Ski Jumper Disqualified Over 'Stupid' Mistake

Austria's Daniel Tschofenig wore boots that were slightly too long
Posted Feb 16, 2026 7:17 AM CST
Ski Jumper Disqualified Over 'Stupid' Mistake
Daniel Tschofenig of Austria soars through the air during his trial jump at the men's large hill individual at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Predazzo, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026.   (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

Daniel Tschofenig's Olympic run ended not with a crash, but with a tape measure. The 23-year-old Austrian ski jumper was kicked out of the men's large hill individual event after officials found his boots were four millimeters bigger than regulations allow, wiping out his 137.7 first-round score, per the BBC. Tschofenig, a 2025 World Cup champion, admitted he'd switched to new shoes in training, saying he failed to measure them amid "so much stress" and calling the mistake "extremely stupid," while conceding that "rules are rules." Tschofenig's disqualification opened a lane for Slovakia's Hektor Kapustik to reach the final. Slovenia's Domen Prevc took gold, with Japan's Ren Nikaido earning silver and Poland's Kacper Tomasiak bronze.

Equipment scrutiny has been intense at these Games: On Sunday, US jumper Annika Belshaw, 23, was disqualified from the women's large hill event when her skis were found to be more than a centimeter too long, knocking her out after she had already secured a place in the final. In what's been dubbed "Penisgate," the World Anti-Doping Agency is also investigating reports of male jumpers injecting hyaluronic acid into their genitals to increase the surface area of their suits, per the Guardian. A larger surface area means you fly further in the air, per the BBC.

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