MILAN — A plastic surgeon renowned for penis-enlarging procedures, including the injection of hyaluronic acid, says he provided the service last month to a ski jumper.
The assertion comes with the ski jumping competition at the 2026 Winter Olympics under an unusual spotlight.
Reports from a German media outlet prompted speculation that ski jumpers are getting genital-enlarging injections to increase the surface area of their suits, which would increase the distance of their jumps. The International Ski and Snowboard Federation called it ‘wild rumor.’ And the World Anti-Doping Agency said it would investigate to see if there is any evidence to back up the claim and whether it constitutes doping.
‘Regarding the news in question, I did in fact treat an athlete from that sport, whose name and nationality I will obviously not disclose, nor whether he is participating in these Olympics,’ Alessandro Littara told USA TODAY Sports in an email. ‘However, I can say that I treated him last month and used a generous dose of hyaluronic acid.’
Littara said the ski jumper told him he was wanting the procedure to avoid embarrassment in the changing room after competition.
‘I cannot say whether he told me the whole truth,’ Littara said, ‘but in any case, we did a good job and implanted a more than generous dose of hyaluronic acid.’
He also added, ‘The result is immediate, so the athlete could wear the new suit after just a few minutes.’
Who is the plastic surgeon?
Littara told USA TODAY Sports he has performed more than 3,000 penis-enlarging procedures involving hyaluronic acid.
‘So I have some experience in this field,’ he wrote.
According to a German-based group called UGRS Darmstadt – Center for Penile Surgery, Littara is “probably the leading doctor in Europe in terms of experience, surgical figures and scientific work and publications on the subject of surgical penis enlargement…’
Littara graduated in Medicine and Surgery from the University of Pisa and was a professor of Urogenital Reconstructive Surgery at the school, according to his LinkedIn page. The UGRS Darmstadt–Center for Penile Surgery also refers online to Littara as a professor. Littara now has a private practice, according to his website.
Littara provided copies of his degrees and medical certifications to USA TODAY Sports.
How it would work
The topic of ski jumpers getting penis-enlarging injections surfaced publicly when a German newspaper published a story before the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics.
Bruno Sassi, communications director of the International Ski and Snowboard Federation, wrote in an email sent to USA TODAY Sports, ‘As for the hyaluronic acid claims: this wild rumor started off a few weeks ago from pure hearsay. There has never been any indication, let alone evidence, that any competitor has ever made use of a hyaluronic acid injection to attempt to gain a competitive advantage.’
But whether the procedure could aid a ski jumper is another matter.
What is universally accepted: the larger the ski jumper’s suit, which conforms to the athlete’s body, the farther the ski jumper potentially can jump. And the groin area of the suit is particularly important.
Wrote Litarra, the plastic surgeon, ‘I must say that, technically, it could be possible.’
Christopher Roy, a professor and aerodynamics expert at Virgina Tech, also told USA TODAY Sports he thinks it could work.
‘In ski jumping, basically the main goal is maximize your lift while minimizing your drag,’ Roy said. ‘And if you can do that, that just equates to going farther.’
Roy also cited a scandal at the Nordic World Ski Championships in March involving the manipulation of ski jumper’s suit sizes.
Ski jumping cheaters, beware
Bruno Sassi, Communications Director of the International Ski and Snowboard Federation, said 3D technology is used as a deterrent against rule breaking.
‘The main goal is to identify and/or prevent possible manipulations or violations of equipment rules – notably, the intentional lowering of the crotch measurement to gain advantage over opponents,’ Sassi wrote in an email sent to USA TODAY Sports.
At the Olympics, according to Sassi, there will testing. He cited the following:
Before the event, every suit has undergone a technical approval, i.e. a check to ensure that they’re compliant (and to give teams the ability to adapt if necessary). Each athlete is entitled to two suits for the Olympics.
Every suit is microchipped, so controllers know exactly which suits they are inspecting after each jump. Before each jump, the competitor’s suit is scanned to confirm that it’s an approved suit.
There are no body scans being conducted at the Olympics: this was a one-time procedure at the start of the season to set a baseline of each athlete’s measurements.
‘Equipment control is a vital component of Ski Jumping, ensuring safety and fairness for the discipline,’ Sassi wrote. ‘An integral part of this procedure is the process of collecting athletes’ body measurements data prior to events so that, during competitions, these measurements may be compared with the size of the jumping suits and other pieces of equipment.’
Team USA finds humor in attention, denies injections
The three ski jumpers on the United States men’s Olympic team were adamant they’re not getting injections to alter their suit size. But, they didn’t rule out competitors getting the injections.
‘It is difficult to say if it’s something that has been done or if people are doing,’ said Jason Colby, a 19-year-old based in Steamboat Springs, Colorado who will be competing in his first Olympics. ‘And I guess that, scientifically speaking, it could work. But who knows what other teams are doing behind closed doors.’
Plastic surgeon sheds more light
Hyaluronic acid is not used strictly for penile-enlargement injections. The gel-like dermal filler also is used to smooth out wrinkles and lines on the face.
Litarra wrote the procedure must be repeated for the enlarged penis to maintain its size.
‘…the ski jumper certainly needs to maintain the desired volume, so the (procedure) will need to be repeated,’ Littara explained. ‘How often depends on individual characteristics, but realistically at least three times a year.’
Also, Littara noted the impact of the procedures varies. Specifically addressing if the enlargement would aid ski jumpers, Littara wrote, “Obviously, it depends a lot on the amount of filler implanted. Usually, at least 20 (milliliters) of hyaluronic acid is implanted, but the amount can be customised according to individual needs.’