For over a decade, athletes have petitioned to add women's ski jump to the Olympic roster, where men's ski jump has been an official Olympic sport since 1924. The reasons why women's ski jumping has been blocked have been varied, but most people point to the myth that ski jumping can hurt women's reproductive systems as a big reason why the sport hasn't gotten wider recognition. In 2005, the International Ski Federation president said that women's ski jumping “seems not to be appropriate from a medical point of view.” That didn't stop the Olympic committee from asking a few top female athletes, including Jessica Jerome and Lindsey Van (who are both representing Team USA in Sochi), to test out the ski jumping ramp before the competition started at the 2002 Olympics in Utah.
