Gold medallist Russia's Ivan Ukhov, silver medallist Erik Kynard of the U.S. (R) and bronze medallist Qatar's Mutaz Essa Barshim (L) hold their national flags after the men's high jump final during the London 2012 Olympic Games.
The Russian doping scandal has led to calls for all or some of Russia’s track and field athletes to be stripped of their recent medals.
Of course, if that happens, then other athletes from other countries might get bumped up the medal table.
That would include US high jumper, Erik Kynard, Jr. He won a silver medal in the London Olympics in 2012, just behind Russia's Ivan Ukhov. Ukhov was not named in the long report published this week by WADA (the World Anti-Doping Agency), but it says the entire Russian national team was pressured into cheating.
“The reality of the situation is that even if I get the Olympic gold, I was stripped of the moment,” says Kynard. “You know, I won’t be able to go back to the podium and do a victory lap.”
He says winning the silver medal in 2012, as a college junior, changed his life. “But imagine how drastically my life would have changed if I would have been a gold medalist at the age of 21, financially and everything.”
Kynard is skeptical anything will actually happen.
‘I highly doubt Russia is banned from anything,’ he tweeted.
He told PRI’s The World that “without any hard proof, honestly, I doubt if anything is going to take place. It would be great if the guys who are cheating and gals who are cheating are caught, and something happens to the country for allowing this type of deception to take place. But in all actuality, in reality, I’m not sure anything will come of it.”
Kynard frowns on cheating but is aware it exists. He says athletics is about consistency, since it depends on strength and technique. “So whenever you have fluctuations in performance — in something that is definitely talent and training based — you always raise an eyebrow, and bat an eye.”
He says if the allegations can be proven against Russia, sanctions should be imposed.
“You know, I’ve witnessed guys walk past drug testing,” Kynard says. “I’m not dropping any names, and I’m not pointing any fingers at any country but I witnessed guys say no, and just keep walking, and say ‘don’t speak English.’ What can you do?”
Kynard is looking forward to the Olympics in Rio next year.