‘Penis syringe’ trick to gain advantage in ski jumping?

Ski jumpers have tried all sorts of tricks over the years to increase the lift their suits produce — from extra socks to added seams. Because more fabric usually means more lift, athletes have sometimes pushed the limits of what’s allowed.

To limit abuse the FIS now measures every athlete with a 3‑D scanner before the season. Those measurements determine the authorised suit size. But a German tabloid reports that in the past some jumpers allegedly manipulated the crotch measurement — reportedly by injecting material into the penis to create a temporary optical thickening.

“It is possible to produce a temporary, visual thickening of the penis by injecting paraffin or hyaluronic acid,” said Dr. Kamran Karim, chief physician at Maria‑Hilf Hospital in Krefeld, in the report.

FIS equipment manager Matthias Hafele told the paper he considers it unlikely that current athletes still use such methods. He also said measures like foam pads around the scrotum or silicone‑filled condoms would now be detected during the checks. “I can exclude that someone tries to create enlargements of the genitals with visible aids. Medical staff are present during the measurement and they check very closely,” Hafele said.

To be absolutely sure, the FIS plans to base suit sizing on the athlete’s bony structure rather than external measurements. If implemented, that would effectively remove any remaining incentive for genital‑based tricks.

The story is part of a broader discussion about equipment and rule‑avoidance in ski jumping; the article also notes related coverage of the Four Hills/Tour events and individual athletes elsewhere on the site.