As the ski jumping community reels from a wave of disqualifications. The International Ski Federation (FIS) is cracking down on gear for athletes amid the aforementioned recent scandals. The 2025-26 season was opened by one of the most thrilling summer Grand Prix events on synthetic surfaces held in France. That didn’t stop six male ski jumpers from being disqualified for suit violations, including for being too big around the waist. The incident has increased scrutiny on equipment standards and is occurring only six months before the start of the Winter Olympics.
FIS has pledged its dedication to strict controls during the entire Olympic season. They argue that athletes need to be held accountable under those different rules. After finding these illegally modified suits recently used by the Norwegian team at the world championships in March, FIS suddenly intensified their monitoring practices. As a result, they are on guard more than ever. The federation admitted that the latest disqualifications result directly from stricter enforcement of rules in the wake of the scandal.
In fact, with five members of the USA team in danger of being disqualified. At the same time, Norway’s Kristoffer Eriksen Sundal faced disqualification after a successful provisional suspension earlier this year. Olympic gold medalists Marius Lindvik and Johann André Forfang are accused of ethics violations. They are accompanied by three staff members from the Norwegian team in these grave allegations. Those charges came as part of a months-long investigation into “equipment manipulation.”
In a statement, FIS spokesperson Sandro Pertile said they understood the burden that the new regulations were placing on qualifying teams.
“It’s perfectly normal for teams to need some time to adapt to the new situation after such comprehensive changes to the equipment regulations. Some cope with it straight away, others find it difficult at first,” – Sandro Pertile
Even with these growing pains, Pertile was optimistic that the rate of disqualifications would drop dramatically over the next few weeks.
“The teams know that they have our full support, and we expect the number of disqualifications to decrease significantly in the coming weeks,” – Sandro Pertile
FIS Technical Delegate Pertile was on a message of firm control from FIS throughout the season, saying,
“With that said, we will remain strict and precise with equipment checks the whole season long; there is no room for exceptions.” – Sandro Pertile
The recent developments highlight a critical period for ski jumping as it navigates through controversies and strives for integrity in its sport. In some cases, athletes are adapting to their new rules. With the Winter Olympics on the way, many are hoping for a safer and fairer transition.