An Olympic sport has been rocked by “penis-gate” on the eve of the opening ceremony with athletes injecting their members to gain an advantage
In an Olympic sport defined by length, some athletes are going to new extremes to eek out an extra few inches – and that’s before they’ve even jumped.
With a couple of months until the Winter Olympics in Italy, ski-jumping has been rocked by ‘penis-gate’ with athletes allegedly thinking bigger means better by injecting their nether regions, according to German-outlet Bild.
The report claims 3D scanner measurements for the crotch area of their jumpsuits are taken from the lowest point of the athlete’s member – meaning any extra growth could translate to a competitive advantage before they even take off.
As a result, when taking off, the surface area of the athlete is much larger, which increases the possibility of a better jump.
And it’s this information that has reportedly led to some athletes to inject hyaluronic acid into a silicone condom-like device worn in trousers.
However, Halvor Egner Granerud, a Norwegian ski jumper, was furious at the accusations when he was approached by Dagbladet.
“Rune Velta [Norwegian coach] came into the locker room before the qualifiers and said: ‘You have to be prepared for questions about penis injections’.
“I have to admit that I thought it was nonsense. No, I’ve never heard of it until today. When I took my measurements, it was with a doctor who examined me to make sure I didn’t have a fake penis.”
He added: “I assume they are speculating about something like the body scan before the season. And it’s true: It’s better to be warm and comfortable than a little cold when measuring. That could be true, he says.”
Norway have already admitted to manipulating costumes at a World Cup in Trondheim last year, by sewing in a reinforced thread in the suit, which would allow more lift in the air.
“The way I consider this…we have cheated,” said Jan-Erik Aalbu, general manager of the federation. “We have tried to cheat the system. That is unacceptable.”