Athletes taking part in cross-country skiing events have been warned about developing a pretty chilling condition known as 'frozen penis'.
Spending extended amounts of time outside or in freezing conditions is pretty much a given if you're competing in the Winter Olympics, meaning athletes need to be aware of the risks which come with spending extended periods of time in the cold.
This includes a rather grim health condition known as 'frozen penis' – and yes, that is a very real thing.
The condition is pretty much self-explanatory, occurring when a man's appendage becomes so cold that it freezes. Which I'm sure you can all agree is pretty unpleasant.
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The condition became known to the public when Finnish athlete Remi Lindholm disclosed that he'd suffered from the condition while taking part in the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing.
Lindholm had been competing in the men's 50km Cross-Country Skiing event back in 2022, crossing the finish line in 28th place.
The race had already been shortened from 50 to 30km due to freezing winds; however, this did little to help the grim situation in which the 28-year-old found himself.
After spending close to one hour and 16 minutes on the course in freezing temperatures of -17C, Lindholm discovered that his manhood had frozen solid.
"You can probably guess what was on the ice when I got to the finish line," he told reporters after the race. "It was one of the worst competitions I've been in. It was just about battling through."
Lindholm went on to explain that he'd been given a heat pack to thaw out his frozen penis – and anyone who's dealt with warming up their hands or feet after being out in the cold will know how uncomfortable an experience that can be.
"When the body parts started to warm up after the finish, the pain was unbearable," he added.
This isn't the first time Lindholm has experienced the phenomenon of 'chilly willy' either, with the Finnish athlete previously dealing with frozen genitals in the 2021 Ruka World Cup.
In fact, the winds must have been pretty cold in the city during the competition, as Swedish skier Calle Halfvarsson experienced the same issue.
"I have frozen my penis," he told Swedish language outlet Expressen at the time. "For real. Damn, I had to lie in there [warm-up tent] for 10 minutes to warm it up. It hurts so damn much."
Which I'm sure Halfvarsson will hope to avoid when he competes in cross-country skiing events later this month.
Meanwhile, Lindholm won't have to worry about experiencing a frozen penis for the third time, as a devastating injury meant he had to pull out of the Milan games.
The Finnish athlete revealed in May last year that he'd suffered a 'stress fracture' in his lower back, with the recovery process meaning he missed out on a spot in the Finnish delegation this year – news which his manhood is sure to be delighted with.
Topics: Winter Olympics, Olympics, Health
Brenna Cooper