Eddie the Eagle explains the science behind bizarre penis injection scandal at Winter Olympics

Eddie ‘The Eagle’ Edwards believes ski jumpers will not gain much of an advantage by injecting their penises with hyaluronic acid.

It comes as the bizarre scandal threatens to overshadow the start of the Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo.

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Ahead of Friday’s opening ceremony, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) could investigate male ski jumpers at the Games.

The organisation will intervene if there is evidence athletes have been injecting their penises in order to improve their performance.

Their stance follows reports last month that ski jumpers had been injecting their manhood with hyaluronic acid before being measured for their suits.

Hyaluronic acid is not currently a banned substance in sport.

However, it can be used to increase penis circumference by around one to two centimetres.

As a result, the approach could increase the surface area of an athlete’s suit during competition.

The International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) say this could increase their flight in the air and give them an advantage.

Eddie the Eagle on penis injection scandal

However, Edwards is doubtful the competitors will gain much from having a bigger ski suit.

The British ski jumping icon discussed the scandal on Hawksbee & Jacobs on Friday afternoon.

Edwards explained: “Back in the day when I was ski jumping 40 years ago, I could wear a ski jumping suit one or two sizes bigger than me for comfort so it was easier for me to get into position to come down the hill.

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“A ski jumping suit is designed to help you fly through the air. It fills with air, so it’s kind of an aid.

“So if you can get a bigger suit, the chances are you will fly further.

“But by injecting parts of your body to have a bigger ski suit, it’ll only make probably one, not even one centimetre difference, and I don’t think that will make much difference at all.

“When you’re flying through the air, if you’ve got one or two miles an hour wind better, faster coming up the hill, that will give you more flight than simply having a very, very slightly bigger jumping suit.”

Edwards became the first person to represent Great Britain in ski jumping at the Winter Olympics by competing at the 1988 Games in Calgary.

Although he came last in both the normal hill and large hill events, he became an immediate cult hero for winter sport fans.

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The penis injection scandal has emerged ahead of the start of the ski jumping schedule on Saturday.

Medals will be decided in the women’s normal hill individual ahead of the men’s event on Monday.

Meanwhile, mixed team normal hill, large hill individual and men’s super team large hill events will be held at Milano Cortina.

However, there will be no British athletes across the six ski jumping events at this month’s Games.