Ski jumping has come under unique scrutiny surrounding cheating claims. The event has been part of the Winter Olympics since 1924 but concerns have been raised over a possible scandal within the sport.

The Milano Cortina Games are set to get underway on Wednesday, two days before the grand opening ceremony at the iconic San Siro. For ski jumpers, the first of their two mandatory training sessions begins on Friday.

The sport concludes with the men’s super team finals on Monday, February 16. However, there are concerns about the potential extreme measures some male athletes may take in search of Olympic glory,

German publication Bild reports that "penis-gate" has become a key issue within ski jumping. It is claimed there are concerns that some athletes are injecting hyaluronic acid into their genitals to gain a competitive advantage.

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Ski suits are regulated to fine margins and have to match the measurements of an athlete’s body. The information is gathered before every season using a 3D scanner, which provides an individual’s stride length from the lowest point of the genital area.

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A bigger suit can improve performance, as a larger surface area helps slow descent speed and aids stability. Theoretically, a male ski jumper increasing the size of their manhood could benefit their performance.

The report claims that some athletes inject hyaluronic acid to enlarge their genitals ahead of the 3D scan. No athlete has been formally accused of using this method.

However, Team Norway were found to have manipulated the crotch region of their outfits at last year's World Championships. Head coach Magnus Brevik, assistant coach Thomas Lobben and staff member Adrian Livelten were handed 18-month bans, while defending Olympic large hill ski jump champion Marius Lindvik and two-time medallist Johann Andre Forfang received three-month suspensions.

Dr. Kamran Karim, a senior consultant at Maria-Hilf Hospital in Krefeld, told BILD: "It is possible to achieve a temporary, visual thickening of the penis by injecting paraffin or hyaluronic acid. However, this does not lengthen it. Such an injection is not medically indicated and is associated with risks."

The International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) are reportedly considering measuring stride length manually. There were calls for the FIS to implement extra measures ahead of the Winter Olympics.

"Currently, no further measurements are planned," FIS equipment chief Matthias Hafele said last month. “However, we are already working on methods to improve this complex problem.”

But another added measure has been put in place, with a control checkpoint seeing a tamper-proof microchip installed to each suit after the 3D scanning.

The Winter Olympics are scheduled to run from Wednesday, February 4 until Sunday, February 22. It will host 116 events across eight sports in 16 disciplines.