"Fallschirm": Serious Fraud Allegations Against German Ski Jumper

Allegations of Fraud Against German Star

The decision from the men's normal hill event has caused a significant stir in Poland. Even serious fraud allegations against German ski jumping star Karl Geiger have started to circulate.

The DSV eagles celebrated an unexpected resurgence in performance during the normal hill jumping event at the World Championships in Trondheim. Alongside silver medalist Andreas Wellinger, Geiger made a significant statement, finishing in fourth place.

However, questions arose over the legitimacy of this success. In Poland, many are responding with a resounding "No" regarding Geiger's suitability. This is mainly attributed to the competition suit of the ski flying world champion from 2020.

Sport.pl did not hold back in its metaphoric descriptions of Geiger's competition attire, with comments such as "He has put on a potato sack again," "He has jumped into a parachute," or "That’s a cape, it’s actually a sleeping bag" circulating online.

Polish commentators Igor Błachut and Michał Korościel previously raised criticisms of the athlete’s suit. Commenting during the first round, they said, "Karl Geiger. Well, they aren't cutting costs on material." They remarked again in the second round, observing, "A man in a cape. We see that Karl Geiger hasn't changed his suit. It’s practically a sleeping bag."

Malysz Fuels Cheating Allegations

Polish ski jumping legend Adam Malysz also voiced his doubts about Geiger's equipment in an interview with Przeglad Sportowy. “To be honest, this is a bit strange. Either we still have a loophole in the rules and someone knows how to circumvent it, or I don’t know what is going on. Something is wrong here. I mean, it’s obvious. It’s very strange,” stated the 47-year-old, who has served as president of the Polish skiing federation since 2022.

The Polish head coach Thomas Thurnbichler also expressed skepticism regarding several athletes' suits during a sport.pl inquiry. "You can see that some jumpers have a loose suit," he commented, though he did not directly name Geiger.

Geiger Stands by Material Inspection

Geiger himself is unaware of any wrongdoing. "I had an inspection and passed it," he explained according to the Polish report.

During the 2022 Olympic Games, there was already considerable excitement in Poland when Geiger narrowly secured bronze, just behind fellow athlete Kamil Stoch from the large hill. Images were compared online showing Geiger's allegedly oversized suit compared to those of Stoch and Ryoyu Kobayashi.

After the World Championship decision, sport.pl featured a comparison image between Geiger and the Polish jumper Pawel Wasek. However, such images' authority is highly questionable.

Ongoing Accusations in Ski Jumping

In ski jumping, it has become commonplace for athletes' suits to be scrutinized severely. Accusations often come from a weaker ski jumping nation directed toward a stronger one.

“It’s suspicious. There must be something there,” commented Norwegian Olympic champion Maren Lundby during the recent Tour, labeling the Austrians' dominance as "insane" before she later retracted her remarks.

Following Slovenia's Domen Prevc's victory in ski flying in Oberstdorf, DSV head coach Stefan Horngacher remarked on the "bitter aftertaste" when two of his compatriots were disqualified while one triumphed. A week later, both Sven Hannawald and Sports Director Horst Hüttel speculated on television about possible disadvantages in the equipment for the DSV eagles.

Ultimately, athletes and teams have little choice but to trust the oversight of officials.