Swedish cross-country skier Calle Halfvarsson has called for a new temperature limit for World Cups, a week after the cold-weather race in Kuusamo in which his penis froze.
“It’s terrible when fingers, toes and other parts of the body freeze. I think the limit should be set at 15 degrees below zero,” said Halfvarsson.
According to the regulations of the world association FIS, competitions are currently allowed to take place if it is not colder than minus 20 degrees. In Finland the temperature was 19 degrees below freezing, but parts of the route were said to have been even colder. In Gällivare, Sweden, it was also 15 degrees below zero on Saturday on the second World Cup weekend.
With the new limit, frostbite and cold asthma could be prevented. “We’ve seen over the years that we have a problem with asthma. Everyone is walking around with these asthma medications. Maybe raising the temperature limit a little bit could solve a lot of problems,” Halfvarsson said.
After the race in Kuusamo, the two-time relay runner-up world champion explained that his “snorre” had frozen: “It hurts so damn much. It’s terrible.”
The mishap had already happened to Halfvarsson years ago. “It’s lucky that I’m having my second child soon, because it will be difficult in the future if I continue like this,” said the 34-year-old and laughed. He lay in a tent for ten minutes to warm up his penis.