Athletes criticise International Ski Federation for disqualifying female ski jumpers for their outfits during mixed team competition at Olympics

The International Ski Federation (FIS) has come under fire after disqualifying five ski jumpers from the mixed team competition at the Beijing Olympics because their jumpsuits were too big and offered an aerodynamic advantage.

The slew of disqualifications marred the first  mixed team event of the Winter Games, with one athlete saying the governing body had «destroyed» women's ski jumping.

Germany, Austria, Norway and Japan all suffered disqualification for suit infringements, prompting anger and tears from athletes.

Each team was made up of two women and two men, with all five of those disqualified being women competitors.

«We were looking forward to the second competition at the Olympics,» said Germany's Katharina Althaus, who was one of the disqualified athletes.

«FIS destroyed that with this action — they destroyed women's ski jumping. 

»Our names are now [out] there and we just pulled the crap card. That is how you destroy nations, development and the entire sport."

Horst Huttel, Germany's head of Nordic events, said the situation was «outrageous».

«This is a parody, but I am not laughing … It is outrageous that this happens with the four biggest ski-jump nations,» he said.

Norway's ski jumping chief of sports, Clas Brede Braathen, said the experience was «very painful» for the athletes and that the issue should have been ironed out before the Olympics.

«The sport of ski jumping has experienced one of its darker days,» he told reporters.

«I'm lost for words, really. I'm in pain on behalf of our sport.»

The FIS said the suits that violated rules were produced exclusively for the Olympics and and were not tested in advance, an opportunity that just a few nations took advantage of before arriving in Beijing.

It also said no