and commonly used in moisturizing products.
When asked if WADA was investigating the issue, spokesperson James Fitzgerald told AP on Friday that hyaluronic acid is not on their list of banned substances and referred to FIS for matters concerning ski jumping suits.
This topic is particularly sensitive for ski jumping following a cheating scandal last year where Norwegian team leaders were spotted manipulating ski suits during the World Championship in Trondheim, Norway.
Head coach Magnus Brevik, assistant coach Thomas Lobben, and staff member Adrian Livelten received 18-month bans for tampering with suits before the men’s large hill event.
Norwegian ski jumpers Marius Lindvik and Johann André Forfang accepted three-month suspensions, allowing them to compete in this season’s events.
In response to the scandal, FIS implemented stricter equipment controls, including checks before and after each jump and enhanced 3-D measurements to assess athletes in their uniforms. Microchips embedded in suits aim to prevent manipulation.
