It was revealed in footage secretly filmed from behind a curtain then sent by a whistleblower to international media. A FIS official said the illegal alterations were only subsequently confirmed by tearing apart the seams of the crotch area on the offending Norwegian ski suits.

Five Norwegian ski jumpers, their coach and an equipment manager have now been suspended as part of an investigation into a suspected cheating scandal.

The Norwegian Ski Federation has suspended two staff, including the team coach, after the governing body admitted that the country's ski jumping team cheated by manipulating jumpsuits at the Nordic World Ski Championships in Trondheim.