Winter Olympics: Ski Jumpers Performance Enhancing
By Prof Dr Ian Blackshaw
The Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics take place from 6 – 22 February 2026 and it has been reported that ski jumpers are injecting their penises with hyaluronic acid before being measured for their suits in order to improve their sporting performance.
Hyaluronic acid, which is not a banned substance under the World-Anti Doping Agency (WADA) Code, can be used to increase penis circumference by one or two centimetres. This, in turn, according to the international ski and snowboard federation (FIS), would increase the surface area of their suits during competition and their flight in the air.
Hyaluronic acid which is injected into the penis can last up to 18 months.
Under the Rules, before each season, ski jumpers are measured using 3D body scanners, in which they must wear only "elastic, body-tight underwear" and their suits must have a tolerance of only 2-4 centimetres, and as part of the measuring process, their crotch height is also measured. The crotch height of their suits must conform to the athletes’ crotch height, with the addition of 3 centimetres for men.
According to Sandro Pertile, the men's Ski Jumping Director of FIS:
"Every extra centimetre on a suit counts.”
And added:
“If your suit has a 5% bigger surface area, you fly further."
Olivier Niggli, the Director General of WADA, commented:
"I am not aware of the details of ski jumping, and how that could improve performance.”
And added:
"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 means of enhancing performance."
The men's ski jumping competition at the Winter Olympics begins on 9 February 2026.
Prof Dr Ian Blackshaw may be contacted by e-mail at ‘
