The 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina have delivered plenty of gold medal moments, but one story is generating buzz for a very different reason. Nick Novak, a bisexual freestyle aerial skier for the Czech Republic, found his social media flooded with questions about his anatomy. Fans have mistakenly targeted him in a bizarre doping scandal that the internet has dubbed “Penisgate.”
‘Injecting their nether regions with hyaluronic acid, they can have a larger appendage, and therefore a larger suit to generate more lift!’
GB News’ @Tomhfh is back on the whiteboard to explain the scandal that is being dubbed ‘penisgate’ at the 2026 Winter Olympics. pic.twitter.com/24bfy0ignv
The term Penisgate emerged after reports surfaced that male ski jumpers were using hyaluronic acid injections to enhance their genitals. This strategy was allegedly used to bypass strict International Ski Federation (FIS) rules regarding suit sizes. By artificially increasing their body measurements, athletes could qualify for wider suits that act like sails to provide better lift and distance. The bizarre nature of the allegations quickly went viral on social media.
Novak took to TikTok to address the speculation with humour and clarity. In a video responding to the rumours, he explained that his sport does not require the aerodynamic advantages of a larger suit.
“First, I want to make one thing very clear. I have not gotten any injections to that area of my body for any sort of reason,” Novak said.
He noted that many viewers seem confused about the difference between his discipline and ski jumping. While both involve skis and snow, the technical requirements are vast.
“I’ll make one thing clear, I do do jumps on skis, ok? But I do flips, I don’t ski jump. I don’t go the distance,” he joked.
Novak’s video quickly gained traction, with fans praising his ability to laugh off the awkward situation. He explained that he received hundreds of direct messages and comments asking if he was part of the scandal.
Novak ended his video by reassuring his followers that he is competing fairly.
“I don’t know if that’s happening. I don’t know if that’s true. But one thing I can tell you is that it’s not happening to me. So, case closed,” he said.
WADA Director General Olivier Niggli stated that while he was unaware of the specific details initially, the committee would investigate if evidence of such doping emerged. For now, Nick Novak remains focused on his aerials, leaving the suit enhancements to the rumour mill.
